Order books for Volkswagen’s rakish new ID.5 coupe-SUV will open early in the new year, with prices for the three-car range expected to start north of £45,000.
Sold in three flavours – ‘Pro’, ‘Pro Performance’ and sporting ‘GTX’ – the ID.5 has a claimed range of 323-miles on a single charge of its 77kWh battery.
Key to this, the brand says, is the streamlined profile of the Kia EV6, Mazda MX-30 and Toyota bZ4X rival. Sitting on the same MEB platform that underpins its smaller ID.4 sibling means the ID.5 is the same length and width as it.
However, to broaden the appeal of its pure-electric car line-up, designers who penned the ID.5 positioned the vehicle’s A-pillars near the front to give the roofline its elegant, flowing shape.
The entry-level ID.5 mounts its 172bhp e-motor on the back axle for a 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds and a top speed of 99mph.
Mid-range ‘Pro Performance’ utilises a more powerful 201bhp electric motor which, again, is mounted at the rear. It sprints to 62mph from a standstill in 8.4 seconds but the top speed remains unchanged at 99mph.
The headline ‘GTX’ model introduces an electric motor at the front for a combined power output of 295bhp, a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds and a 112mph top speed. The trade-off for this extra shove is a reduced range (304-miles).
‘GTX’ variants come with an aggressively-styled front bumper, sculpted sides, an integrated rear spoiler and diffuser-style back bumper. Uprated brakes and a race-tuned suspension are also unique to it, while buyers can add adaptive dampers at extra cost.
Inside, the ID.5’s cabin has much in common with the ID.4 and therefore gets a 6-inch digital driver display and a 12-inch infotainment system. To make the input process of commands and information that bit easier, the touchscreen is angled towards the driver.
Space is freed up for the driver and front seat passenger by the absence of a gear lever; this area is taken up by two cupholders and directly behind it a storage area for pens, money and other oddments that can be concealed by the sliding cover. In terms of boot space, the ID.5’s load area weighs in at 594-litres.
Improvements to the car’s MEB software have reduced the time it takes to top up the battery to 80% capacity; with a maximum charging capability of 135kW DC, this is achieved in under half-an-hour.
