The smart #5 will be launched in Malaysia later this year in two specifications. Here’s what we know so far.
Earlier this year, the smart #5 was teased at the Malaysia Autoshow and now we’re getting a full preview of the finally specification for our market. Right off the bat, it’s clear that the #5 is a completely different product from its #1 and #3 siblings.
For one, it’s very obviously larger. Where the #1 and #3 come across as MINI Countryman alternatives, the #5 feels closer to a proper family SUV in terms of its dimensions.
We got to see two specifications of the #5 – the Premium and the BRABUS. You’ll recall that the #1 and #3 also got these trim levels. The Premium is the longest range version while the BRABUS is the high performance model. Usually there’s also a PRO trim level with a cheaper, lower range LFP battery, however we did not get to see a #5 PRO during the preview and we don’t think it’ll be offered here at all.
Colour Choices
All versions of the #5 will feature a dual-tone colour scheme with an Eclipse Black roof being the only option. The body colour choices for the #5 PREMIUM include:
- Meta Black
- Cyber Silver
- Pulsar Ruby
- Saturn Beige
For the #5 BRABUS, you get:
- Atom Grey Matte
- Meta Black
- Digital White
The previewed models were shown in the new Saturn Beige (PREMIUM) and Atom Grey Matter (BRABUS).
The #5 Premium’s paint job features the same matte finish as seen on the BRABUS models but this time you get different hues depending on the angle of light reflecting on the beige surface.
This version of the #5 gets 20″ aero-optimised wheels that look a lot smaller than they are thanks to the vehicle’s large body.
The powered tailgate is operated via a hidden button embedded in the ‘a’ of smart.
It swings open to reveal a fairly massive boot with storage nets on either side, luggage hooks, a power outlet and a collapsing floor. The boot also gives you access to one-touch seat collapsing levers.
Here it is pictured with the boot floor at standard level, with front seats fully reclined, headrests removed, and rear seats collapsed.
Just like the #1 and #3, the smart #5 comes with frameless windows.
Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. The smart#5 PREMIUM is upholstered in brown with grey/green contrast stitching and real wood inlays. It’s an odd combination, especially with the ambient lighting set to red. That being said, it doesn’t take long before the interior’s charms work on you.
Plus, it’s hard to complain about the interior when you’ve got this much room to work with.
Another first for the #5 is the use of electronic latch mechanisms for the doors. A press of the round thumb buttons and the door releases. A physical override lever is found in the storage bin and it’s illuminated with ambient lighting.
You also get access to 2 USB-C charging ports with one of them capable of 60W charging, enough to power many modern laptops.
There are ‘boss’ switches to control the front passenger seat in the smart #5, but they’re located in a unique spot:
Upfront, the dual 13″ OLED screens are extremely sharp and fluidly animated. There are some baked on capacitive buttons on the side for vehicle settings, some climate control shortcuts and Driving Mode access.
There are dual QI charging pads, cupholders and a centre box between the two front occupants. Underneath this is a massive tiered storage areas.
The self-lifting centre speaker on the dashboard:
BRABUS Upgrade
The smart #5 BRABUS trim level adds a layer of performance and cosmetic enhancements to the product. Here, you get 645PS and 710Nm of torque for neck snapping performance. The AWD system kicks in in just 50ms on this model. 0-100km/h takes just 3.8 seconds.
Visually, the bumpers, side sills, rims and spoiler are unique on the BRABUS model. Inside, you get an Alcantara steering wheel, BRABUS red seatbelts, metal sports pedals, and BRABUS logos embroidered into the headrests. The black on red interior also features its own unique patterns versus the PREMIUM spec. You lose the wood trim for metal inserts.
More Than Skin Deep
Diving deeper, you’ll find that the #5 is actually built on an entirely different PMA2+ platform. This new chassis features 800V architecture, enabling much faster charging speeds of up to 400kW DC fast charging. In real world terms, with the right charger, you could bring the battery state of charge up from 10% to 80% in just 15 minutes.
Another benefit of its upgraded size is that it now houses a massive 100kWh NMC battery. This grants the smart #5 Premium a WLTP range rating of 590km, a massive step up from the #3’s 455km. As mentioned before #5 will probably not receive the lower range LFP battery pack in Malaysia as no Pro specification was shown during the preview. The NMC battery here has undergone many hundreds of tests that exceed national safety standards for protection by many degrees.
Tech is also upgraded meaningfully in other areas. The entire vehicle is powered by an x86 processor – the AMD V2000, rather than an ARM chip. x86 chip design is usually found in Windows PCs and laptops. These draw more power than smartphone chips, but they’re more general purpose and tend to be more powerful, broadly-speaking. From our understanding, the Model 3 and Model Y used the predecessor of the AMD V2000, and the smart #5 is the first vehicle to feature this new chip.
The tech doesn’t end there. The driver gets your standard dimunitive digital dispaly and a 25.6″ ‘augmented reality’ heads-up display while the front passengers get treated to TWO 13″ OLED screens. The one in the centre has persistent climate controls shortcuts and gives you access to some media control as well as vehicle settings and Apple Carplay/Android Auto. The passenger display on the other hand has access to more entertainment-oriented applications such as games, Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video with more video streaming options being added as time goes on. PRO-NET says that video can be played while the car is on the move and this doesn’t violate any local regulations.
Another tech-related enhancement is the inclusion of Sennheiser audio – a first in the car industry if we’re not mistaken. The Sennheiser Signature Sound System in the smart #5 has 20 speakers and a 2000W peak output with Dolby Atmos and AMBEO Immerseive Algorithms. The highlight of the speaker system is a rising centre speaker on the dashboard, plus ambient lighting integrated into all many of the speaker grilles.
