Smart #5 review

Amazon’s reinvention is staggering when you think about it. The most successful in history? Possibly. Going from a small, online book seller, to a retail behemoth – with the cash to fund a space programme – is, at the very least, a mighty turnaround. And maybe the Smart #5 will cement a turnaround of similar scale for Smart. 

It doesn’t involve spaceships (as far as we know); just a dramatic change of image. Remember those half-pint city cars Smart used to build? It doesn’t build those anymore. Now it’s a premium electric brand that builds big cars, like the Smart #5, which really is BIG. 

Following on from the Smart #1 and Smart #3, the #5 feels like a statement of intent. It’s an electric SUV measuring 1.9m wide and 4.7m long, so it’s nearly twice as long as the original Smart ForTwo.

Smart #5 vs rivals video

The thing is, saying you’re a premium electric brand is all well and good, but you have to back that up with substance. Especially when you’re going up against established players that include the Audi Q4 e-tron, Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y.

To make an impression, the Smart #5 is packed with tech, standard equipment and luxury materials. But is that enough to take on the best electric SUVs?

What’s new?

- January 2026: Smart #5 wins What Car? family electric SUV of the year award

- October 2025: Smart #5 arrives in showrooms, priced from £39,800

- April 2025: high-performance Smart #5 Brabus unveiled, promising not only rapid electric acceleration with 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, but also rapid charging – a refill from 10-80% takes just 18 minutes

- August 2024: Smart takes the covers off its first ever SUV, the #5. Even the entry-level Pro model has a panoramic sunroof, smartphone connectivity, a full suite of driver-assistance systems and a range of up to 369 miles

How fast is it and which motor is best?

Let’s begin with the cheapest Smart #5, which is called the Pro. It comes with a single 335bhp motor driving the rear wheels and gets you from 0-62mph in 6.9sec. That’s not rapid by the standards of some electric cars, true, but It’s roughly on a par with the entry-level Tesla Model Y. And the reality is it’s more than quick enough; it builds speed easily in everyday driving, including zipping up to motorway speeds without batting an eyelid. 

We favour the Pro+, though. Mainly because it has a bigger battery and more range, which we’ll come to in a bit, but as a bonus you get slightly more poke (358bhp). It feels a little livelier as a result and ticks off 0-62mph in 6.5sec. The Premium trim has the same power and performance with more luxury. 

For something quicker there’s the Pulse model. It has a second motor driving the front wheels, making it four-wheel drive, and a combined 580bhp. That drops the 0-62mph sprint to 4.9sec – quick, but not as quick as the Brabus version. That has two motors, too, but they’re kicking out a combined 637bhp – enough to weld you to the seat while heading from 0-62mph in 3.8sec.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The #5 has quite a soft suspension setup, which makes the ride impressively cushy most of the time. It’ll breeze you over speed bumps in town, and dismiss the vast majority of ruts and ridges with minimal disturbance. Even cruel potholes aren’t wince-inducing. 

As a result, the #5 is comfier than many of its rivals, including the firmer-riding MG S6 and Tesla Model Y. One car still pips it for top honours when it comes to ride comfort, though, and that’s the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross. Why? Well, it’s a minor blight, but over pronounced dips and crests the #5 can get a little bouncy, whereas the ë-C5 Aircross strikes a slightly better balance between soft and controlled.

Like the ë-C5 Aircross, the #5 isn’t pinsharp in bends, although being softly sprung means that’s hardly a revelation. If you corner with gusto, it’ll lean more and offer up a bit less grip than sharper-handling cars, such as S6 and Model Y. The S6 steers better as well. The #5’s steering is light, which is great when you’re in town, and it’s not too quick, like the Model Y’s. On faster roads, however, it doesn’t build weight intuitively. It’s not a major issue, it just takes away some of your ability to read how much grip there is. 

There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the #5’s handling, then, it’s just not very engaging to drive if you’re looking for kicks and giggles. It’s easy to drive, though, which is all most people looking for a family electric SUV will care about. However, what about the Brabus version? That’s more of a sports SUV judging by its straightline pace, but has no specific suspension tuning to make it sportier to drive. That’s disappointing, which is why it’s not very recommendable.  

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

Overall, the #5 is a relaxing car to drive. There’s very little suspension noise or motor whine, and not a lot of wind or road noise at motorway speeds, either. In most respects it’s quieter than the S6, and very nearly as peaceful to cruise in as the ë-C5 Aircross. 

The #5 is easy to drive smoothly, too. When you’re building speed, the power comes in gently, and when you’re slowing down the brakes are reasonably progressive. We say ‘reasonably progressive’ because we prefer the firmer, slightly more consistent feel of the brakes in the S6 and Model Y. The #5’s brakes are easier to modulate than the spongier brakes in the ë-C5 Aircross, though.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

The entry-level Smart #5 Pro comes with a 74.4kWh (usable capacity) battery and an official range of 288 miles. That’s slightly better than the similarly priced Skoda Enyaq 60, which officially does up to 270 miles. However, the Enyaq isn’t the benchmark; not when the entry-level Tesla Model Y can officially cover up to 314 miles, and the cheapest MG S6 can do up to 326 miles. 

Then there’s real-world range to consider – the official range is always near-impossible to achieve. We did a road trip from London to Lille in a #5 Pro, MG S6 Trophy and Citroën ë-C5 Aircross Comfort Range. The weather was cold and we ran mostly on motorways, so not ideal circumstances to maximise range, but still a real-world comparison. We estimated the #5’s range at 216 miles, with the ë-C5 Aircross at 231 miles and the S6 at 243 miles. 

The #5 Pro was worst mainly because it was the least efficient of the three – it averaged 2.55mi/kWh, which isn’t great. It was the quickest of the three to charge, mind, and its maximum charging speed of 150kW makes it possible to charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes. 

The #5 Pro’s range isn’t great, then, but it’s a cracking car in many other respects. And if it’s piqued your interest, you can address the range issue with the #5 Pro+, our pick of the range. The efficiency isn’t any better but the battery size increases to 94kWh (usable capacity) and, with it, the official range swells to 366 miles; slightly behind a Model Y Long Range RWD, true, but still very good. 

What’s more, the Pro+ has an even faster charging speed. It uses an 800v electrical system to charge at up to 400kW (the Model Y charges at 250kW). If you can find a charger fast enough to deliver that amount of electricity, the Pro+’s battery can fill from 10-80% in 18 minutes. 

The four-wheel drive, twin-motor versions of the #5 all come with the 94kWh battery, but they’re even less efficient and the official range drops accordingly to 335 miles. That’s one of the reasons we don’t recommend them. 

"I find it a little bit disappointing that the Brabus version of the #5 is little more than a four-wheel-drive version with shed-loads of power. True, it’s rapid in a straight line, but it doesn’t handle like a proper sports SUV." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

The Smart #5’s interior quality is one of its standout features, so, while it’s not cheap to buy next to some rivals, it does justify the extra cost. It feels really well screwed together, and the finish is top-drawer for a car at this price point. 

Where many of its rivals use cheap, hard plastics on lower sections of the doors and dashboard, the #5 uses soft-touch materials for a consistently tactile feel. That places it right up with the Tesla Model Y for quality, and above more typical premium rivals, including the Audi Q4 e-tron. 

The interior look depends on what trim you go for. For example, Pro or Pro+ with dark grey trim offers a more traditional appearance. But a no-cost option is the choice of light blue seats with contrasting luminous yellow seatbelts, seat stitching, and for the trim highlights on the dashboard and doors. It’s certainly jazzy, but too jazzy? That’s for you to decide. 

The Premium and Pulse trims look truly high-end and luxurious. The colour combinations are classy, as are additional touches like wood trim – it’s actually fake wood but looks very convincing – and extended ambient lighting. The Brabus version swaps overt luxury for a slightly sportier feel. 

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

Yes and yes. The Smart #5’s driver’s seat is really comfortable, so you should feel ache-free after many miles at the wheel. The seat is electrically adjustable as standard, including the lumbar adjustment, and while you can’t change the angle of the seat squab (you can raise the seat height but the base doesn’t tilt) there’s still a good amount of support for your thighs. All trims have a memory function, so you can save your ideal setting. 

The seat lines up nicely with the pedals and steering wheel, which also adjusts extensively for rake and reach. 

It’s a really easy car to see out of as well, particularly out the front and sides. Firstly, the windscreen pillars aren’t as chunky as they are in the Tesla Model Y, and, because they’re not angled as acutely towards the driver, the blind spots they create aren’t as big. 

The view out the back isn’t as open as the view forwards – the rear screen is quite shallow – but it’s still better than many rivals. And the boxy rear end means there’s less guesswork involved when judging where the back of the car finishes. 

If you’re still in any doubt when it comes to maneuvering in tight spots, there’s plenty of assistance on hand. All versions come with front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree parking camera, and even blind spot monitoring to help on motorways. 

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Let’s begin on a positive note, which is the ease with which you can read the important data, like the speed and speed limits. That’s because they’re displayed clearly on a screen that’s positioned directly in front of the driver – the Model Y displays the speed in the corner of its centrally mounted infotainment screen, where it’s out of the line of sight. Premium trim and above also get a head-up display. 

Like the Model Y, there are few physical controls. Other than buttons for the lights and those on the steering wheel, which operate some of the stereo functions and the cruise control, everything else is operated from the 13.0in infotainment touchscreen. It’s high definition and runs generally responsive software, but there are issues…

Firstly, the screen isn’t angled towards the driver and it’s hard to reach icons in the farthest corner without stretching. And some of the icons are tiny, like those along the bottom that operate the climate controls. Trying to hit them accurately while driving takes some effort, particularly if you’re on a bumpy road. 

Of course, you could use the voice control, which, to be fair, operates lots of features, including opening and closing the panoramic roof blind. But it also gets things wrong and interrupts conversations regularly by asking ‘How can I help?’ when you didn’t want any.

Then there are the menus. These are many and varied, to the point that you start wondering whether some of the settings are really necessary. For example, while it’s usual to be able to alter the settings for the regenerative braking, the menu for that is clogged with various other settings that you simply don’t need (see our video review). Meanwhile, if you want to switch off the speed limit warning – which you will because it often gets the speed limit wrong and bongs at you – you’ll find that buried, too.

Usability isn’t a strong point, then, but you do get plenty of kit as standard, including in-built sat-nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and high-power USB-C ports. Premium trim and above adds a 13.0in passenger infotainment screen and 20-speaker Sennheiser Signature Sound System. 

"I'm truly impressed by the quality of the Smart #5’s interior. Not just by how solid everything feels, but how upmarket it looks – especially the Premium trim. Sat inside, you could easily mistake it for a traditional luxury limo" – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

How much space does it have for people?

Front head and leg room isn’t an issue. You’d have to be freakishly tall to approach its limits and have a reason to moan about feeling cramped. 

The same is true in the rear. Compared with the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross, which isn’t cramped in the back, or the MG S6, which is even more spacious, the Smart #5 can only be described as truly cavernous. There’s acres of leg room for people to stretch their legs and the head room is cathedral-like. Adding to the sense of space is the standard panoramic sunroof, which floods the interior with natural light. 

You also get an electrically reclining rear seat as standard and, while the rear seats don’t slide forwards or backwards, there’s a button in the back that lets you slide the front passenger seat forward. What’s the point of that? Well, it’s something you’ll find in a Mercedes S-Class, but it’s rare in this class. It allows the rear passenger to create limo-like leg room by sliding the front passenger seat all the way forward – just make sure no one’s sitting in it at the time. 

If you need a more spacious car, it’ll only be in order to move more than five people. In which case have a look at the van-like options, such as the VW ID Buzz.

There’s lots of storage space in the #5, including a decent glove compartment, well-sized door bins, a large tray beneath the front centre console and a cubby under the front centre armrest. Oh, and the usual array of cup holders, of course: two in the front and two that pop out from the rear armrest. 

How much room does it have for luggage?

It’s not short on luggage space, either. The quoted capacity for the rear boot is 630 litres (beneath the tonneau cover with the rear seats up) with another 110 litres in the ‘frunk’ up front. What do those numbers mean? Well, our suitcase test gives them some context. The #5 fits up to nine carry-on suitcases: eight in the rear, under the tonneau cover, plus an extra one in the ‘frunk’. That’s one more case in total than you’ll fit into an MG S6, but one fewer than the Tesla Model Y.

The Model Y can manage that extra case because it has more storage space under the boot floor. The #5 also has a bit of space under its boot floor, but not enough for a whole case. It’s still useful for storing the charging cables and other odds and sods, though, and it’s wide enough to stow the tonneau cover when it’s not in use. That’s a really useful bit of design.

A powered tailgate is standard, and when it’s open there’s no lip to make life difficult when you’re lifting heavy items in and out. If you need extra space, there are handy levers by the boot entrance to drop the rear seats down. They fold in 60:40 split, which isn’t as flexible as the 40:20:40 rear seats in the Model Y, but the #5 does have a ski hatch to poke long items through and leave the outer seats available for passengers.  

“I was amazed by how much luggage I could fit into the Smart #5, and by how well-designed the boot is – for example, being able to fit the tonneau cover under the boot floor” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

How competitive the Smart #5 appears depends on what you’re comparing it against. For example, rivals such as the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross and MG S6 have a much lower starting price. That’s not only true for cash buyers, it’s the same for those buying on PCP finance, too – but finance incentives change, so check for what deals are available when you’re ready to buy.

However, if your list of options includes the Skoda Enyaq, then the #5 pricing is competitive, and it’s quite a bit cheaper than the entry-level Tesla Model Y. When it comes to company car tax, there’s not a vast difference in the BIK tax you’ll pay.

While there are cheaper electric SUVs out there, the #5 is well equipped. So well equipped, in fact, that the cheaper Pro+, which is the entry-level trim with the bigger battery, is our pick of the range. Standard equipment includes 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather seats, heated steering wheel, two-zone climate control, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, panoramic roof, powered tailgate, electrically reclining rear seats, and heated and electrically-adjustable front seats. Some of those features aren’t included or aren’t even available as an option on cheaper rivals. 

Premium trim is pricey, but offers a plusher (and really smart-looking) interior, plus extras like bigger 20in wheels, head-up display, ventilated front seats, 13.0in passenger infotainment screen, privacy glass, ambient lighting with 256 colours, Sennheiser Signature Sound System with 20 speakers, and a heat pump.

Pulse costs the same as Premium trim, but swaps some of the extra kit for four-wheel drive. We can’t see the point of that or the expensive Summit or Brabus models.  

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

The #5 was too new to appear in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, and Smart didn’t feature as a brand, either, because the sample numbers were too small.

The #5 comes with a three-year/ unlimited mileage warranty, which isn’t as long as some rivals offer, but they limit the mileage. For example, Tesla’s warranty lasts for four years and 50,000 miles, while MG’s continues for up to seven years and 80,000 miles. 

Smart offers a longer warranty for the battery and high-voltage electrical system, which it covers for up to eight years and 125,000 miles – with conditions and exclusions. 

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

Euro NCAP awarded the #5 the maximum five stars overall when it was tested in 2025. That’s very good, but when we looked at the individual categories and drilled into the details, the MG S6 and Tesla Model Y scored slightly better for adult crash protection. 

The #5 comes with all the latest active safety kit to prevent accidents, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning and blind-spot assistance.

"There are cheaper electric SUVs, but I’ve found that not all of them are as well-kitted out as the #5." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Buy one if…

– You need exceptional passenger space and a big boot 

– You want super-fast 400kW charging

– You prioritise comfort and a high-end interior

Don’t buy one if…

– You want the very best electric range or efficiency

– A fiddly infotainment system will annoy you

– You value agile handling

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