Smart gives us five
Freshly minted all-electric brand chooses Australia for global reveal of all-new Smart #5 mid-size SUV.
Alternative rocker Lou Reed one sang, “Does anybody need another million-dollar star… does anybody need (another) sixty-thousand-dollar car.”
Were Lou alive today, he might well rephrase that to, “Does anybody really need an eighty-thousand dollar-car… with its own portable cinema projector and screen.”
These quirky inclusions, along with full-flat folding seats that convert to king-size, queen-size or single-size beds, are among a gaggle of headline-grabbing unusual features of the new Smart #5 electric SUV.
Like its recently launched compact SUV stablemates the Smart #1 and Smart #3, the Smart #5 is a German-designed and engineered electric medium-SUV that’s made in China, as part of a 50:50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely Group.
The two automotive giants are in the process of relaunching and reinvigorating the Smart brand, which was formerly known for its ICE-powered micro-cars but is now EV-only.
LSH Auto Australia is leading the relaunch of the Smart brand in Australia and will be the sole retailer of the new range, with showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne and at its giant Mercedes-Benz lifestyle facility in Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek.
The company bills itself as Australia’s leading Mercedes-Benz retail group.
Just hours before the reveal of the Smart #5, media were handed the keys to the first fruits of the new joint venture in the form of the Smart #1 and Smart #3, which are both now available for sale in a three-variant lineup including high-performance Brabus versions.
Featuring entirely different styling but based on the same EV underpinnings, the Smart #1 is a classic SUV-style compact vehicle with boxy upright styling, while the Smart #3 is a lower and sportier crossover-style model.
Recommended retail pricing for the Smart #1 starts at $54,900 for the Pro+, followed by the Premium at $58,900, and tops out at $67,900 for the high-performance all-wheel drive Brabus variant.
The Smart #3 range starts at $57,900 for the Pro+, $61,900 for the Premium, and $70,900 plus on roads for the Smart #3 Brabus.
The Smart #5 will follow in the tracks of these trailblazing new models and is a bigger vehicle with a presumably higher price tag, although that information was not made available at the reveal, which occurred in front of an eclectic crowd of Australian, European and Chinese journalists and influencers.
Looking something like a shrunken and smoothed-over Land Rover Defender but described by Smart as “honest, boxy and bold,” the Smart #5 has been designed in Germany by the same Mercedes-Benz team who penned the Smart #1 and #3.
As such, it features similar design elements including the panoramic halo roof and frameless doors, albeit with a with a more upright silhouette and more muscular bodywork.
Other notable design elements include oblong-shaped lights at front and rear, dual-colour mirrors, concealed door handles, and floating wheel caps with central logos that stay upright when the wheels spin.
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The interior of the display cars looked spacious and nicely designed, with premium touches including leather and oak wood trim.
Other features include zero-gravity front seats, 256-colour ambient lighting, and an entertainment system with built-in projector, 20-speaker Sennheiser sound system, and a portable speaker which can be used outside the vehicle.
The dash is dominated by an impressive three-screen design that stretches the width of the cabin.
The screens include a 10.3-inch full-colour ultra-HD LCD instrument panel and dual 13-inch AMOLED 2.5K displays, plus there’s a 25.6-inch AR HUD (Head Up Display) ahead of the driver. Smart says it’s all powered by an AMD V2000 computing chip, a cutting-edge processor that should ensure especially fast response time to inputs and aesthetically pleasing imagery.
Smart describes the #5 as its most spacious vehicle to date, positioning it in the premium mid-size SUV segment.
The vehicle’s overall length (4,705mm) is slightly shorter than a Tesla Model Y (4,750mm) but its wheelbase (2,900mm) is a touch longer than the Tesla’s (2,890mm).
That leads to a roomy-looking second row offering a generous 1,060mm of headroom, plus heating and electrical adjustment, along with electric window blinds, and a one-button comfort-mode feature.
In addition, the front and rear seats are designed to fold fully flat to create the different bedding configurations, with other notable elements including 34 individual storage compartments, a 72-litre frunk, and up to 1,530 litres of rear storage.
The new model also features a range of outdoor-focused features and integrated equipment accessories, including a roof light bar and electric trailer hitch, and an ‘Adventurers’ Collection’ package which includes underbody protection, a roof carrier, side steps, side bag and side ladder.
A 220V trunk outlet allows the vehicle to be used to power and charge tools and other accessories while off-the-grid.
Short front and rear overhangs should ensure some level of off-road ability, although the display cars sat quite low to the ground, so it’s to be hoped they also feature adjustable suspension.
Likewise, dual motors will be needed for all-wheel drive traction but that wasn’t spelt out in the reveal.
The Smart #5 does, however, offer several driving modes including Adaptive, Sand, Snow, Mud and Rock and
Based as it is on 800V high-voltage underpinnings, the Smart #5 should deliver impressive levels of performance and fast charging speed.
The 100kWh battery has super-charging capability (4C) which allows for up to 70% charge capacity in 15 minutes, with a claimed range of over 740km on the lenient CLTC standard.
Converting that to the more rigorous WLTP standard still delivers an impressive estimated range of 600km.
No details were provided regarding electric motor outputs but it’s safe to assume there’ll be a dual motor all-wheel drive version, possibly with outputs in the vicinity of the just-launched Smart #1 Brabus and Smart #3 Brabus models, which claim an impressive 315kW/543Nm.
No date has been announced for the launch of the Smart #5 in Australia, but will be launched in China later this year.
Current best estimates for launch dates and pricing are early 2025 and from $85,000.
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The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.