New Smart #6 revealed as a sleek rival to the BMW 3 Series and Tesla Model 3

This is the all-new Smart #6: a sleek, luxurious, electrified saloon that has been unexpectedly unveiled in China, and could rival the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal if it comes to the UK.

It’s Smart’s first saloon and the biggest car the brand has made yet, following on from the #1 compact SUV, #3 coupe-SUV and the newly launched #5 family SUV, which is now available through our Buy A Car service from less than £40,000. The #5 is the model that the #6 has the most in common with.

There are some familiar styling traits, such as the smooth surfacing, subtly sculpted bonnet and flowing headlights. Meanwhile, unique details include a LiDAR sensor located at the top of the windscreen and a large active rear spoiler. The black bar connecting the headlights presumably houses more sensors for advanced driver-assistance systems. 

At 4,906mm long, 1922mm wide and 1508mm tall, the Smart #6 is bigger in every dimension than the BMW 3 Series, and its 2,926mm wheelbase is longer, too, which should mean more space for passengers. 

However, we’ve yet to get a look inside the new saloon to see if that’s true, or to find out if it features the same tech-centric interior design as the #5, which includes a massive 13-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch driver’s display, plus the potential for a separate passenger display. 

In Europe, Smart is an electric-only brand and, so far, we’ve yet to hear about an EV version of the #6, although we suspect one will follow shortly and this could make its way over into showrooms. A more potent Brabus version is likely, too. 

However, the model you see here is a plug-in hybrid, featuring the same drivetrain as the Smart #5 EHD that was launched in China in October 2025. 

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Smart claims its ‘Super Hybrid’ set-up offers better stability, smoothness, quietness, fuel-efficiency and range than typical plug-in hybrids or range-extenders, but we’ve been told there are currently no plans to bring it to the UK or Europe. 

Either way, the ‘Super Hybrid’ set-up in the #6 uses a highly efficient, 1.5-litre petrol engine capable of returning around 72mpg after the battery is fully depleted. It works together with a three-speed DHT automatic transmission and an electric motor, with the car producing a combined 429bhp. 

We don’t know what size the car’s battery is, but Smart claims the #6 offers a pure-electric range of up to 177 miles and a combined range of 1,125 miles. That’s enough to get from London to Inverness, and back, without having to stop – although those figures are based on China’s CLTC test cycle and not the WLTP standard used in Europe.

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