Upcoming smart #5 Teased Undergoing Off-Road Tests

The upcoming smart #5 is coming real soon and, based on these latest teaser images, it's ready for the rough!

Showcased during Auto China 2024 earlier this in concept form, the upcoming new smart #5 is set bring the joint-venture brand co-owned by Geely and Mercedes-Benz into new heights.

The latest teaser for the #5 shows the smart Automobile brand putting a lightly camouflaged prototype through its paces in the rough across both mud and snow. In turn, this fulfils the concept’s promise at being able to traverse across terrains.

The smart Concept #5 (left) shown during Auto China 2024 earlier this year versus the production-ready version (right) that surface through leaked Chinese ministry documents. Note that the latter loses much of the former's novelties.

As a refresher, the smart Concept #5 shown during Auto China 2024 saw the crossover SUV sport a lifted ride height and chunky off-road tyres. It also had beefy skid plates front and aft, massive LED roof-mounted lights, as well as hood-mounted ropes.

Predictably, the production-ready version pictured makes do without much of the concept’s novelties mentioned, but it’s seen climbing a steep gravel incline, wading through water crossings and conquering muddy ruts.

Apart from conquering muddy ruts and wading through water crossings, the smart #5 also recently underwent cold weather and winter tests.

Additional photos have also surfaced via smart Automobile’s official Facebook showing the #5 undergoing extreme winter and cold weather tests through snowy conditions. Evidently, these ought to silence any doubts about its terrain-conquering abilities.

As recounted prior, it appears the concept’s ‘coach’ style doors – featuring rear-hinged and rearward-opening rear doors – might have been dropped too in favour of regular door opening fashion. That aside, the #5 will be presented as smart’s largest model to date when it launches.

Set for a global reveal in Australia on Aug 28, the smart #5 will arrive as the brand's largest-sized offering to date. It will also be positioned as a global model alongside - and above - the #1 and #3.

Speaking of which, the smart #5 is slated to debut globally in Australia later this month on Aug 28, and it will be positioned as a global offering next to the existing #1 and #3. It will take up a large footprint measuring 4,705 MM long with a 2,900 MM wheelbase, 1,920 MM wide and 1,705 MM tall.

Underneath, the #5 underpins an 800-volt architecture from Geely, and reports online suggest four powertrain choices will be offered. The latter is set to consists of two single (rear) motor guises, followed by two dual-motor choices, with outputs ranging between 335 HP and 637 HP.

smart Automobile remains tight-lipped about specifications, but an 800-volt architecture is expected, along with two single (rear) motor and two dual-motor options with outputs ranging between 335 HP and 637 HP, as well as up to 549 KM range too.

As for battery size and range, these remain undisclosed for now. However, online reports suggests at least 549 KM should be possible, likely stemming from its most efficient setup featuring the largest battery pack available from the smart Automobile brand’s arsenal.

We’ll have more once the smart #5 officially debuts later this month. Until then, are you folks digging the prospects of this larger and more rugged offering? As usual, share your take in the comments below, as well as our social media pages…