Once upon a time, Smart was a brand that specialised in small city cars, but modern legislation and market forces have coaxed the company into a change of tack.
Not only are the existing Smart #1 and Smart #3 compact electric SUVs much more family-sized than many of the products Smart has previously built, but the new 2025 Smart #5 really is a big electric SUV.
Although it looks smaller than most, it’s much the same size as the Volkswagen ID.4, and it’s every bit as spacious inside, so it’s very different from the cars Smart was previously known for.
The question is whether the new-look brand can capture buyers’ imaginations in the same way, and whether the #5 is capable of mixing it with the more established products it wishes to challenge.
To find out, we headed to Portugal for the global launch of the #5, where we tested a European-specification car in top-of-the-range, high-performance Brabus form.
Sportier styling and higher power output aside, it’s little different from other variants in the range, and gave us a good opportunity to try out all the #5 has to offer in every situation, from country roads and urban streets to gravel tracks and highways, before the model’s Australian release.
How much does the Smart #5 cost?
Smart is yet to confirm pricing for the #5 in Australia, but we’re expecting the mid-size electric SUV to start somewhere around the $70,000 mark, or just above the smaller #3.
We’re also expecting a pretty generous standard specification, with 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic roof and parking sensors at the front and rear all expected to feature.
That’s all going to sit alongside a massive 13-inch infotainment touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster and dual-zone climate control, as well as wireless phone charging, synthetic leather upholstery and over-the-air software updates.
What is the Smart #5 like on the inside?
Smart’s new look is modern and clean, and that’s as true of the #5’s interior as it is of the exterior styling.
So, you’ll find neat, rounded shapes and a relatively button-free dashboard, with a simple three-spoke steering wheel and most of the controls living on the touchscreen.
And it’s a sizeable touchscreen, measuring 13 inches diagonally, complete with the latest software and a quick processor, as well as Smart’s latest-generation voice assistant, which takes the form of a lion avatar that prowls the menus.
In truth, some of that stuff is a bit gimmicky, despite the cleverness of the technology, and the lion thing is a little distracting if we’re honest.
But it isn’t as distracting as the passenger display that’s fitted to some of the more upmarket grades as standard in Europe, including the range-topping Brabus cars.
Whereas some brands put a kind of polarising film on their passenger displays, preventing the driver from seeing what’s there, there’s no such protection on the Smart’s system, leaving the driver with every chance of rubbernecking at whatever film or game the passenger is playing.
It’s a nice idea, then, but it feels as though it needs a little refinement.
In fairness, though, Smart says the technology isn’t entirely complete and will be updated ahead of the car’s market introduction later this year.
And while we can find faults with the two main touchscreens, the responses are sharp, and even the touchscreen climate control system isn’t too difficult to adjust. On top of all that, we’ve nothing but praise for the head-up display and the digital instrument cluster.
We’re impressed with the cabin quality, too, which is every bit as good as we’ve seen in the #1 and #3 models.
Most of the materials, with only a couple of exceptions, are remarkably good, including the seat upholstery and most of the plastics. Combined with the airiness provided by the glass roof, it makes the #5’s cabin feel decidedly upmarket.
But the overwhelming sense is one of space. The room inside the #5 is staggeringly good, with huge amounts of rear legroom and headroom, as well as plenty of space for those in the front.
It’s only a five-seater, which might disappoint some, but those five people will have plenty of room. Even the middle seat in the second row is reasonably comfortable.
Luggage capacity is pretty good, too, with a 630-litre boot in all versions of the #5. That means it’s considerably more spacious than the boot in a VW ID.4, and that space is joined by a ‘frunk’ under the bonnet.
Exactly how big that frunk is will depend on which version you choose – the all-wheel drive cars get less space than the rear-wheel drive cars, but Smart reckons the standard rear-drive variant’s frunk is big enough for the kind of carry-on suitcase you see airline passengers using every day.
We suspect it’ll probably be used for cable storage by most, but it’ll offer useful carrying capacity nonetheless.
What’s under the bonnet?
Full specifications have not yet been confirmed for the Australian market, but in Europe the #5 will be offered with a choice of two different batteries.
There’s a base grade with a 74kWh unit that may or may not come to Australia, but we’re pretty confident the variants with the larger 100kWh battery will arrive on these shores.
They’re offered with a choice of either single-motor rear-wheel drive, or twin-motor all-wheel drive powertrains, each with varying power outputs. The pinnacle of the lineup is the Brabus, with a generous 475kW from its two motors, but there will be a choice of less powerful options, too.
In Europe, for example, the basic RWD version delivers 250kW, while there are also 267kW single-motor and 432kW dual-motor options below the Brabus. In terms of efficiency, the single-motor models offer the best range, with even the smallest battery providing more than 400km of range according to the WLTP economy test.
And the dual-motor systems allow the front motor to be detached from the powertrain when it isn’t needed, reducing mechanical drag and thereby making it as efficient as possible. Even the Brabus will do more than 500km on a charge, with the 100kWh rear-motor option managing 589km between trips to the plug.
How does the Smart #5 drive?
Although it’s big and heavy – the Brabus version weighs roughly the same as a Bentley Flying Spur V8– the #5 is a remarkably comfortable thing.
Smart has clearly designed the #5 with ride comfort in mind, and it absorbs bumps with surprising ease, even on massive 21-inch alloy wheels.
Admittedly, such large rims and such a bulky kerb weight mean the odd sharper imperfection in the surface will make itself known, but it’s generally very good indeed.
And while that kind of comfort would cause some cars to feel a bit soft and vague in the corners, the Smart handles pretty well.
The steering’s weight is good, and even though it feels a little artificial, it’s easy to put the #5 exactly where you want it. And that’s useful when the car feels every bit as big as its dimensions suggest when you’re on the road.
Unfortunately, there is a bit of lean in the corners, which in a mid-range model would be forgivable given the comfort credentials, but feels a little disappointing in the Brabus.
We’re told the suspension settings are identical to other all-wheel drive #5 variants though, so it looks promising for the more popular mid-range grades.
Clearly, those versions will not be as fast as the Brabus, which has a frankly obscene amount of power for something of this size.
Yes, the car is heavy, but 475kW is unnecessary in something like this. Happily, the AWD powertrain is just about capable of dealing with that kind of power, and it enables stomach-churning standing-start acceleration that sees the car hit 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds.
Nobody needs to go that quickly, but even the base model, with 250kW and just the one electric motor, still gets to 100km/h in less than seven seconds. With the instant response of an electric powertrain, the car will be more than punchy enough no matter which version you choose.
It’ll be quiet, too, with acoustically insulated glass that’s strikingly thick when you see its cross-section, meaning limited noise from the tyres or the wind. While it may not be quite as refined as some Mercedes-Benz luxury products, it’s definitely quiet enough to live up to its semi-premium billing.
What do you get?
Smart Australia is yet to confirm which versions of the #5 will come Down Under, but we know the Europe-bound cars get a generous specification and a wide range of different trim levels.
2025 Smart #5 equipment highlights:
- 13-inch touchscreen
- 10.25-inch digital instrumentation
- Panoramic glass roof
- Driving modes
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Dual-zone air conditioning
- Satellite navigation
For Australia, we’re expecting a slightly thinned-out lineup, perhaps with three or four different versions.
Is the Smart #5 safe?
The new #5 is yet to be crash tested either in Australia or in Europe, but Smart’s record so far is good.
Both the #1 and #3 received five-star ratings when they were put through their paces by ANCAP, and Smart has kitted the new car out with plenty of standard safety equipment.
Better still, the company has included a system that allows drivers to choose their preferences for the driver assistance technology, which can be something of an irritant in certain situations.
With Smart’s touchscreen, however, those preferences can be saved, allowing faster access to drivers’ preferred settings.
Safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Lane-keeping assistance
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Automated and remote parking
- Adaptive cruise control
How much does the Smart #5 cost to run?
Every Smart currently sold in Australia comes with a five-year, 150,000km warranty, and we’re expecting the #5 to be no exception.
As with all electric vehicle, low running costs are one of the #5’s big selling points, and there’s no doubt it’ll be considerably less expensive to operate than a similarly powerful petrol car.
But alongside other EVs, it won’t prove quite so cheap. The battery is much larger than that of, say, an ID.4, so it’ll be more expensive to charge, and it won’t go any further on a charge.
The difference won’t be huge, but other electric SUVs will – at least in theory – be slightly cheaper to run.
CarExpert’s Take on the Smart #5
The #5 may not be anything like Smarts of old, but that’s no bad thing.
A competent, likeable and comfortable electric SUV, it’s a worthy rival to the likes of the Volkswagen ID.4 and Nissan Ariya, and it’s only a few ergonomic shortcomings away from beating them.
Perhaps it isn’t the most efficient thing on the road, but its fast-charging capabilities and its pleasant road manners more than make up for that.
MORE: Everything Smart
Pros
- Comfortable ride
- Roomy cabin
- Impressive quality
Cons
- Inefficient electric powertrains
- Some fiddly software
- A few ergonomic issues
