The smart #5 is the largest model in the smart brand’s history. It is also the first luxury mid-size SUV from the brand. The unique “boxy” shape adds charm and provides excellent interior space. It is an ideal choice for families. The smart #5 offers long range, a premium driving experience, and good off-road capability. It serves as a versatile SUV for both urban commuting and weekend adventures. Whether for daily use or occasional mountain exploration, the smart #5 is a smart companion. The exterior has a slightly rugged look.
The smart #5 is the latest creation from the Mercedes-Benz global design team. It features a bold and powerful design. This model embodies “global fun and adventure.” It blends refined urban living with outdoor excitement. The exterior design stands out. It combines sharp angles with soft curves. The style suits both men and women. It strikes a balance between toughness and playfulness.
The cyber light matrix LED headlights feature 328 LED bulbs. They form a unique shape like a “time capsule.” This design looks bold and advanced. It gives the vehicle an unprecedented sense of technology. The headlights adjust automatically. They control the high and low beams and provide cornering light. This ensures safe driving.
The smart spirit #5 features a vehicle-grade ALPD laser projector in its front grille. It can project a maximum 233-inch screen within a range of 3-10 meters. The resolution is 1080P, with 10 adjustable brightness levels and a peak of 2000 lumens. It supports automatic focus and automatic keystone adjustment, making it perfect for outdoor camping movie nights. The IP67 dust and waterproof rating, along with the electric lens cover, significantly extends the projector’s lifespan. It also includes an external speaker that supports light show BGM and multimedia music. The patented audio algorithm enhances the experience, making listeners feel like they are in a theater.
The side of the smart #5 looks like a stylish box with rounded corners. It combines personality and fashion. The car measures 4705mm in length, 1920mm in width, and 1705mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2900mm. This model is the largest smart vehicle to date. Its classic design features four wheels at each corner. The electric platform offers ample interior space. Additionally, its drag coefficient is just 0.27Cd, which is low for an SUV and similar to that of gasoline sedans.
The hubcap of the Smart Elf #5 is interesting. Like Rolls-Royce, it features a central floating logo with a counterweight. This keeps the logo upright while driving. It adds a touch of ceremony.
The self-illuminating hidden door handle enhances the vehicle’s overall strength and reduces wind resistance. Notably, the battery supplying 12V power to the door handle and the entire vehicle uses a smaller, longer-lasting lithium battery. It hides beneath the driver’s seat. In a collision, this location protects the battery from damage. It continues to power the door handle for automatic ejection.
Smart Elf #5 follows Mercedes-Benz’s global design team’s “Sensual Purity” language. It injects forward-thinking, innovative, and playful design concepts. Its exterior and interior exude a strong sense of dynamism.
The sleek rear design combines sharp angles with smooth curves. It exudes power. The LED taillights reflect the time capsule design concept. They echo the front LED daytime running lights. The design features 252 ultra-red LED bulbs. It offers clear, non-distracting warnings. This setup enhances visibility.
The “a” in the tailgate smart logo hides a physical button. Press it gently to open easily. Keep it elegant while loading and unloading.
The “Outdoor Adventure Pack” stands out among the accessories. It draws inspiration from concept car designs. The X-shaped painted roof platform features a modular design. The roof rack has a double-layer removable structure. This design allows for more outdoor gear.
The side includes four standard mounting points. You can install action cameras or other accessories there. The device has 64 LED adventure lights. They provide a maximum illumination distance of 47 meters. This feature makes camping more convenient.
The left D-pillar features a small backpack. It holds outdoor gear and is easily accessible. The right D-pillar includes a ladder. It can fold and extend, saving space. The chassis also has underbody armor. It provides comprehensive protection for the vehicle.
The smart Genie #5 features a legal electric tow hitch. It offers a maximum towing capacity of 1.6 tons. This allows it to tow a medium-sized RV. Enjoy more fun lifestyles with it. The interior is stylish. The car system uses true AI.
The smart #5 offers a spacious, refined, and intelligent luxury cabin experience. The central console and large screen frame reflect the “time capsule” design concept.
The Smart Genie #5 car system uses the AMD V2000 desktop-level high-performance chip. Its performance is twice that of the 8295. This upgrade provides a more vivid visual effect and a smoother user experience. The new avatar, Leo the Genie Assistant, features a low-poly crystal prism style. It has 10,169 faces and 48 bones. It includes 19 action designs.
The smart #5 features a 25.6-inch AR HUD, a 10.3-inch LCD instrument panel, and a 13-inch AMOLED dual screen with 2.5K resolution. It supports separate entertainment for the driver and passenger. The iconic “Low Poly” geometric lines upgrade to a crystal prism style. This enhances the HMI interface, adding depth and a surreal quality.
It incorporates oak trim to enhance the sense of luxury. Mercedes-Benz designers introduce wood elements, symbolizing luxury, into the smart interior for the first time. They use Italian Alpine oak. Its fine grain and elegant color create a natural and upscale interior style.
Another highlight is the smart #5. It is the first model equipped with the Sennheiser sound system. This system features 20 speakers and delivers over 2000 watts of peak power. It supports Dolby Atmos. Its patented audio algorithm includes the Concerto immersive audio software module with Sennheiser AMBEO technology and the Contrabass bass enhancement algorithm.
Smart Elf #5 includes a HiFi portable speaker. The battery capacity is 42Wh. It has six acoustic units. You can enjoy music on the go. It also serves as a power bank to charge electronic devices.
The smart #5 features “run” in its interior ambient lights. The 256-color ambient lights offer three options: “single color,” “dual color,” and “theme color.” I prefer the “theme color.” It’s easy to set up and offers many color combinations. I change the color daily for a fresh feel.
The smart精灵#5 features a 25.6-inch AR-HUD. It displays rich and clear content. The system zooms in on maps for tunnels, ramps, and intersections. It makes getting lost nearly impossible. Its overall performance is similar to the latest Mercedes AR-HUD, full of “Benz” quality. Storage is flexible. The space feels bright.
The smart #5 features a boxy shape. It offers an 85% “usable space” rate. A 175cm model sits in the back row. Both legroom and headroom match that of a mid-size SUV. The headroom in both rows is spacious and nearly identical.
The rear seat cushion is long. It provides excellent support for the thighs. The backrest adjusts electrically by 10 degrees. This makes long trips more comfortable.
The optional co-driver zero-gravity seat offers eight-point massage. The seatbelt attaches to the seatback. The seat frame features a reinforced design. It secures the body during a collision. The innovative cushion airbag prevents forward and downward sliding. Additional triangular side airbags protect the head in zero-gravity mode. This greatly enhances collision safety. The smart elf #5 co-driver zero-gravity seat is usable while driving and has passed rigorous collision safety evaluations by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.
The Smart Genie #5 features 34 storage spaces. It offers “storage freedom.” The front trunk has 72 liters. The rear trunk ranges from 630 to 1530 liters. The hidden space in the rear trunk provides 110 liters. It is versatile and powerful.
The smart #5 features a front double wishbone and a rear five-link independent suspension with hydraulic bushings. It balances comfort and sportiness. In practice, the smart #5’s suspension tuning retains some road feel. It avoids harshness and doesn’t sacrifice comfort. It offers good handling and driving enjoyment.
When driving on a gravel road, small vibrations diminish significantly. They do not transmit much resonance into the cabin. However, you still feel a clear sense of the road. You can sense the state of the tires as they roll.
The Smart Genie #5 has a wading depth of 500mm. It can climb a 100% slope. The rear-wheel-drive version offers three driving modes: Eco, Comfort, and Sport. The all-wheel-drive version adds five off-road modes: Sand, Snow, Mud, Rock, and Adaptive. I prefer the Comfort mode. It provides smooth power at startup. Rear passengers avoid motion sickness.
The air suspension hangs at the standard ride height. It can lower the height by 50mm and raise it by 40mm. This works well for most unpaved roads.
The rear-wheel-drive model tackled a short stretch of unpaved road. This situation often occurs during self-driving camping trips. In practice, the rear-wheel drive slips easily over larger bumps. Fortunately, the electronic limited-slip differential intervenes promptly, providing good traction. The rear-wheel drive can navigate the same path as the front-wheel drive confidently. Additionally, the CCD continuously variable damping system responds 500 times per second. It adjusts damping quickly to match road conditions, greatly enhancing comfort.
The smart #5 rear-wheel drive offers two power options: 250 kW and 267 kW. The all-wheel drive version includes two systems: 432 kW and 475 kW. It can reach a top speed of 200 km/h. This test drive featured the high-power rear-wheel drive model. Its acceleration performance is sufficient. The accelerator pedal feels stable and linear. Initial acceleration is not very noticeable, similar to a gasoline vehicle. This design helps prevent motion sickness.
The smart EQ fortwo #5 performs well during quick turns. It controls body roll effectively. The steering is precise and feels light. Driving through the city or tackling hills remains enjoyable.
The NVH performance is impressive. At high speeds, there is no noticeable wind or tire noise. This results from its low drag coefficient of 0.27Cd. It also features large sound insulation materials and double-layer glued glass in the front and rear. In this regard, the smart #5 aligns with luxury brand standards. It exudes a strong sense of quality.
The smart #5 offers solid driving comfort. The chassis tuning feels robust. The suspension quickly absorbs impacts from speed bumps and central barriers. Passengers feel only slight vibrations, not jolts. Mercedes shows strong expertise in chassis tuning. The advanced driving assistance performs at a top level.
We experienced the smart #5’s advanced driving assistance system. It features smart Pilot Assist 3.0. This system includes one lidar and 36 high-precision sensors. It uses dual NVIDIA Orin X chips for intelligent driving. The system supports enhanced urban and highway navigation. This makes daily driving and long trips easier. We tested the lidar-equipped model. Its performance in high-speed navigation was very stable. It ranks among the top in intelligent driving and is fully trustworthy. The non-lidar model also offers high-speed navigation. It uses high-definition maps and a vision-based driving solution.
Let’s talk about a personal favorite feature. When you activate NSP, you can accelerate quickly. Just press the gas pedal. NSP does not exit automatically. It does not take over the steering wheel. The system responds to your commands. This enhances the driving experience. It makes driving easier and smoother. Safety also improves. Notably, when you encounter a curve with changing radius, NSP adjusts the steering. It responds to how deep you press the gas pedal and your speed. This keeps the turn smooth. It’s a smart feature.
Smart Genie #5 High-Speed NSP enables automatic lane changes to overtake slow vehicles and automatic entry and exit from ramps. The lane change process is smooth and comfortable. The lane change strategy is aggressive. Vehicles behind can quickly change lanes if they leave a gap. Additionally, when NSP or LCC is active, the lever can facilitate lane changes, allowing drivers to choose lanes freely.
The test drive car features an unofficial version of the NSP urban navigation function. It can make unprotected turns and avoid obstacles automatically. The official NSP urban version will roll out OTA upgrades in Q4 of this year and aims to cover the entire country by Q2 of 2025. In practice, the urban NSP can recognize traffic lights. It can stop at red lights and start automatically at green lights. The braking and starting are very smooth. It maintains a good distance when following other cars, making it hard to be cut off. Notably, on very unclear roads or rural paths without lane markings, the system uses smart driving algorithms. It assesses the distance to nearby vehicles and obstacles. It can create virtual lane lines and stay centered on the road, similar to an experienced driver.
The urban NSP makes cautious turns without protection. It avoids obstacles automatically. It behaves well in traffic. It yields when it should. It prefers to stop rather than rush.
The Smart Elf #5 develops on an 800V pure electric high-voltage platform. It features a 100kWh ternary lithium battery. The CLTC range reaches up to 740km. It offers 4C ultra-fast charging technology. Charging from 10% to 80% SOC takes only 15 minutes. A 10-minute charge adds 400km of range. It also provides 5.3KW external discharge. The trunk includes a 220V 2.2KW power socket. You won’t run out of power while camping.
We measured the energy consumption. We drove from Lijiang to Dali Ancient City, covering 120.7 km. Three people and some luggage accompanied us. We set the air conditioning to 20℃. We maintained a speed close to the 110 km/h limit on the highway. The highway stretch was about 80 km, and the city stretch was about 40 km. The battery dropped from 88% to 66%, a decrease of 22%. The displayed range fell from 635 km to 479 km, a drop of 156 km. The energy consumption showed 18.0 kWh per 100 km. Under these conditions, the full charge range is around 550 km, achieving a range efficiency of about 77.4%. The smart EQ fortwo #5 performs well in energy consumption. In conclusion, the smart EQ fortwo #5 has a starting price of 245,000 yuan (34870$) and will officially launch at the end of October. As a unique electric model in the luxury brand segment, this price is quite attractive. The larger smart has become smarter, more family-friendly, and more fun. It serves as a great companion for daily commutes and can take you camping, exploring, and into the mountains.
Smart partnered with HEIMPLANET to create the exclusive THE CAVE tent. It features an inflatable design for easy setup and takedown. Smart also collaborated with Trek to design the Madone Gen 8 custom bike. This bike offers a more flexible and fun way to travel. Smart has thought of every outdoor activity you can imagine. The smart #5 makes them all possible.
Smart’s new brand slogan is “open your mind.” Smart understands young people better when it comes to lifestyle. They know how to have fun. Is this exciting, adventurous life what you want?