Our first drive of the hot new all-electric Volkswagen ID 5 GTX prototype shows the new EV is looking in very good shape.
We’ve already driven Volkswagen’s first performance-focused electric car, the ID 4 GTX, and now we’ve had the chance to sample the swoopier ID 5 GTX coupe-SUV in prototype form – and it’s mostly great.
The sporty ID 5 uses the same powertrain as the ID 4 GTX, which means up to 220kW and four-wheel drive when needed, so 0-100kph should take an equally swift 6.2 seconds. The pair of electric motors are fed by a 77kWh battery for a claimed range of 496km.
With an identical Vehicle Dynamics Manager, the ID 5 handles with the same reassuring road manners as the hot ID 4, which means there’s plenty of grip, direct steering and predictable handling. The GTX feels smaller than its size and weight would suggest.
You lose a little headroom over the ID 4 in the rear, but thanks to the MEB platform legroom is good. The boot space in its maximum-practicality configuration is also smaller due to the SUV’s swoopier roofline, but this isn’t the ID 5’s biggest drawback.
Rather, compared with the 800V electronic architecture Hyundai’s E-GMP tech offers, the GTX’s maximum charging rate is only 125kW; 299km of range can be added in 30 minutes, but rivals outstrip it here.
We’re yet to get a good look at the inside of the ID 5. As with the exterior, much of the interior of our early prototype was covered. Volkswagen says that it shares its dashboard, infotainment functions and almost everything else with the ID 4, but expect some unique trim elements, upholstery materials and equipment packages to chime with its higher positioning.
With a roofline that doesn’t begin to slope in any great way until well back in the wheelbase, there’s still quite a lot of room inside. You get exactly the same accommodation up front as in the ID 4, while the rear loses only a centimetre or so of head room over its more upright sibling.
At 543 litres, the boot capacity is the same as in the ID 4. That said, the loading lip and the boot floor are set quite high, making it quite a heave to load heavy items.
Elsewhere, the car’s infotainment is just as full-featured as in the ID 3 and ID 4, but the interfaces have similarly frustrating quirks. However, given the ID 5 GTX’s expected price of around $85,000, those are harder to bear.
The Volkswagen ID 5 GTX is a sleeker hot electric SUV that offers stylish looks, solid dynamics and performance, and good range. However, its charging capability is eclipsed by rival EVs.
Andreas May