Smart #5 4×4 set to be brand’s biggest, most versatile car yet

Smart is set to enter the mid-size SUV market with the #5 – a long-range rugged 4×4 previewed by its latest concept car.

The #5 Concept has been unveiled ahead of its public debut at the Beijing Motor Show, giving a clear indication of what we can expect from the brand’s next production model, due later this year.

Once famous for its diminutive city cars, Smart has been reinvented as a purely electric brand focused on premium-leaning SUVs. Its current line-up features the smaller #1 and #3, and the #5 will sit above both of those to challenge the likes of the Volvo EX40 and BMW iX1.

While the #1 and #3 are relatively sleek designs, the #5 features a more rugged, boxy look with a raised ride height, short overhangs, skid plates and flared black wheel arches. We don’t expect the high-level light bar, integrated winch and chunky off-road tyres to appear on the production version but other details of the concept are likely to make it to production.

Smart says the #5 is based on 800V architecture and features a 100kWh+ battery. This offers a range of more than 341 miles and can be recharged from 10-80% in just 15 minutes thanks to its ultra-rapid DC capabilities.

The #5 Concept is also a four-wheel-drive model that Smart says will allow for adventure ‘even beyond paved roads’. That’s likely to mean a two-motor setup. Currently, Smart’s only four-wheel-drive option is the #1 Brabus, which produces a total of 422bhp, although it’s not clear if this is the same setup used in the #5. Like the #1 and #3, the production #5 is likely to be offered in a cheaper single-motor variant as well.

Inside, the dashboard is dominated by two massive OLED screens – one central and one directly in front of the passenger. These appear to control every element of the car including the media, navigation and climate settings. A smaller digital instrument screen sits in front of the driver. Front seat occupants get ‘zero gravity’ seats which offer heating, cooling, massage and a leg rest for relaxing during charging stops.

Although the show car is a concept, Smart says the production version will be revealed in the second half of 2024.

Dirk Adelmann, CEO of Smart Europe, said: “For more than a quarter of a century, Smart has made a significant impact by pioneering models and mobility solutions for the urban space and beyond.

“The Smart Concept #5 is the most unexpected and versatile car that our brand has ever created. With this vehicle, we leave all boundaries behind and open up a new segment for customers in Europe and worldwide.”