Smart #5 Premium has its parents to thank for its bling and talent

SINGAPORE – Smart is the car world’s ultimate “nepo baby”, born to multi-billionaire parents Mercedes-Benz and Geely.

With such pedigree, the electric car brand enjoys a privileged upbringing, tapping into its parents’ expertise and resources.

The design of the cars is done by Mercedes-Benz, while Geely handles the development and production through their 50-50 joint venture.

This head start in life puts the Chinese-made Smart’s electric vehicles (EVs) in a different place from mass-market, volume-hungry brands like BYD and Aion.

Just as Mini has benefited from having its owner BMW chip in on intensive development work, Smart is free to pursue more lifestyle-centric ambitions.

The relatively low sales numbers – just 104 units since Smart was introduced here in 2024 – mean that the brand may not be instantly recognisable on Singapore’s roads, than say BYD, which sold more than 11,000 cars in 2025 alone.

However, few cars turns heads like Smart’s EVs, with their chic appeal.

The #5, which is the newest and largest of the three Smart models on sale today, is probably the best-looking one yet, especially the Premium version reviewed here – if you can look past the enormous stickers of the test car, which are definitely not part of the standard car.

Over the Pro version reviewed in October, the #5 Premium has more bling – from fancier wheels, more screens and a more bombastic sound system, to more performance, in terms of kilowatts of power, battery capacity and charging speed – all for $40,000 more than the Pro.

Based on what is known about Smart’s origins, there seems to be a hint of the Mercedes-Benz GLB about the boxy design. However, the #5 is bigger than the popular compact Mercedes-Benz by a good 61mm to measure 4,695mm from bumper to bumper.

Details like cutouts under the bonnet for the daytime running lights and the Smart badge on the rear pillar behind the window add just enough spark to the overall design.

But it is the wheels that make the Premium really stand out over the Pro. Not only are they an inch bigger, at 20-inch, but the design also mimics the style of the Mercedes-Maybach, which the brand’s insiders cheekily nickname as “mookata”, because they look like the Thai barbeque grill plate. Their centre caps stay upright when the wheels are spinning, like the ones on Rolls-Royces.

The finishing in the #5’s cabin is definitely at the level of Mercedes-Benz. Then again, Geely has the know-how to do this right, given that it also owns brands like Volvo as well as Zeekr.

The #5 Premium has a head-up display for the driver, which is not available on the Pro. Instead of having only one infotainment touchscreen, the pricier version has one more, for the front passenger.

This additional screen can be connected to a Bluetooth headphone or rely on the car’s sound system. It is also preloaded with games, including a rally racer reminiscent of the 1990s arcade classic Sega Rally and another that looks like the Candy Crush puzzle game.

The games are playable when the car is on the move, which may be a concern on at least two fronts: the passenger may not be in the safest sitting position in the event of an accident and the driver may be distracted.

In the Mercedes-Maybach, the passenger-side screen works in a way that the driver cannot actually see the content.

Smart’s spokesperson said that the passenger touchscreen will not be able to play media when the car is in motion for #5 Premiums that are delivered to customers.

In other areas surrounding the cabin, the Smart does very well, whether it is the ease of pairing the smartphone to the infotainment system or the quality of the 20-speaker Seinnheiser sound system. Incidentally, the centre speaker on the dashboard is motorised. It rises into position when the car is started.

The higher price tag also includes wood-looking veneers on the door panels and centre console, instead of the Pro version’s grey finishing. The seats are clad in real leather, rather than synthetic material.

While the seats themselves are average in size, legroom in the back is near limousine levels. But the passenger at the rear, on the side nearer to the kerb, can get even more room, with a switch that pushes the front seat forward.

There is plenty of room for objects too. Behind the rear passengers is 630 litres of space – more than the Mini Countryman’s 460 litres. Under the bonnet is a bin which measures 72 litres, enough to hold cabin-sized luggage and then some.

Geely’s expertise with EVs comes through in the #5’s underpinnings.

The Premium uses a 100kWh nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery rather than the 75kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in the Pro version. The difference is a 125km gain in operating range, to 590km.

With suitably quick chargers, the Premium’s larger capacity battery will take less time to fill than the smaller LFP ones because it can take direct current charge at up to 400kW, which is among the quicker ones for EVs, rather than at 150kW.

Just as well that EV chargers with 400kW are starting to appear in Singapore, with Great World in the River Valley area and Temasek Polytechnic in Tampines housing the first few.

There is certainly more than enough range to complete a multi-day test drive without needing to top up the battery. The test car posts an average energy consumption of 18.1kWh/100km, which is a shade better than the claimed 18.4kWh/100km.

Even so, the car’s trip computer estimates that it will be good for 450km before the battery goes flat, which is good enough for most, if some way from the claimed range.

One possible culprit behind the “missing” kilometres is the bicycle rack fitted to the test car’s roof rails. Other than causing more aerodynamic drag, which surely reduces operating range, the contraption leads to a bit of wind noise when the car is going at higher speeds.

The other factor compromising range is likely the nut behind the wheel trying to get more from the drive. By that, I mean driving the car with a bit more vigour.

Like the other Smart EVs, the #5 has a very direct steering, being not just pointy but also progressive.

The smaller Smart #1 is even sharper and more involving, but the #5 is still more enjoyable to drive than many other EVs, including other Geely-owned models. However, the ride is also more unsettled than most when driven over uneven roads.

Both versions of the #5 use a single rear-mounted motor, but the Premium’s is punchier, by 17kW, to make 267kW. This shaves the 0-100kmh timing by 0.4 of a second to 6.5 seconds. The cost of this power upgrade is an additional $266 in annual road tax, taking the bill to $3,664.

Much as it is great fun to drive, the #5 shares some of the irritating digital nagging that plagues some EVs.

For one thing, some of the driving assistance features are overly cautious, requiring a tedious multi-step ritual to deactivate at the beginning of every journey.

While the haptic steering alerts can be useful, the speed-limit recognition is unreliable, from mistaking 70kmh zones for 40kmh to suggesting that parts of the East Coast Parkway expressway has a 100kmh limit.

Then, there is the need to rely on the touchscreen for functions like adjusting the wing mirror position, which is inconvenient.

Research suggests that children with the “right” surnames are better paid than others, but the Smart #5 is not actually pricier than its rivals.

After the sizeable discounts that Smart’s dealer is dangling, the #5 Premium costs somewhere in the region of upmarket electric sport utility vehicles such as the BMW iX1 and top-spec Mini Countryman. Those are priced some way above $250,000 with certificate of entitlement (COE).

While the brand may not have the same recognition as the Bimmer or the Mini, it does have an edge in performance and charm.

Smart #5 Premium

Price: $345,888 with COE, before applicable discounts
Motors: Permanent magnet synchronous with 100kWh nickel cobalt manganese battery
Transmission: Single-speed
Power: 267kW
Torque: 373Nm
0-100kmh: 6.5 seconds
Top speed: 200kmh
Power consumption: 18.4kWh/100km
Charging capacity: 22kW AC; 400kW DC
EV range: 590km
Agent: Cycle & Carriage Engineering
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Comparable considerations

BMW iX1 eDrive20 ($288,888 with COE)

The BMW iX1 in Singapore is tuned to make 110kW to qualify for a Category A COE. This helps to keep the price low. The annual road tax comes up to $1,562, significantly lower than the Smart #5. Sensibility aside, the BMW is competent, but not as engaging as the Smart.

Mini Countryman SE All4 ($287,888 with COE)

Just as the #5 is the largest Smart, the Countryman is the biggest Mini. The SE version’s dual-motors has 230kW, so it costs less in road tax, at $2,264. There is also the E, a front-motor 150kW EV which knocks $19,000 from the price, along with some minor tweaks to the equipment.

Zeekr 7X AWD Performance ($295,999 with COE, before applicable discounts)

Zeekr is fully owned by Geely. The 7X is bigger than the #5 and, in dual-motor Performance form, is quicker to get to 100kmh from rest, at six seconds. The 7X offers lots of tech, including a child-monitor camera, which is useful for parents, and a really smooth-riding air suspension.