Smart #5 confirmed, #1 and #3 prices slashed

SMART has confirmed its largest electric SUV, the #5, is on its way to Australia, more than two years after the model made its global debut in Byron Bay back in August 2024.

The confirmation lands alongside price cuts of up to $5000 across the existing #1 and #3 ranges, pushing Smart’s cheapest model below $50,000 before on-road costs for the first time.

The #1 Pro+ now starts at $49,900 plus on-road costs, down from $54,900, while the Premium drops from $58,900 to $53,900 + ORC. The high-performance #1 Brabus receives a smaller $4000 cut, falling from $67,900 to $63,900 + ORC.

Across the #3 range, the Pro+ falls from $57,900 to $52,900, the Premium from $61,900 to $56,900, and the Brabus from $70,900 to $65,900 – meaning five of the six #1 and #3 variants have been discounted by $5000, with only the #1 Brabus getting the lesser reduction.

Smart originally flagged an Australian arrival for the #5 in late 2025 or early 2026, before pushing the timeline into the second half of 2026 to prioritise production for other markets.

The latest announcement reconfirms the SUV remains part of Smart’s local plans, though the company has stopped short of naming a firm on-sale date, saying only that full launch details will follow.

At 4705mm long, 1920mm wide and 1705mm tall with a 2900mm wheelbase, the five-seat #5 is a considerably larger proposition than the city cars that originally built the Smart name – slightly longer than a Toyota RAV4, and sized to go up against the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr 7X, Kia EV5, and Skoda Enyaq, depending on where it’s eventually priced.

Overseas, the #5 is offered with either a 76kWh LFP battery or a larger 100kWh NMC pack. Cars fitted with the bigger battery run an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of accepting up to 400kW DC, with Smart claiming a 10-80 per cent charge in around 18 minutes.

Maximum WLTP range tops out at 590km in the rear-wheel drive Premium, with more powerful all-wheel drive versions trading some range for pace.

For context, right-hand drive New Zealand gets Pro+, Premium and range-topping Brabus grades. The Pro+ and Premium share a 267kW rear motor, while the dual-motor Brabus produces 475kW and is claimed to hit 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, with its 100kWh battery good for up to 540km WLTP.

Smart’s Australian website already lists Pro+ and Premium variants of the #5 with the same 590km WLTP claim, alongside the Brabus, though it’s not yet confirmed whether all three will make it to local showrooms.

Other equipment mentioned includes dual 13.0-inch OLED displays, a 230V vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlet and a cabin that can convert into a camping-style bed.

The #5 has already picked up a five-star Euro NCAP rating and was named the organisation’s Best-in-Class large SUV for 2025, along with two Red Dot design awards for its Mercedes-Benz-influenced styling and interior.

It is yet to receive a separate ANCAP Safety rating.

Smart has also previously flagged a plug-in hybrid version of the #5, built using technology from Geely, that could take on electrified rivals like the Toyota RAV4, BYD Sealion 6, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. However, this latest announcement covers only the all-electric #5, with no word yet on whether the PHEV will come to Australia.

With its price cut, the #1 now sits almost level with the Volvo EX30 (from $49,990 + ORC) and undercuts the closely related Zeekr X, priced from $48,900 driveaway – all three brands sharing Geely-group underpinnings and EV architecture.

The rear-wheel drive #1 and #3 use a 200kW/343Nm motor and 62kWh usable battery, while Brabus variants add a front motor for a combined 313kW/584Nm output and all-wheel drive. WLTP range spans 400-455km depending on variant, and both nameplates carry five-star ANCAP ratings alongside Euro NCAP and C-NCAP certification.

Smart returned to Australia in 2024 after exiting the market in 2015, with its current generation of vehicles styled by Mercedes-Benz and developed through Mercedes’ joint venture with China’s Geely.

The brand doesn’t report sales figures to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) or Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), so the #1 and #3 do not appear in official VFACTS or EVC sales data – but Smart is reported to have delivered close to 500 vehicles in Australia during 2025, split roughly 60:40 between the #3 and #1.

Retail presence remains limited to Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, alongside online ordering through Smart Australia’s website.

The arrival of the #5 will give Smart its first entry into the far larger mid-size family SUV segment with its eventual pricing, and whether Australia gets the longer-range 800-volt variants, likely to determine how competitively it can play in an increasingly crowded EV market.