Forget the cute and dinky Smart that you’re undoubtedly thinking of, because the marque has now well and truly grown up, with its latest and biggest model, the Smart #5, set to arrive here in Malaysia very soon.
First previewed in the country during the 2025 Malaysia Auto Show, Pro-Net, the new energy vehicle division of Proton who is also the sole distributor of Smart vehicles in Malaysia, has now provided us with more information in an official media preview for the Smart #5 recently.
Measuring 4,705 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, 1,705 mm tall, with a wheelbase spanning 2,900 mm, the Smart #5 is firmly within the mid-sized or D-SUV segment, although its wheelbase is even longer than that of the Mercedes-Benz G-wagen. It’s built on the SEA3/PMA2+ architecture, which is also shared with the Zeekr 7X.
Designed by Mercedes-Benz Group Design headed by Gorden Wagener, the Smart #5 sports a significantly more rugged and utilitarian appearance compared to its #1 and #3 siblings thanks to its chunky body claddings and upright stance – although instead of muddy jungle trekkers, think lunar rovers.
The standout design feature is undoubtedly its lights, which features four indents near the bonnet shut-line – reminiscent of auxilary lights on off-roaders – that act as the Smart #5’s light signature. More interestingly, the entire light fixture is also mirrored to the rear, with red and amber LEDs instead of white for obvious reasons.
Other exterior highlights include roof rails, flush door handles, and several unique paint jobs, including the signature Saturn Beige colour with a matte finish. Depending on variant, you’ll also find the unique 20-inch disc-style alloy wheels or the sportier Brabus Monoblock Z 21-inch lightweight alloys.
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On that note, the Smart #5 will be available in three different variants here in Malaysia, although only the two higher-end options were shown at the event.
The lineup starts with the Smart #5 Pro, which sports a single motor on the rear axle with 340 hp (250 kW) and 373 Nm, powered by a 76 kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack. Smart quotes a century sprint time of 6.9 seconds on the base variant, along with a driving range of 465 km (WLTP).
This is followed by the Premium, which gets a slightly more powerful rear-wheel drive (RWD) set up with 363 hp (267 kW) and 373 Nm, paired to a bigger 100 kWh nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) ternary battery that offers an 800V electrical architecture. Not only does it boast a longer maximum range of 590 km (WLTP), charging is also faster thanks to the 22 kW AC and 450 kW DC charging support, taking 4.5 hours and 15 minutes to charge from 10-80% respectively.
At the top of the range is the Smart #5 Brabus, which gets an all-wheel drive powertrain offering 646 hp (475 kW) and 710 Nm for a 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds. It’ll also have a slightly higher top speed of 210 km/h (compared to 200 km/h on the other variants), although its range – from the same 100 kWh battery – has dropped to 540 km (WLTP).
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Inside, the Smart #5 also sports a significantly different dashboard styling compared to its siblings, highlighted by the twin 13-inch AMOLED 2.5K touchscreens for the centre infotainment display and passenger screen.
They run on different software, too, here with a much more straightforward, tablet-style user interface, powered by the AMD V2000 automotive chipset that enables smoother operation and visual flairs. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is supported, alongside access to ChatGPT and over-the-air updates.
Drivers get a separate 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster display, alongside a 25.6-inch head-up display with augmented reality for the two higher-end variants. Other interior highlights include the large panoramic glass roof, a 256-colour ambient lighting system, and powered recline for the rear seat for up to 10 degrees, replete with a “boss switch” that automatically folds the front passenger seat forward for more “boss-like” space.
Premium variant adds on a 20-speaker Sennheiser surround sound system – including a motorised centre speaker that rises up when powered on – which the company says is the first automotive application for the historic audiophile brand, twin wireless charging pad on the centre console, and Nappa leather upholstery paired to open-pore wood panels.
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Smart says that over 90% of the interior surfaces are covered by the soft leather, highlighting the #5’s premium ambience inside. Opt for the Brabus variant, however, and you’ll find most of the leather replaced by Dinamica microfibre for a sportier feel, alongside faux carbon fibre trims, and red accent stitching and seat belts.
Similar sporty touches are applied to its exterior, by the way, with Brabus badges aplenty, alongside a sportier bodykit and red accents.
The Smart #5 will come equipped with an improved advanced driver assistance (ADAS) suite compared to the #1 and #3, courtesy of upgraded camera resolution, plus an extra rearward-facing camera that, alongside five radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and dual Nvidia Drive OrinX chips, enable a whole suite of safety features including front and rear autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, as well as fully autonomous parking.
With the model now previewed in full, we expect the Smart #5 to be launched here in Malaysia very soon. No pricing details were divulged just yet, but it’ll most likely be priced higher than what the smaller #3 commands (RM175k-RM255k), given its flagship status. That will put it right in contention against the likes of the Zeekr 7X, Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, and XPeng G6.
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