2025 Smart #5 Brabus: new 637bhp SUV revealed
The Smart #5 Brabus is the performance version of the German brand’s first ever family SUV, and it promises some punchy figures...
On sale Winter 2025 | Price from £57,000 (est)
In the Super Mario Bros. franchise, eating a mushroom not only makes you grow bigger, but it also gives you a nice boost in power. You could say that the Smart #5 Brabus is a result of the German brand eating its own figurative mushroom; not only is it the largest model it’s ever produced, but it’s also the brawniest.
Indeed, the high-performance, four-wheel drive Brabus will top the Smart #5 family SUV range, pumping out a hefty 637bhp from its dual-motor setup. That’s more power than you’d get from a Kia EV6 GT, although the Kia remains the faster-accelerating car: here the Smart’s 3.8sec 0-62mph time plays the Kia’s 3.5sec.
If you like the hum of a petrol engine being the soundtrack to your daily drive, then you might appreciate the simulated engine noise that comes with the ‘Brabus’ driving mode.
The #5 Brabus will feature the same 100kWh (total capacity) battery as in the higher trim levels of the regular car, and official figures state that it should be capable of up to 335 miles on a single charge. That’s a lot more than the 279 miles offered by the EV6 GT, and it’s even more than the Tesla Model 3 Performance’s official 328 miles.
Speaking of charging, the #5 Brabus benefits from a new 800-volt electrical system, which allows for faster charging. A 10-80% top-up should take just 18 minutes at its maximum charging rate of 400kW, but it’s worth noting that it’s rare to find a UK public charger delivering more than 350kW. Still, it does mean that the #5 Brabus will be among the fastest-charging cars on the market.
Alongside its chunky, rugged exterior features, the #5 Brabus gets some sporty red detailing on the front and rear bumpers, door mirrors, brake calipers and Brabus badges, as well as 21in wheels.
That red detailing continues throughout the interior, on the seatbelts and embroidered front seats. Those front seats are also ventilated, and the steering wheel is wrapped with Alcantara.
The rest of the interior is much the same as the regular car, with a 25.6in head-up display, a 10.3in driver display and two 13.0in OLED infotainment screens; one for the driver and one for the front passenger, so that they can access sat-nav and climate controls. There’s also a 20-speaker Sennheiser sound system with Dolby Atmos surround-sound technology.
Extra creature comforts include heated rear seats, sports pedals, a panoramic roof and ambient lighting with 256 colour options.
Official practicality figures haven’t been specified, but we can imagine they will be similar to the regular #5, which has 34 storage compartments, a 72-litre ‘frunk’ space under the bonnet and a spacious boot.
The Smart #5 Brabus is due to go on sale in winter. No pricing information has been revealed yet, but we can expect them to start between £55,000 and £60,000. That undercuts the Kia EV6 GT, but it’s around the same as what you’d pay for a Tesla Model 3 Performance.
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