The new Volkswagen ID.5 coupe-SUV will launch next year in Pro, Pro Performance and sporty GTX guises.
Volkswagen has pulled the sheets off its latest pure-electric vehicle, the ID.5 coupe-SUV. It’ll be available to order in Europe early next year with prices expected to start from around £47,000 (AUD$86,000), meaning the German brand’s latest ID model will go up against the Kia EV6 and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback. The electric ID range isn’t expected to arrive in Australia until at least 2023.
The VW ID.5 is based on the same MEB underpinnings as the brand’s ID.4, meaning its width, length and wheelbase all remain the same – but the sporty coupe body on top has been designed to broaden the appeal of the firm’s ID. line-up and capitalise on the booming coupe-SUV market. Like the ID.3 and ID.4, the new ID.5 will be built at Volkswagen’s plant in Zwickau.
One of the benefits of the new body style is slightly improved aerodynamics, which has increased the car’s maximum range compared with the ID.4 – albeit only slightly. The slipperiest ID.5 has a drag coefficient of just 0.26Cd, which boosts its maximum range to 520km, which is an increase of one mile over the longest-range ID.4.
There’s the choice of three electric powertrains, all of which will come as standard with Volkswagen’s 77kWh battery. The entry-level ID.5 Pro features a 127kW electric motor mounted on the rear axle, which offers a 0-100km/h time of 10.4 seconds and a top speed of 160km/h.
The mid-range Pro Performance variant has a more powerful 148kW electric motor at the rear, which reduces the ID.5’s 0-100km/h time to 8.4 seconds. However, top speed remains the same at 160km/h.
The sporty GTX model gains an extra motor on the front axle, to offer a combined output of 217kW and four-wheel drive. The ID.5 GTX’s range drops to 490km, but it also slashes its 0-100km/h time to 6.3 seconds while increasing its top speed to 180km/h.
As it’s the sporty option in the range, the GTX gets a model-specific body kit with a more aggressive front bumper, a new lower grille and painted side skirts. There’s also a different aero package for the rear, consisting of a larger spoiler and a diffuser, which actually generates a small amount of downforce to help high-speed stability.
Volkswagen has also tuned the ID.5 GTX’s chassis, so it can better handle the extra performance on offer. There’s lowered suspension and upgraded brakes, but buyers can also specify Volkswagen’s Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive dampers as an optional extra.
Every ID.5 comes with an active shutter for the front grille, which automatically blanks off the opening when it’s not required for cooling. VW says it only makes a marginal difference to the car’s range.
Inside is the same six-inch digital instrument cluster and 12-inch infotainment system as the ID.4. Unlike the company’s petrol-powered SUVs, Volkswagen is keen to point out that the ID.5’s cabin doesn’t use any animal products. Also, as there’s no transmission tunnel running down the centre of the car, there’s a little more space inside than the equivalent Tiguan.
Unusually for a coupe-SUV, Volkswagen has also managed to make the ID.5’s boot a little bigger than its ID.4 sibling – at least up to the level of the parcel shelf. There’s 549 litres of space, which is six litres more than you get in the ID.4.
Volkswagen has also launched a new version of its MEB software on the ID.5, which not only adds more infotainment functions and improves the car’s Travel Assist system, but also increases the maximum charging capability to 135kW DC compared with 120kW systems in earlier versions of the ID.3 and ID.4.
This means the ID.5 can charge to 80 per cent capacity in 26 minutes, which is nine minutes faster than its siblings. Volkswagen will soon roll out this improvement across the rest of the ID. range, too.
Luke Wilkinson