Every day we move further away from the iconic two-seat ForTwos that Smart built its name on.
This is the Smart #5, the brand’s biggest model yet. It’s a midsize electric SUV that will go up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Peugeot e-3008 and Audi Q4.
Prices reflect that: this is a £40,000 Smart. Well, £39,800 for the entry-level Pro model. You'll have to stick with this one if you want to avoid paying the luxury car tax for the first five times the tax is renewed.
Above that is the Pro+ model, which costs £43,800. Then there's the Pulse, which is all-wheel drive, and the rear-drive Premium, and both of these cost £47,300. Finally, the Smart #5 Brabus crowns the range at £51,800.
Besides the entry-level Pro, which gets a 76kWh battery, every #5 comes with a huge 100kWh battery. The upshot is a maximum range of 366 miles, which is impressive in isolation but merely middling in terms of rivals.
More noteworthy is its charging capacity. An 800V architecture for the 100kWh battery models enables a max charge rate of 400kW – faster than any charger in the UK at the time of writing. Plug into a 350kW charger, which you’ll actually find in the UK, and you’ll recoup 10-80% charge in 18 minutes. What’s more, there’s Vehicle-to-Load capability, allowing you to power other electricals from the car’s battery.
The four-wheel-drive Pulse gets five off-road driving modes (Adaptive, Sand, Snow, Mud and Rock), while the top models get a heat pump for better cold-weather efficiency.
All models are quick off the line – even the Pro version offers 340hp and a sub-seven-second 0-62mph time. The 587hp Pulse reduces that to 4.9 seconds. But you'll need the Brabus if you want truly breathtaking acceleration – it boasts 637hp and a 0-62mph time of just 3.8 seconds. Across the range, top speed is 124mph.
Inside, the #5 has more screens than a small-town cinema. Directly in front of the driver is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and then next to that are two (!) 13-inch screens – including one for the front passenger. Oh, and a 25.6-inch augmented-reality head-up display that you’ll have to look through to see the road ahead.
The touchscreens run a new infotainment system featuring an Unreal 3.0 engine – the sort of thing you’d find in open-world video games. There’s an AI-powered voice assistant, because of course there is, and Smart has enlisted a new on-screen assistant – a lion, instead of the fox in the #1.
It looks fairly compact in pictures, but the #5 is as near as makes no difference 4.7 metres long – the same as a Tesla Model Y (and many estate cars). That means passenger space should be generous, and the 630-litre boot looks to be the biggest in this sector. Additionally, a 72-litre frunk under the bonnet is big enough for a carry-on suitcase.
Can’t wait for the new Smart #5? Read our guide to the best electric SUVs to buy now or browse our entire selection of used electric cars to see what takes your fancy.
