‘Boy, have you grown.’ You can still hear your grandma say it during Sunday afternoon visits. Something similar applies to Smart. What started in the late 90s with the transversely parking two-seater CityCoupé is now resulting in a hefty electric SUV. Meet the Smart #5 with room for five. It enters a crowded arena, so distinctive capabilities are required.
How big is the smart #5 Exactly?
The first Smart is 2.50 long, the Smart #5 adds another 2.20 meters to that. With a length of 4.70 meters and a width of 1.90 meters, the Smart #5 is just as big as a Volvo XC60 and larger than a Skoda Enyaq or Mini Countryman. Perhaps that makes it a bit easier to position it. A big boy, then, with a large wheelbase. That promises a spacious interior and plenty of luggage space.
Is the smart #5 a Chinese car?
As you may know, Smart is fifty percent owned by Geely, which in turn has the brands Volvo, Lynk & C0, Lotus and Zeekr under its umbrella. The other half is still owned by Mercedes-Benz, which entered into this joint venture with the Chinese consortium, especially for the powertrain and battery. The design is still largely German, the production of the Smart #5 takes place in China.
What child of battery pack and range does the #5 have?
A large electric SUV needs a substantial battery pack to offer a decent range. The Smart #5 is available with two battery sizes, which are also two different types. The entry-level model has a 74.4 kWh (net) LFP battery, which provides a range of 465 kilometers. All other versions have an NMC battery with a usable capacity of 94 kWh, good for 590 (540 for the 4WD) kilometers. With its weight of 595 kg, the large battery is only 17 kg heavier than the LFP.
How fast can the smart #5 charge?
The Smart #5 with the ‘small’ LFP battery can charge at a maximum of 150 kW, and 11 kW flows through the cable at a regular charging station or wallbox. For more impressive charging performance, you need to be with the Smart #5 with the larger battery pack, which has 800 Volt technology, guaranteeing an impressive 400 kW at the fast charger and up to 22 kW with the type 2 connector. Incidentally, the Smart #5 with a large battery can also handle a 400V charger, thanks to the built-in booster that allows charging at 80 kW in that case. Unfortunately, the Pro and Pro+ do not have a heat pump.
The Smart #5 achieves an impressive 400 kW at the fast charger.
Does the smart #5 have four-wheel drive?
As we are used to from many SUVs, the Smart #5 initially does not have 4WD. The Pro, Pro+ and Premium have a motor on the rear axle and then you have at least 340 hp, which is more than enough. That increases to a not insignificant 646 hp in the Brabus, the top model. Like the Pulse, Summit Edition and Brabus, it has an extra motor on the front axle, which is nice with that load of hp and the monster torque.
What is the maximum trailer weight?
The adventurous people who are attracted to this brand with the Smart #5 like to go out and that often happens with something on or on the tow bar. Bicycle carrier, cart, horse trailer, caravan; a bit of an SUV should stand its ground. It does not matter whether you choose a Smart #5 with rear or four-wheel drive, the maximum trailer weight is 1,600 kg in all cases. A nice addition is the electrically retractable tow bar that you do not have to lock manually yourself. Press the button and the luck knob whooshes silently from under the rear bumper.
What about the Standard Equipment?
The entry-level model does not appear to be a cheap lure in the price list, given the excellent equipment. All safety systems are on board, the seats are electrically adjustable and – like the steering wheel – heated, the tailgate opens and closes electrically and it stands on 19-inch wheels. Inside, we see a central screen that owes its high resolution to OLED technology. A large part of the price difference with the next version, the Pro+, is in the larger battery of that variant. The temporarily available Summit Edition has a tow bar as standard.
How spacious is the smart #5?
We take a seat in the back seat of the Smart #5 and discover that there is more than enough room for body and limbs. With its wheelbase of 2.90 meters, you will not have your knees against the backrest of the seat in front of you, even with a height of 1.91 m. Nice detail are the movable reading lights, in the style of the spotlights in an airplane. The backrest is electrically adjustable and the passenger seat can be set to its front position at the touch of a button, so that you can enjoy maximum living space at the rear right. There is in principle room for five adults on board, including their luggage. The cargo space measures 630 liters and there is a frunk of 72 (47 for the 4WD) liters at the front. With a small caveat: those five people, including their suitcases and bags, may not weigh more than 500 kg, the maximum load capacity of the Smart #5.
At the front there is a frunk of 72 (47 for the 4WD) liters
How does the smart #5 drive?
For this first test drive, we get behind the wheel of the Smart #5 Brabus, which is the only version available during this event. Its chassis is the same as that of the other versions, not lowered or harder. The Smart #5 quickly reveals itself as a fairly relaxed and comfortable SUV. And insanely fast, if you want. Choose the Brabus driving mode and you will be launched, thanks to 646 hp and 710 Nm. The steering feels firm and works with sufficient directness, which is not bad at all. The degree of recuperation can be adjusted via a menu after some digging in the screen, and in the S-pedal mode you can drive and brake with the power pedal, until standstill. We can say little about consumption during events like this, but expect an average of around 20 kWh/100 km, given the size, shape and weight of this giant Smart.
What are the competitors of the smart #5?
We have already mentioned a few cars that can measure up to the Smart #5 in terms of size, and that list could be much longer if you also include the price. The basic version of the Smart #5 costs €48,440 and then you drive away in the Pro with a 74.4-kWh LFP battery. You can also find that in the new Zeekr 07, just to name an EV. The first car that of course comes to mind for many as a competitor of the Smart #5 is the Mini Countryman, even though it is a size smaller. Another obvious candidate is the Mercedes EQB. The most expensive Smart #5 is the lightning-fast Brabus, with a price tag of €63,440. The question is, how much do the brand name and image of Smart weigh for the consumer? As far as we are concerned, the Smart #5 has a certain ‘cool-factor’, like Mini and Jeep also have, and that certainly speaks in its favor.
From when is it available?
The Smart #5 will be at the dealers from the end of May and will be available from June, so we will see it on the road in the Netherlands this summer. But that only concerns the Brabus, the delivery of the rest of the program will start in August. The importer expects the Smart #5 Premium to be the best-selling version. That is the most richly decorated, rear-wheel-drive version with a large battery and rear-wheel drive.