New 2026 Smart Brabus #5 Review
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
A Large Smart Car - Is this a 'Smart Idea'
Exterior – Front
So, if we start with the styling of the new Smart #5 and it has a very boxy style to it. Similar to the Mercedes GLB. Funny enough it is actually bigger than that car. right, so the styling at the front is very premium and rugged. To start with we get these square looking taillights which sort of have a retro look to them. they are connected with a black bar which has 4 individual LEDs in them giving it an almost Jeep look. Lower down we get a big central air vent with a rugged design, and we also get some sporty side vents.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side of the #5 and we get a smooth and boxy design. To start with we get some matt black cladding on the wheel arches and lower sills. We also get some pop outdoor handles and the little smart logo on the back. There is even a little air vent at the front of the car and these funky looking door mirrors. I also like the way the window looks at the back giving it a unique and sporty look. Now you may have guessed by the title of this video that I am reviewing the performance Brabus version today which gives this lovely matt finish grey paint and red roof and door mirror caps. We also get the Brabus lower skirts and some very sporty wheels. This would be the ideal spec I would go for. What do you think. Let me know in the comment section below and whilst you are at it don’t forget to like and subscribe.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and we get a very boxy design with a similar design to the front. We get these square looking taillights connected with a black bar but this time we get a full width light bar with addition to those 4 LED blocks. The rear does resemble a GLB design which I do like. The bumper design is also quite sporty looking but sticks out quite far from the actual bumper panel which is unusual to see. Anyway, this does look sporty and on this Brabus model you get a little red pin stripe on it. Right, its time to have a look and see what battery and motor options you can have with the new Smart #5.
Car and engine specs and price
So, for the Smart #5 there is 3 versions to choose from. Lets start with the base model. This is the Pro model, and this uses a 340 bhp single motor setup powering the rear wheels. This is mated to a 76kWh battery pack giving the car a 288-mile range. This can do 0-62 within 6.9 seconds which isn’t too bad too. the next version is the Pro+ version and the Premium Version. This uses a bigger 100 kWh battery pack and a slightly more powerful 363 bhp electric motor powering the rear wheels. 0-62 time is better too at 6.5 seconds, and you can do 366 miles which is better too. The next version is the Pulse version, and this uses a dual motor setup with 588 bhp. this uses a 100-kWh battery pack still and range is reduced slightly to 335 miles but 0-62 has been reduced to 4.9 seconds. The final version is the one we have on test, the Brabus version. This uses a dual motor setup but this time the power has been increases yet again to 646 bhp. this reduces the 0-62 time down to 3.8 seconds which is very quick for this type of car. range is at 335 miles using the 100-kWh battery pack. Charging speeds are very good with the base 76 kWh battery pack getting 150 kW peak charging and the 100-kWh battery pack getting 400 kW charging thanks to its 800 Volt system whilst the other model uses 400 Volt system. The price of the new Smart #5 starts at £39,800 which isn’t too bad as a premium car and is on par with the Audi Q6 E-Tron, Mercedes GLC and the BMW iX3. Right, lets have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Smart #5 and it is different from any other Smart interior we have seen. It sort of resembles a new Mercedes interior which is interesting. To start with the most obvious, we get this pill shaped panel that stretches from the passenger side to the middle, and this houses the main infotainment screen as well as a few shortcut buttons and an optional second screen. The good thing hear though is that it doesn’t look out of place if you don’t have the second’s screen. It has been designed right. The infotainment software has been updated and does work quite well and is logical which is nice. There is also some nice ambient lighting on the dashboard too. in front of the driver, we get a smaller instrument cluster which houses the essential information and is quite customisable. The steering wheel feels quite nice and is premium and, on this model, has the Brabus logo and a sportier feeling. Also, on this Brabus model you get a premium sound system where the speakers rise up from the dash a very Mercedes S Class design. You also get a lot of premium materials too as well as a lot of storage and a minimalistic centre console which is very nice. I also like these red seatbelts and these sporty seats on this model. They are comfy and you could travel a long distance which is important on this car. right, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.
Practicality
So, climbing into the back of the #5 and there is plenty of legroom and headroom which is great. You can also adjust the rear seats to go back and forward and to adjust the back rest all electronically. You can even move the front passenger seat electronically too with just a touch of a button. You also get some USB C ports as well as air vents and arm rest. It truly feels very premium in the back.
Boot Size
So, opening the boot to the #5 and you are welcomed with 630 litres of boot space which is extremely practical and useable. There isn’t even a boot lip, and the boot opening is quite low too. if you fold down the rear seats and it increases to 1,530 litres with is just as impressive. What is also impressive is that you also get a front boot. Now depending on what model, you go for the size is 72 litres for the rear-wheel-drive model or 47 litres for the 4-wheel drive model. Both are very useable and more than just your charging cables which is very rare. That’s very smart.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Smart #5. Well, it is one very good car. it has a quirky look that really makes it unique. The interior is equally unique, but it feels premium and high end even better than Mercedes even though Mercedes has a stake in Smart still. Practicality is also decent and perfect for families and finally the battery and motor options go well too. overall then it is a good package, and it would be a very Smart idea to buy the Smart #5 especially in Brabus form.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 5/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 15/15
Model | Smart BRABUS #5 |
Engine | 100 kWh Battery Pack, Dual Motor, 646bhp, 0-62 = 3.8 Seconds, 335 Mile Range, 4 Wheel Drive |
Transmission | Single Speed Electric Motor |
Price | £51,800 |
On Sale | Now |
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