Smart #5 review (UK): Geely-Mercedes SUV with 366-mile range — but the warranty is shorter than you'd expect

The Smart #5 is built by Zhima Motors (智马达汽车有限公司), the 50/50 joint venture formed in 2020 between Geely Automobile Group and Mercedes-Benz. The car is assembled at the Xi'an production base in Shaanxi, China — the same facility that builds the Smart #1 and #3. Mercedes-Benz's global design team is responsible for the exterior and interior styling; Geely provides the manufacturing, battery and platform engineering. For a UK buyer, the key question is brand survival. Smart is not a standalone startup — it has the institutional weight of two major automotive groups behind it. Geely is the world's most diversified Chinese automotive conglomerate (Volvo, Lynk & Co, Polestar, Zeekr) and Mercedes-Benz is one of the most well-capitalised carmakers on the planet. The joint venture structure means both parties are invested in Smart's success, and service continuity is backed by an established UK dealer network. The risk caveat: Smart is still a relatively small brand by volume. If the market pivot from city cars to premium SUVs does not yield the required volume, Geely or Mercedes could restructure the JV. This is a medium-term watch item, not an immediate concern. The 50/50 structure makes either party unilaterally winding down difficult.

In China the Smart #5 is sold as the 智己 smart精灵#5 (Smart Spirit #5). It launched with a pre-sale price of ¥245,000 (around £26,900), later landing at ¥189,900–¥239,900 for 2026 models. That puts the Chinese price at roughly 45–55% of the UK OTR, reflecting UK taxes, homologation, RHD engineering, dealer margin and positioning in a different market tier. Chinese owner complaint data from 车质网 (12365auto.com) is reassuringly sparse: only 28 complaints logged across the 2024–2026 model years. This is an extremely low absolute number for a car that has been on the Chinese market since 2024, suggesting early quality is solid. The complaint-to-sales ratio is 35.1 per 10,000 — comparable with mainstream European brands and well below the Chinese average for new brands. The manufacturer response rate to complaints is 100% in 2026. The reported issue types are: connectivity system faults (2 cases), key fob issues (1), seat defects (1), mirror issues (1), high-voltage battery fault (1) and inaccurate range display (1). These are scattered, not systemic — no clustering around a particular component failure mode. One note of caution: the Smart #5 has only been on the Chinese market since late 2024. With a relatively short track record, complaint data will grow. The smart move for UK buyers is to watch the 2026 data over the next 12 months.

UK buyers get the same core body and 800V architecture as the Chinese market car, but with right-hand drive conversion and WLTP range ratings replacing CLTC figures. The Chinese market #5 has Chinese-language infotainment with Doubao AI integration; the UK car uses the smart OS interface tuned for European markets, with OTA updates. Key differences: - **ADAS**: UK trim levels are equipped with standard L2 driver assistance (adaptive cruise, lane keeping). China upper trims have more advanced smart driving features via 'God Eye' ADAS — this level of autonomy is not available in the UK. - **Infotainment ecosystem**: UK car uses a European-market software stack, not the Chinese WeChat/Doubao integrated version. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto availability needs UK-specific confirmation. - **Battery**: Chinese market offers multiple range options; UK gets two battery sizes (Pro: 66 kWh for 288 miles; Pro+/Premium/BRABUS: 100 kWh for 366 or 335 miles WLTP). - **Price premium**: UK price is approximately 2× the Chinese guide price, consistent with other Chinese-brand UK market positioning.

The Smart #5 launched in the UK in 2026, starting from £39,800 for the Pro with 288 miles WLTP range. Six trim levels are available — Pro, Pro+, Premium, Pulse, BRABUS and Summit Edition. The Pro+ and Premium step up to a 100 kWh battery offering 366 miles WLTP; the BRABUS, Pulse and Summit Edition use the same 100 kWh pack but are tuned for performance or features, returning 335 miles WLTP. The charging headline is strong: Smart claims 10–80% in 18 minutes via a 400 kW DC connection. Real-world charging speeds will depend on charger availability and battery temperature — confirm the actual peak DC rate per trim before committing. Warranty: Smart UK offers 3 years / 60,000 miles on the vehicle — noticeably shorter than BYD's 6–8 years and MG's 7 years. Battery warranty terms should be verified against official Smart UK documentation as this is a high-risk field. The 3-year vehicle warranty is the shortest in the class and warrants explicit awareness. Safety: as of July 2026, no Euro NCAP result has been published for the Smart #5. The What Car? Family Electric SUV of the Year 2026 award was earned on overall package merits, not Euro NCAP safety results. NCAP tests are expected; until results are published, mark safety as needs-check.