2023 Volkswagen ID.5 review

The Volkswagen ID.5 isn’t breaking any moulds, rather slotting into one of the most successful moulds right now: it’s one of those oh-so-fashionable crossover coupes but at least in the world of EVs they do bring aerodynamic benefits for a mite more range.

Like for like, an ID.5 will be several grand more than the VW ID.4 it’s based upon, though Australian prices are still to be confirmed.

People obviously love these things, otherwise, sensible brands like Skoda and Volvo wouldn’t have jumped aboard the trend with the Enyaq Coupe and C40.

And the ID.5 appears to be 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 we’ll chalk up the smoother, friendlier lines of this car as a win.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on fuel?
• How safe is it?
• VERDICT

How much is it, and what do you get?

With the ID.4 expected to start around the $60,000 mark, the ID.5 will likely weigh in at around $70,000 or more, not least because it only comes with the larger 77kWh battery.

Its slipperier form and big battery mean claimed range figures don’t dip below 500km on any variant of the ID.5, allowing it to slip that bit easier into everyday life.

The line-up kicks off with a pair of rear-drive variants – the 128kW Pro and 150kW Pro Performance, both offering 310Nm with respective 10.4 and 8.4sec sprints to 100km/h – and is topped by the ID.5 GTX, a 220kW/460Nm all-wheel drive performance version that helps launch a new suffix for VW to slap on numerous sporty (well, sportier) EVs.

It’s almost as sprightly as VW’s hot hatchbacks, hitting 100km/h in 6.3sec. All will charge at 135kW, which is decent if far from the 350kW offered elsewhere in the class.

Australian specs are yet to be confirmed but you can expect them to be pretty generous; base Style models in the UK get 19i-inch diamond-turned alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, a 12-inch infotainment display, panoramic glass roof, Matrix LED lights and park assist as standard.

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How do rivals compare on value?

Our two favourites in this class right now are the Wheels COTY winning Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The EV6 will set you back $82,900 before on-road costs in 239kW trim, and the Ioniq 5 costs $75,900 before on-road costs with 225kW peak output. Both can hook up to ultra fast 350kW charging.

The Mercedes EQA 250 is $76,800 before on-road costs with just 140kW, making the Polestar 2 Long Range AWD look very good value indeed at $73,400 before on-road costs with 300kW, even if the Swede trailed its Korean rivals in a recent Wheels comparison. The Tesla Model Y starts at $72,300 before on-road costs in base RWD form.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

The ID.4 and 5 will be Australia’s first taste of Volkswagen’s ID models, hence this interior. It’s familiar from the ID.3 below and the ID.Buzz above, with the company’s famous scalable platform philosophy no more evident than in the screens and ergonomics of these cars.

Which isn’t all rosy; a decision to pop almost all major controls within the touchscreen or on touch-sensitive pads does make it all a bit mind-boggling when you first climb aboard. There are just two window switches for instance, and you’ll have to tap a button to switch them between operating the front and rear windows.

Although this declutters the place nicely, it does give you something new to suss out. VW used to be the master of ergonomics, so it’s a bit odd that these IDs might discombobulate their drivers. The company has already announced that real buttons will make a triumphant return in future facelifts, so we might not have to spend long acclimatising to the ID.5’s cabin quirks.

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It's very well made, though, and all materials are high quality save for the door bins, which are cheap, almost sacrificial plastic, so at least you won’t mind them getting scuffed.

The central 12-inch touchscreen is nicely high res (even with the absurd and distracting oversight of not illuminating the strip of climate controls at its base) and the small digital instrument gauge is neat and uncomplicated.

A big windscreen lends the interior an airy quality, one which continues rearwards, too.

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This is very habitable for a crossover coupe.

While rear visibility is inevitably an unhelpful sliver – high waistlines and low rooflines rarely produce anything else together – the rest of its hindquarters are impressive, with plenty of legroom and headroom for most adults and a window line sympathetic to letting a decent amount of light in.

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

Volkswagen ID.5 boot space

The boot in the VW ID.5 is marginally more commodious than an ID.4’s with the seats up, at 549 litres, though slightly smaller with them folded, at 1561 litres.

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What’s it like to drive?

Given both rear-drive ID.5s share the same torque figure, 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.

While there’s little in the way of outright fun here, the steering is light, quick and easily read and the benefits of its RWD platform are clear.

It’s above 80km/h where the greater power-to-weight ratio of the Pro Performance comes to the fore. Its price premium ought to justify itself on sliproads and during overtakes, where there’s just a touch more urgency to proceedings.

And this is us comparing the pair with just a driver on board – fill your ID.5 with family and paraphernalia and the additional power will feel more starkly welcome.

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The GTX is a lot keener off the line and its acceleration never lets up.

If power is your chief concern, of course, there’s the dual-motor GTX. Without pricing, we can’t judge whether it’ll look good value, but in Europe, it costs 10 per cent more for what’s basically 50 per cent more power. An appealing prospect, especially considering its range figure isn’t dented too much.

Ride quality isn’t notably firmer in the GTX than the fairly rigid variants below it – 15-stage adaptive damping might even make it feel more habitable day-to-day – and its larger breadth of performance is immediately evident. It’s a lot keener off the line and its acceleration never lets up.

Although not gobsmacking like some electric cars (we’re looking at you, Tesla) but it’s much more in keeping with what we’ve come to expect from max torque at zero revs.

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The GTX is easily the most charming version of the ID.5, though it’s not as fun to drive as its Tiguan R range-mate, for instance, while not having adjustable brake regen through steering wheel paddles – as some EV rivals offer – does give it a slightly aloof feel.

It’s worth noting that GTX isn’t a fully-fledged performance brand – it sits a rung below where a GTI would, being more closely aligned with the GTD and GTE badges we’ve previously seen applied to the Golf.

Think of it in those terms and the ID.5 GTX ought to be a quietly satisfying proposition.

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How is its efficiency?

With all ID.5s packing a stocky 77kWh battery, range figures are good.

In European WLTP testing the Pro and Pro Performance offer up to 526km while the sportier GTX claims 505km, though each figure will incrementally fall if you start piling on options and fancier specs.

DC charging rates of up to 135kW are on offer (an improvement on the 125kW at the ID.4’s launch), so you’ll be able to go from 0-80 per cent in around 30 minutes.

Using the car’s native sat-nav can also help you plan a series of short stops at quick chargers on a long journey.

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How safe is it?

Both the ID.4 and ID.5 are yet to be tested by ANCAP, though their five-star performances in the European NCAP tests promise much.

The ID.5 also hit the highest possible score for its assistance systems.

Forward collision avoidance and lane-keep assist are standard (the latter being devilishly hard to turn off if you dislike such things) while optional features include ‘Travel Assist with swarm data’, which helps keep the car neatly integrated within traffic on highways and assists the driver in changing lane safely.

The NCAP testers also highly rated how functional the ID.5’s augmented reality head-up display is.

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VERDICT

This isn’t the most exciting EV on sale, nor do you likely need it to be. VW’s appeal has usually been its offer of a straight-laced, steadfast option among a sea of quirkier rivals. Which is exactly where the ID.5 sits among more aesthetically interesting or dynamically sharper rivals.

It’s just a shame its more sensible approach isn’t backed up by the quickest charging in the business. Choosing a Tesla, Kia or Hyundai will not only prove more convenient in that regard but is more likely to raise your pulse too.

That said, if you want your first EV to be an easily digested switch from internal combustion, the ID.5 is a strong bet.

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