Smart #5 Brabus

FIRST DRIVE Blisteringly fast and surprisingly sharp to drive, only a limited real-world range blots new SUV's copybook

- Ellis Hyde [e-mail]

ASIDE from MINI and maybe Fiat, there are no car manufacturers more synonymous with compact models than Smart, creators of the iconic ForTwo city car. A lot of people think that's all it does, even though the smallest car in its line-up is now a 4.3-metre-long SUV called the #1, which is about to be dwarfed by the even bigger Smart #5.

While the #5 - and yes, you do pronounce the hashtag - is another step away from the company's origins, it was only a matter of time before Smart launched a mid-size electric SUV given the success of the Tesla Model Y - the world's best-selling EV - as well as others such as the Skoda Enyaq, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Audi Q4 e-tron.

We've been told the Smart #5 will go on sale in the UK towards the end of this year, and there will six different variants to choose from: Pro, Pro+, Premium, Pulse, Summit Edition and Brabus. You'll get what you're given with each one, with no option packs or different powertrains to confuse matters. Customers simply select the model they want, plus the paint and interior colour scheme.

Pricing won't be confirmed for a while, but we're told we can expect the range to kick off from close to £40,000, while range-topping versions will cost less than £55,000. The Model Y is currently priced from about £45k-£52k, but the #5 will also be within striking distance of the Enyaq and Ioniq 5, which both start from £39k.