Smart’s First Ever Sedan Is Much Bigger Than You Think

• Smart #6 plug-in sedan shares platform and powertrain with #5 SUV.
• 1.5-liter turbo engine makes 161 hp, paired with a 268 hp front motor.
• Electric-only range could surpass 157 miles with larger battery pack.

Smart isn’t stopping at SUVs. The brand, long associated with ultra-compact city cars and more recently electric crossovers, is now venturing into new territory with its first fastback sedan. Called the #6, it breaks from current trends by launching not as a full EV, but as a plug-in hybrid.

Read: Smart’s New #5 Compact SUV Isn’t Coming To The US And That’s A Mistake

Revealed via filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the #6 shares several design cues with other recent Chinese-market entries, including the Xiaomi SU7.

Up front, its headlights are cleanly integrated into the bumper and connected by a full-width light bar, a styling feature that’s quickly becoming ubiquitous. There’s also a shapely hood and a small lower grille section finished in black. A panoramic glass roof is also present on the two different trim levels pictured.

At the rear, the #6 takes on a fastback silhouette, trading a conventional trunk lid for a large hatchback opening. A deployable rear spoiler is also part of the design.

How Big Is It?

It might not be immediately clear from the early images, but the #6 is a sizable sedan, roughly comparable to the latest W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

For reference, the E-Class measures 4,949 mm (195 inches) in length, 1,880 mm (74 inches) in width, and 1,468 mm (57.8 inches) in height, with a 2,961 mm (116.6-inch) wheelbase.

The #6 comes in just slightly shorter overall at 4,906 mm (193 inches) long, but it’s wider at 1,922 mm (75.6 inches – though it’s not clear if that includes the mirrors) and a bit taller at 1,508 mm (59.3 inches), with a 2,926 mm (115.1-inch) wheelbase.

Familiar Hybrid Hardware

Smart has confirmed that the #6 EHD will share its plug-in hybrid drivetrain with the recently launched #5 EHD SUV. That means a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 161 hp working in tandem with a front-mounted electric motor rated at 268 hp and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of peak torque.

Battery specifications haven’t been officially confirmed for the #6, but it’s a safe bet they’ll match the two options available in the #5: a 20 kWh pack and a larger 41.46 kWh unit.

Those deliver all-electric ranges of between 75 miles (120 km) and 157 miles (252 km) in the SUV, with total range estimates of 921 miles (1,483 km) and 1,003 miles (1,615 km), respectively. Given the #6’s sleeker profile and likely better aero, there’s potential for modest gains in electric and total range.

So far, Smart hasn’t shared any images of the #6’s interior. If it stays close to the design language of the #5, it could include a widescreen digital instrument panel, a head-up display, and a pair of screens across the dash, one for infotainment and another for the passenger.