Volkswagen ID 5 review

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Is Volkswagen's family-friendly ID 4 electric SUV better when it's trying to mimic a coupé?

Gone are the days when SUVs were purely boxy, drag-inducing lumps with a languid demeanour and lacklustre efficiency.

Okay, so traditional SUVs are still a sales phenomenon, but there’s a more modern body style in town: the oh-so-fashionable coupé-SUV, and so enters the Volkswagen ID 5. 

Not having paddles to cycle through levels of brake regen makes the ID 5 feel more aloof than rivals, and you engage it with less as a result.
Jack Warrick
Staff Writer

You might look at the ID 5 and think it’s just an alternative to the Volkswagen ID 4 with a rounded backside, but in the world of EVs, a coupé-style design should in theory provide aerodynamical benefits for improved driving range. 

The ID 5 is akin to the Skoda Enyaq Coupé and Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback. The ID 4 arrived in 2021, the ID 5 a year later, and the two cars share their underpinnings, including batteries, motors and styling, save for the rear. 

Volkswagen ID 5 range at a glance

The ID 5 range mirrors the ID 4 range. So three variants are available in the UK: Pure, Pro and GTX. 

The Pure is fitted with the smallest battery, a 52kWh unit, which offers a claimed range of 224 miles on a charge. The Pro gets 344 miles from a 77kWh unit, while the GTX gets a 79kWh battery, which offers 327 miles of range.

Power ranges from 167bhp up to 335bhp. 

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ID 5 Pure167bhp
ID 5 Pro282bhp
ID 5 GTX335bhp
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DESIGN & STYLING

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Volkswagen ID 5 front cornering

Combined, the ID 4 and ID 5 are the most popular EVs that Volkswagen sold last year. People obviously love these things, otherwise sensible brands like Skoda and Volvo wouldn’t have also jumped aboard the trend. 

The ID 5 is a likeable take on the formula if a little bland in some of its detailing. A softer-edged car makes a change from the industry’s broader obsession with aesthetic aggression, though, so let’s chalk up the friendlier lines of this car as a win. 

Coupé-SUVs benefit from a more slippery body, thanks to aerodynamic changes. The ID 5 gets a drag coefficient of 0.26, measuring 0.02 less than the ID 4's. 

This means that, in entry-level Pure specification, the sleeker ID 5 can travel for five miles longer than the ID 4. The Pro model meanwhile gets 344 miles - also five miles more than the equivalent ID 4. 

The Pure gets a single, front-mounted motor with a power output of 167bhp and hits 0-62mph in 9sec.

Step up to the Pro for a far more enticing 282bhp and a 0-62mph sprint of 6.7sec.

The range-topping ID 5 GTX gets a second motor for 335bhp, four-wheel drive and a 0-62mph time of 5.6sec. 

 

INTERIOR

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Volkswagen ID 5 interior

The ID 5’s interior is identical to the ID 4, with a leatherette steering wheel and haptic touchpads. As we noted in that review, they’re not the best in terms of usability and take some getting used to. 

The climate controls are also touchpad sliders, but an update in late 2024 means they’re now backlit so easier to see at night. Still, they’re also not ideal for quick and easy operation. 

Interior ambient lighting, heated front seats and a heated windscreen are also standard, while a 5.3in driver’s display and a 10in touchscreen hold almost all of the car’s main functions. As with the ID 4, a larger, 12in touchscreen is available as an option. 

We didn’t think much of Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system, but recent changes have heralded a big improvement. It’s no longer as stuttery or buggy as before, and all of the car’s vital functions are easier to access.

It’s the same story for material quality. The ID 5 isn’t nearly as luxurious as the BMW iX2 inside, but it’s reasonable for the price and a very comfortable place to sit.

It’s minimalist but also spacious, practical and functional. The airy nature of the cabin extends to the rear, too, which will comfortably fit two reasonably tall adults.

The issue with coupé-SUVs is they lose a chunk of their practicality compared with traditionally shaped SUVs.

That said, the ID 5 is surprising in that it offers six litres more boot space than the ID 4, at 549 litres.

That’s larger than the Kia EV6 (490 litres) and the iX2 (525 litres), although the sloping roofline does restrict the shape of certain objects, especially when they're stacked. 

Real pernickety stuff, sure, but it’s curious how claustrophobic some of these cars can feel for those perched in the back. The ID 5 coddles them well, with a pair of USB-C ports the cherry on top of some amiable hospitality.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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Volkswagen ID 5 front on road

We’ve driven the ID 5 in all three of its forms.

On paper, the 167bhp offered by the Pure seems meagre, but with 229lb ft of torque, it’s plenty for driving through town and for overtaking when you really need it. A 0-62mph time of 9.0sec will be enough for most drivers. 

The Pro will be the best pick for the everyday driver. With 282bhp, it hits 0-62mph in just 6.4sec - Golf GTI pace.

While it’s quick off the line, it’s above 50mph where the greater power-to-weight ratio of the Pro – 95bhp per tonne versus 81bhp – comes to the fore. 

Its extra cash justifies itself on slip roads and during rural overtakes, especially given that we compared the two alone; full of families and paraphernalia, the Pro’s additional power will feel more starkly welcome.

Given that both rear-driven models share the same 229lb ft peak torque output, they feel very similar in an urban environment, accelerating with the same modesty out of junctions and away from the lights. There are no jaw-dropping EV theatrics when you’ve got a single motor in a 2.1-tonne car – and handling with similar deftness.

It’s at this point we should reference the GTX, considering the power hike involved. An electric performance SUV remains a true mish-mash of genres on paper (and one we should definitely argue the merits of elsewhere), but the reality is it’s the most charming version of the ID 5. Albeit one that will be chosen by the minority.

RIDE & HANDLING

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Volkswagen ID 5 front cornering

At the wheel, the ID 5 offers little in the way of outright fun. However, the steering is light, quick and easily read and the benefits of its rear-driven platform are clear. 

It’s tough to uncover much understeer, which takes more commitment (or clumsiness) to unearth. Grip is plentiful and the ID 5 feels more composed in the corners than the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

While this coupé-SUV is reasonably comfortable and manages most surfaces respectably, several of its rivals - including the Q4 Sportback E-tron and Genesis GV60 - boast a smoother ride. 

We tested the ID 5 on its standard 19in wheels, but 20in and 21in alternatives are optionally available.

Adaptive suspension is available but only on the four-wheel-drive GTX. This improved things, but the cost of jumping up to the sportiest ID 5 might be too great for some to justify. 

Generally speaking, the ID 5 is refined and quiet. There’s no sound from the electric motor and wind and road noise is fairly quiet on our 19in wheels. The optional 21in set will likely increase this. 

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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Volkswagen ID 5 front dynamic

The ID 5 starts at just over £41,000, making it almost £2000 more than the ID 4. Volkswagen suggests a range of 224 miles for small-battery cars and 344 miles for big-battery cars. 

Compared with its Volkswagen Group stablemates, the ID 5 appears to be good value at first glance. In Pro specification, it's cheaper than the Q4 E-tron Sportback, although the Enyaq Coupé beats it on the range by some 20 miles. 

In any case, it’s cheaper than the Volvo EC40, which comes in at over £50,000 whichever battery you choose. 

Charging speeds are more enticing. In Pure and Pro forms, the ID 5 can charge at speeds of up to 145kW, while the GTX is capable of 175kW. 

Standard equipment is decent – wireless smartphone connectivity, heated seats, a reversing camera, keyless entry and ambient lighting part of the package – but it’s essentially mirroring the ID 4 and thus no better value. 

So: is the ID 5 worth the difference? Well, while that range boost is beneficial for drivers, it’s a minimal increase, and we would argue it’s not large enough to justify the price boost.

VERDICT

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Volkswagen ID 5 parked

For all its likeability, there’s not a lot to love about the ID 5. Its appearance and dynamics exhibit much less drama than a Hyundai Ioniq 5, EV6 or Genesis GV60.

Those rivals are a trio of truly individualistic cars which really run with the platform-sharing baton without skimping on character.

For some, its sheer strait-lacedness might nose the ID 5 ahead of quirkier rivals, as it ever was with VW products. But if that’s your motive, perhaps you’ll be better served still by the cheaper ID 4.

Volkswagen ID 5 news

Prices and specifications revealed for new Volkswagen ID 5
Prices and specifications revealed for new Volkswagen ID 5

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