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By Jonathan Crouch

Is the smart #5 the beginning of a whole new era of larger cars from the brand? Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 38

The smart #5 ushers in an era of properly large smart models. It's a mid-sized electric SUV with divisive styling, a trendy cabin and cutting-edge electrical tech. And if you like the look, you might really want one.

Backgroundword count: 182

Welcome to the smart #5, the biggest, longest-ranging, fastest-charging, most expensive car the brand has ever made. Smart says it never defined itself as a maker of small cars. But that's the way customers have always seen the brand, until it was re-launched in 2022 for a new EV area with fresh Chinese investment. The way smart tells it now, this was never meant to be just a marque for really small cars. Back in 2005, the company was on the cusp of launching a compact crossover, the ForMore, with big SUVs to follow; but then spiralling losses meant a brand restructuring which saw it reverting to the previous staple city car designs. None of which were replaced for the current Geely-funded era, which began with crossover SUVs (the #1, the #3 and now the #5) and will continue with even-number-designated non-SUV models. All will feature Chinese Geely platforms, the SEA2 chassis (shared with the Volvo EX30) for the #1 and the #3: and PMA architecture (shared with the Chinese market Zeekr 007 saloon) for this #5. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 208

There are two quite different drivetrain options. The base model uses a 400V electrical system and has a 335bhp motor on its rear axle energised by a 76kWh (74.4kWh usable) battery offering 289 miles of range. 62mph takes 6.9s en route to the 124mph top speed all #5 models share. Most customers though, will be looking at the mid-level versions, which use a larger 100kWh (94kWh usable) battery that boosts range to 367 miles and is connected into faster-charging 800V architecture. These mid-level models have a 358bhp rear motor that propels the car to 62mph in 6.5s. Also 800V and 94kWh battery-based is the dual motor drivetrain, which puts out 579bhp, offers 336 miles of range and makes 62mph in 4.9s. Predictably, it's that same dual motor set-up which powers the flagship BRABUS model, which offers 636bhp and makes 62mph in just 3.8s. Unfortunately, as with lesser smart BRABUS models, brakes and suspension haven't been evolved to cope with all this extra power, but at least in this case, the tyres have been uprated to reflect it. Dual motor #5 models come off road-ready with Sand, Snow, Mud and Rock drive modes, along with an adaptive setting supposed to automatically adjust the car's various parameters as you drive.

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