Volkswagen ID.5 Review

It's always been pretty straightforward in Wolfsburg - the home of Volkswagen. In VW's rule book, SUVs were large and practical. While BMW, Mercedes and Audi all followed the trend of trying to turn off-roaders into swoopy coupes, Volkswagen steered clear of such frippery.

That was then, though. Now, Volkswagen is leaving no stone unturned in the race to win sales in the world of SUVs, and in particular electric SUVs. The Volkswagen ID.5, then, is not just the firm's first electric coupe-SUV but its first coupe-SUV in general. 

Unusually, Volkswagen’s sister brands have competing products in the form of the Skoda Enyaq Coupe and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, but only Volkswagen has pitched its coupe version as a separate model in its range.

Launched back in 2022, the ID.5 was originally offered with three standard trim grades – Style, Tech and Max, which were offered with either 173bhp ‘Pro’ model or the 201bhp ‘Pro Performance’ versions. The sporty, range-topping, VW ID.5 GTX model got 295bhp and was also the only way to get all-wheel drive on the ID.5. A 77kWh battery was standard on every ID.5.

However, a recent facelift and slimming-down of the trim lines has made the ID.5 lineup much easier to understand. You can now choose from a 52- or 77kWh batteries for WLTP range of 227 miles, while the 77kWh battery is the more popular option as it gives range of around 340 miles and is available with a wider choice of trim levels. Go for the sporty GTX, and you get a 79kWh battery but the extra power and all-wheel drive means that range is around 327 miles. 

It's just a shame that you have to pay over £1000 extra to get a heat pump on the ID.5, as this helps to improve efficiency in winter – and is a standard feature on some rivals, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y, Peugeot E-3008 and Nissan Ariya.

As for its looks? Well, from the front you’ll struggle to tell the difference between the ID.5 and ID.4, but when you see it in profile or from the rear you can appreciate the differences. While the ID.4’s roof extends in a gradual curve to maximise rear headroom and boot space, the ID.5’s roofline slopes downwards in a more traditionally coupe-like fashion. The rear window is more raked, too, and there’s a neat integrated rear spoiler.

The sloping roofline doesn’t impact too much on interior space, either. There’s still enough for a couple of adults to be very comfy back there; even six-footers will be okay if they slide the rear seats forwards to ahead of where the roof really starts to steeply drop down, meaning their heads don’t brush the roof too much. And thanks to the ID.5’s long wheelbase, even when the seats are slid forwards, there’s still plenty of knee room.

The boot is actually slightly bigger than that of the boxier ID.4, at 549 litres (although a few litres shy of the Enyaq Coupe’s 570 litres). As family transport goes, the ID.5 certainly ticks all the right boxes. 

Much has been said about Volkswagen’s ID infotainment systems in the years since it was introduced – most of it bad. But, Volkswagen has ironed out most of the software bugs that blighted the original system, and the 2024 ID.5 and ID.4 facelift brought a bigger, 12.9-inch touchscreen with improved menu structure, too. The infotainment is now perfectly usable, has all the features you want including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it’s much slicker than it was when the ID.5 first arrived. You can even adjust the volume and temperature in the dark thanks to new, backlit sliders. 

The ID.5 is pretty slick to drive, too. In terms of ride and handling, the ID.5 does everything you would expect it do – provided you’re not expecting a sporty drive from the standard model. It’s very much a comfort-oriented family SUV, with smooth ride quality and neutral, planted cornering manners, but it’s not a car to stir the emotions.

In fact, even those forking out for the all-wheel drive GTX may wonder where Volkswagen’s sporting spirit went. Despite adaptive chassis control (DCC) and a progressive steering system fitted as standard, the ID.5 GTX never feels eager to be hurried through corners in the way that the Kia EV6, Ford Mustang Mach-E or even a Tesla Model 3 does. 

Verdict

The ID.5 is a comfortable, smooth driving family car that does most things well. However, it’s hard to argue its case against the ID.4 and Enyaq, which offers more space and a lower price. Yes, coupes are traditionally an irrational purchase, but the ID.5 lacks the style and sassiness to really mark it out as a coupe in the traditional sense of the word. A £50,000 price tag pitches the ID.5 up against some serious competition, too, so while the ID.5 is a pleasant package in isolation, it's hard to justify over the ID.4 and many of its other rivals.