smart #5 crowned Family Electric SUV of the Year at 2026 What Car? Awards

• smart #5 sees off competition to be named best car in its class.
• Judges cited #5’s impressive range, fast charging, comfortable ride and high-quality interior.
• Win follows similar recognition for smart #1 and #3, demonstrating the strength and depth of full smart range.

January 23, 2026, Milton Keynes, UK – The smart #5 has been crowned Family Electric SUV of the Year at the prestigious What Car? Awards 2026 in London. The victory sees the #5 follow in the footsteps of its fellow smart models, with the smart #1 having claimed Best Small Electric SUV at the 2024 What Car? Awards and the smart #3 earning the same title in the What Car? EV Awards 2025.

Jason Allbutt, CEO smart UK, at the What Car? Awards Ceremony in London, 2026

The new smart #5 is the brand’s most capable model to date, with power of up to 475 kW and a range as great as 590 km. Available in the UK in six variants, from entry level Pro to range-topping BRABUS, the model’s efficient drive system and advanced 800-volt platform can allow charging from 10% to 80% (SoC) in less than 18 minutes under optimal conditions.

Its spacious cabin, high quality interior and advanced standard features - including a 10.25-inch full HD digital instrument cluster and two 13-inch OLED center and passenger screens - combined with a generous 630-liter boot capacity and a best-in-class Euro NCAP safety rating, make it the ideal choice for everything from the school run to weekend fun.

Established in 1978, the What Car? Awards are among the most esteemed accolades in the industry, celebrating outstanding achievements and innovations from across the automotive spectrum.

Disclaimers

¹Energy consumption combined in kWh/100 km (WLTP): 18.4(Pro+ /Premium), 18.5 (Pro), 19.9 (BRABUS/Pulse/Summit Edition); CO₂ emissions combined (while the car is in operation) in g/km (WLTP): 0; CO₂ class: A; electric range (WLTP) in km: 590(Pro+/Premium), 465 (Pro), 540(BRABUS/Pulse/Summit Edition);⁴

²Details on the WhatCar? Awards at Best buys | What Car?

³The available drive power in battery-powered electric cars depends on various factors, such as the duration of the required power as well as the battery voltage and temperature. Due to the physical framework conditions, the maximum power for the specified acceleration values can be called up repeatedly, but not any number of times in succession.

⁴Under optimal conditions, it is possible to charge smart #5 from 10-80% at a 400 kW DC fast charging station while #5 Pro line you can charge from 10% - 80% at a 150 kW DC fast charging station in less than 30 minutes.

⁵Available in the Pulse, Premium, Summit Edition and BRABUS line.