Life with the smart #5, from school run to coastal weekend

Most families considering their first EV ask the same questions before they buy. How far will it go, how long does it take to charge, and will it fit everything the current car carries? The more useful question is what ownership actually feels like once the car is in the driveway – on a busy weekday, and on a weekend away with the kids in the back and the boot packed to the roof.

The new smart #5 is built for both. It’s the brand’s largest and most versatile model yet, a premium mid-size SUV with long range, 800-volt fast charging and a cabin full of features designed for road trips and weekends outdoors. Pricing starts at $58,900 plus on-road costs (ORCs), and Australian deliveries begin in November.

smart Automobile is a 50/50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz AG and Geely, and the German brand remains an equal shareholder in the business today. The #5 is styled by the Mercedes-Benz global design network, while smart and Geely bring the EV engineering, development and manufacturing capability underneath.

The result is a more upright, assured shape than any smart before it. A squared-off silhouette, LED matrix headlights and a confident stance give it genuine SUV presence, whether it’s parked outside the school gate or on the gravel road into a campground.

Every smart #5 uses a 100 kilowatt-hour battery. The rear-wheel-drive Pro+ and Premium+ are rated at up to 590km on the WLTP cycle, while the dual-motor BRABUS is rated at up to 540km*.

In practice, the weekday routine is simpler than many first-time owners expect. School drop-offs, the commute, sport on Saturday morning and the supermarket run add up to a fraction of that range, so most households will plug in at home a couple of times a week and leave the driveway with plenty of charge every morning. Fuel stops stop being part of the week altogether.

Early buyers can make home charging even easier. The first 60 customers who order and take delivery of a smart #5 by 31 December 2026 will receive a complimentary 7.4kW smart wallbox, valued at $1,990.

Road trips are where EV doubts usually surface, so picture a typical family getaway. A Melbourne family heading down the Great Ocean Road to Lorne, around 140km away, can make the return trip on a single charge with range to spare. A longer weekend to Lakes Entrance, roughly 320km each way, needs one top-up along the way.

That stop is shorter than most people imagine. The #5’s 800V architecture supports DC charging at up to 400 kilowatts, and on a suitable high-power charger the battery goes from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 18 minutes. That’s about the time it takes to order coffees, find the bathrooms and let the kids stretch their legs, and the car is ready before everyone is back in their seats.

The kilometres in between pass comfortably too. smart’s wheels-at-the-corners design gives the #5 an interior space utilisation of 85 per cent, and rear passengers get up to 480mm of knee room, so teenagers and adults alike travel without complaint. A panoramic Halo Roof floods the cabin with light, which suits a scenic coastal drive.

The Premium+ and BRABUS add features that make longer trips easier on everyone:

Room for the whole weekend

The boot holds 630 litres with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1530L with them folded, which covers bikes, Eskys, beach gear and a week of luggage. Towing capacity is rated at 1600kg braked across the range.

Camping Mode is one of the #5’s cleverest tricks. Available on all three variants, it allows both the front and rear seats to fold flat, creating up to king-size bed space inside the cabin. For families who like to wake up at the beach, or couples who want a spontaneous night away without packing a tent, it turns the car into a comfortable place to sleep.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability is standard, so the #5’s battery can power camping gear, lights or an electric cooler at the campsite, with no generator required.

For buyers whose weekends lean further off the beaten track, the BRABUS adds a second electric motor for all-wheel drive and a combined output of 475 kilowatts and 710Nm. Zero to 100km/h takes 3.8 seconds. More relevant for many owners are its exclusive Sand, Mud, Rock and Off-road drive modes, which help it tackle a sandy beach access track or a muddy campground road with confidence. It also rides on 21-inch wheels and gains an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel.

Every #5 comes with a comprehensive suite of safety technology, including:

The #5 earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2025.

Plenty of first-time EV buyers want to see a car in person, take a test drive and talk through charging and servicing before they commit. The smart #5 is sold and serviced by LSH Auto Australia, one of Australia’s leading Mercedes-Benz retail groups and the exclusive retail partner for smart across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Every #5 is covered by a five-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/150,000km battery warranty, with servicing due every 12 months or 20,000km.

smart #5 pricing:
Pro+ – $58,900
Premium+ – $63,900
BRABUS – $73,900
*Prices exclude on-road costs

From the weekday school run to a weekend on the coast, the smart #5 brings long range, fast charging, premium comfort and genuine family practicality together in one distinctive package.

Explore the smart #5, configure your preferred colour and find out more on the smart Australia website.