Overview

The ID.5 - Volkswagen’s second electric SUV after the ID.4 commands a strong price, starting at £50,550, but by the brand’s own words "it features a combination of qualities as yet unseen on one of its battery-powered models". As the flagship of the ID. family, it boasts striking SUV-coupé styling, the biggest battery VW offer and a level of standard equipmement that leaves very little to be added as an optional extra – but is it worth the money in a market that’s now rapidly offering greater, more affordable choice? We test one for a week to find out.

 

Driving

The base Pro cars get a rear-mounted electric motor offering 172hp and 173lb-ft of torque good for a sedate zero to 62mph time of 10.4 seconds. the Pro Performance models get 201hp and 229lb-ft making for a much more reasonable 8.4 seconds, while the dual-motor GTX model is significantly quicker with 295hp and 339lb-ft for a much improved time 6.3 seconds. Not a match for the rivalling Tesla Model Y, Volvo C40 Recharge or Ford Mustang Mach-E.  

We liked the high driving position, the light, precise steering, and the fact it felt so quiet and relaxing to drive, it changes direction well and body roll is well contained – but it’s hardly dynamic or engaging even in Sport mode, it’s speciality, it seems, is comfortable cruiser. You can choose from ‘D’ (Drive) or ‘B’ (Battery regen) modes – the latter allows you to slow down without using the brakes but doesn’t enable ‘one-pedal’ driving.

Range and running costs

The ID.5 is only available with the largest battery pack from the Volkswagen line-up – a 77 kWh unit, providing a range of up to 313 miles. With a maximum recharging capacity of 135kW, it has a charge time of as little as 29 minutes to 80 per cent at a rapid charger, or at a rate of six minutes to gain 62 miles. It’s an improvement on the 125kW max charging speed of the ID.4 but not as fast as rivals with 800V architecture such as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 can achieve.

It’s cheaper to run than a conventional petrol or diesel SUV. Service intervals are once per year or every 20,000 miles, and will also be priced lower with no oil to change for example. It comes with a standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty, while the battery components are covered for 100,000 miles or eight years. At the moment you won't pay anything for the annual VED (vehicle excise duty – road tax) or to enter eco-conscious cities.

Design

The ID.5 is the more style focused sibling, but actually it’s not all that different to the ID.4 and you may struggle to notice the differences… So I’ll point them out to you – redesigned C-pillars, sloping roofline and a new boot lid incorporating a rear wing. We’d argue that the Kia EV6 stands out more.

For a SUV-coupe, the ID.5 does manage to look quite sporty, and thanks to VW’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) affording those short overhangs it further helps to give the impression of athleticism. It’s also enabled a spacious interior despite the swoopy roof. Other than that there's not much more to say! 

Talking of which, inside the materials and fit and finish are of premium quality and that’s about the only differences compared to the ID.4’s cabin. That said, it’s not particularly inspiring and one could argue the closely related Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe and  Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback offers a plusher cabin – as well as more space! There’s the same responsive central touchscreen, with a fiddly and annoying menu in terms of trying to find certain basic functions, and the haptic feedback steering wheel button pads with touch-sensitive sliders are easy to accidently knock. The brown and black combo is probably a bit Marmite but the mix of leather and Alcantara and contrast stitching is nice and distract your eye from some of the scratchy plastics.

Comfort and practicality

There’s plenty of head and legroom for four adults, and boot space is generous too with 549 litres capacity. The child seats latched in to the Isofix quickly – which is sadly an important factor for me and many others, and there are lots of storage cubbys.

Protruding out from the uncluttered dashboard is the 12 inch central touchscreen. It is equipped with the new ID. software version 3.0 intended to iron out the bugs of earlier systems, and includes improved charging performance and voice control among other features. However, my children still managed to continuously set off “Hello ID” without actually using those words.

Every ID.5 variant is equipped extremely well as standard, featuring a panoramic sunroof, ID.Light LED matrix headlights, 3D-LED tail lights, the latest iteration of the Travel Assist semi-autonomous assistance system, an electric tailgate, 3-zone climate control, Volkswagen’s Augmented Reality head-up display and 12-way electrically adjustable seats with massage function.

Over the entry-level Tech trim, the ID.5 Max gains 20 inch ‘Drammen’ alloy wheels, nicer seats, and the Sports Package Plus, which incorporates dynamic chassis control and progressive steering for a more engaging drive. The ID.5 Max and GTX Max also benefit from a heat pump.

Verdict

VW are breaking into a completely new market segment with the ID.5. It is only marginally bigger than the ID.4, but the additional space inside and the storage mean it’s a better option for families. It’s a comfortable drive and offers a long range, but it isn’t a class leader, when it comes to driving experience or value. Perhaps the more fashion conscious will pay the premium for a sleeker-looking SUV, but I think most people will find it hard to justify the hefty £50,000 plus price tag.

Key Specs

2022 Volkswagen ID.5 Pro Tech

Price (RRP OTR): From £50,550
Top speed: 99mph
0-62mph: 10.4 seconds
Power: 172hp
Torque: 229lb-ft
Driving range (combined): 313 miles
Charging time: 29 mins (135kW, 10-80%), 6hrs 39 mins (7.4kW, 20-80%), 4hrs 28 mins (11kW, 20-80%) 
Insurance group: 27
Vehicle warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles
Battery warranty: 8 years / 12,000 miles