Smart: Now it's getting really big
The #5 is an impressive SUV in all respects: 4.70 meters long, technically superior, luxuriously equipped and all at a very fair price. Can it really be?
Still skeptical about Chinese cars? Then a Smart is worth considering: the half-German (Mercedes), half-Chinese (Geely) brand combines the best of both worlds. It combines the high-quality materials and chassis expertise from Stuttgart with advanced electric drive technology and China's favorable production conditions. Smart has already demonstrated this with the #1 and #3 models - but now the brand with Swiss origins is going one better.
This is because the new #5 surpasses everything the manufacturer has offered to date, and not just in terms of size. The 4.70-meter-long SUV is equipped with a 100-kWh battery - something only luxury-class models can offer. Charging takes place at an incredible 400 kW - no one else is that fast. The WLTP range of up to 590 kilometers is also nothing to sneeze at. And the all-wheel drive top model called Brabus delivers a hair-raising 475 kW/646 hp and sprints to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds - otherwise only super sports cars can achieve this.
Plus points wherever you look
As if that weren't enough of an argument, the unconventionally designed SUV rolls up with a chic full equipment package, a fantastic sounding Sennheizer sound system with 20 speakers, a large head-up display with augmented reality display and various pampering features - all at a killer price starting at 59,500 francs. The competition will have plenty to nibble at. The equally well-equipped base model with rear-wheel drive and a smaller battery (76 kWh) starts at CHF 44,500.
That all sounds impressive. But does the #5 deliver what it promises? The first test drive in the top-of-the-range Brabus model dispels any remaining doubts. The clean workmanship and the high quality of the materials are surprising - the small details inside and outside the car are evidence of very high-quality manufacturing. The space on offer is very good, in all seats and also in the trunk (630 to 1530 liters, plus 47 liters of frunk). The #5 is also impressive on the road: even the top-of-the-range Brabus version is well-balanced, which was not yet the case with the #1. The Smart takes corners with aplomb, and there is nothing to complain about in terms of ride comfort and steering feel. It is only the digital equipment that could divide opinion - here the Chinese genes are evident in the form of a playful infotainment system that may not be to everyone's taste in this country. But with so many plus points, this is bearable.
