smart#3

Model Overview

The smart #3 is the second all-electric model rolled out by the smart brand following the smart #1, positioned as a new-luxury sporty coupe SUV and officially dubbed a "new-luxury performance coupe". Penned by the Mercedes-Benz global design team and underpinned by Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), the EV was officially announced in March 2023, followed by its launch and initial deliveries in China in June of the same year. As of May 2026, the 2026 smart #3 line-up offers four variants—Dynamic Standard, Dynamic Long Range, Dynamic 4WD, and the BRABUS Performance Edition—with recommended retail prices ranging from RM164,900 to RM259,900. Categorised as a compact all-electric SUV, it sits distinctively above the #1, aimed directly at younger buyers and performance enthusiasts.

Design Language

The smart #3 carries forward the brand's "Sensual Purity" design philosophy and "new-luxury sports aesthetic", resulting in a low-slung, aggressive road stance. Up front, it features a shark-nose fascia and Cyberlight full-width LED headlights matched with a rounded trapezoidal lower grille for sharp visual recognition. Its side profile showcases a sleek, sloping coupe-SUV roofline, complete with frameless doors, flush pop-out door handles, and illuminated wing logos, while the physical tailgate release is discreetly integrated into the letter "a" of the smart badge. Dimensionally, the EV measures 4,400 mm in length, 1,844 mm in width, and 1,556 mm in height with a 2,785 mm wheelbase and an aerodynamic drag coefficient of just 0.27 Cd. The 2026 model year introduces two limited exterior shades—Ceramic White and Stardust Blue—while coming standard with a 13-speaker Beats sound system, 64-colour dual-zone ambient lighting, and a 1.6 m² immersive panoramic glass roof. Inside, the cabin adopts a T-shaped cockpit layout packed with circular and rounded-rectangular motifs, a flat-bottom three-spoke steering wheel, a 9.2-inch full digital instrument cluster, and a 12.8-inch floating central infotainment screen, complemented by turbine-style air-con vents and German-imported INS in-mould decoration films for an upscale feel. The BRABUS Performance Edition exclusively sports a black-and-red interior theme, featuring integrated Microfiber suede sports seats, an Alcantara and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and striking red seatbelts to heighten its track-inspired ambience.

Powertrain and Performance

The smart #3 is available in single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) and dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations. The single-motor RWD variant produces 200 kW and 343 Nm of torque, dispatching the 0-100 km/h sprint in as fast as 5.4 seconds. The dual-motor AWD variant (Dynamic 4WD) pushes out a combined 315 kW (around 428 PS) and 543 Nm, trimming the 0-100 km/h benchmark to just 4.3 seconds. The range-topping BRABUS Performance Edition turns up the wick further, completing the 0-100 km/h dash in a blistering 3.6 seconds. Battery options include 49 kWh and 66 kWh packs, delivering CLTC-rated ranges of: 415 km for the Dynamic Standard, 555 km for the Dynamic Long Range, 520 km for both the Dynamic 4WD and BRABUS Performance Edition, and 580 km for the Platinum Edition. The entire range supports an 800V DC fast-charging architecture that recovers around 200 km of range in just 10 minutes, with winter range degradation limited to around 15%.

Ride and Handling

Under the skin, the smart #3 rides on a front MacPherson strut and rear five-link independent suspension setup, co-developed and tuned by smart and Mercedes-Benz engineering specialists over three stages, five rounds of fine-tuning, five full-vehicle simulation runs, and six damper calibrations to achieve poised dynamic balance. The chassis setup is noticeably taut and sporty; it feels relatively firm over speed humps at low speeds but settles into a supple, composed ride at highway cruising speeds, soaking up road expansion joints with clean, positive damping control. Dual-motor AWD variants come standard with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system; paired with an ideal 50:50 axle weight distribution and a tight 5.5-metre turning radius, its agility in urban traffic rivals smaller hatchbacks. The BRABUS Performance Edition steps things up with wider 245 mm tyres and a dedicated, uprated sports chassis, bringing the 100-0 km/h braking distance to under 35 metres while offering superior wet-weather stability.

Cabin and Equipment

Under the skin of the digital cockpit, the entire lineup runs on a 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chipset with an octa-core CPU and 105 KDMIPS of computing power, running the 12.8-inch floating touchscreen and the smart OS (Inspiration Planet) infotainment system. The unit supports AutoNavi navigation, Apple CarPlay, continuous voice commands, and visible-to-voice functionality, with UI responsiveness matching the segment benchmark. Standard comfort appointments across the range include a panoramic glass roof, sports seats with integrated headrests, single-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents, heated front seats, a powered tailgate, an integrated dashcam, and 3.3 kW Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) reverse charging. Mid-to-high spec variants add ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and 64-colour ambient lighting. The BRABUS Performance Edition builds on the standard 13-speaker Beats premium audio system with more supportive, body-hugging sports seats and extensive Alcantara upholstery. Boot capacity stands at 380 litres in standard configuration and expands up to roughly 1,200 litres with the rear seats folded, easily catering to daily shopping runs and light cargo duties.

Safety and ADAS

Engineered to meet both C-NCAP and Euro NCAP five-star safety crash standards, the smart #3's body-in-white incorporates 74% high-strength steel, with hot-stamped steel reinforcing key structural areas like the A-pillars, B-pillars, and centre tunnel, complemented by seven airbags (including a front-centre airbag). On the active safety front, all variants come standard with a Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) powered by 23 high-precision sensors. The suite packs 23 driver-assist functions, including Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Centring Control (LCC), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), and Automated Parking Assist (APA), supplemented by a 360-degree surround-view camera system and AutoNavi maps. In September 2024, smart issued a recall for 971 units of the #3 produced between April and May 2024 to address insufficient strength in the front seatbelt height adjuster guide nut; nevertheless, in subsequent active safety assessments, the smart #3 scored an impressive 98.3%, demonstrating prompt, precise responses in car-to-car AEB, pedestrian/cyclist emergency braking, and lane-support interventions.

Market Performance and Verdict

Since its domestic debut, monthly sales of the smart #3 have hovered between 380 and 415 units, recording just 405 deliveries in October 2025—ranking past 240th in the compact SUV segment with a market share of under 0.6%. Overall, the smart brand delivered 33,427 vehicles in China in 2024, down 19.37% year-on-year, and slipped further to around 30,800 units in 2025. This sluggish sales performance largely stems from constraints in size and positioning: its 4,400 mm overall length struggles to lure family-centric buyers in a space-driven compact SUV market, while the sister SEA-based ZEEKR X and the all-electric MINI have cannibalised its young, lifestyle-oriented demographic. In response, the brand refined its product and marketing strategy in late 2025 to refocus on its core design appeal and urban buyer base. Motoring reviews have widely lauded the #3 for its punchy powertrains (particularly the BRABUS variant's rapid 3.6-second sprint), polished chassis dynamics, and premium design, rating it above the class average; conversely, hard interior plastics in places, relatively short rear seat squabs, and limited tech option packages remain points for improvement. Following the launch of the 2026 model in July 2025, smart has sought to regain ground via sharper pricing and richer standard kit, while introducing the Keith Haring Art Special Edition—capped at 1,000 units globally and only 99 units for China—to reinforce its bespoke brand appeal. On the whole, trading on its "Mercedes-Benz styling + Geely architecture" DNA and the track-ready performance of the BRABUS version, the smart #3 serves as a vital lifestyle addition to the brand's EV portfolio, though achieving a genuine sales breakthrough will still hinge on sustained price competitiveness and overall value proposition.