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VW ID.5: There are hardly any differences to the other models in the family
Photo: Volkswagen
The first impression:
The rear is reminiscent of an oversized bar of soap - as if it had slipped out of the designers' fingers.
The sloping roof line turns the SUV into a coupé.
From the front, however, the ID.5 is immediately recognizable as a member of the ID family.
That's what the manufacturer says:
VW is constantly expanding its electric model range.
Brand boss Ralf Brandstätter, who has just left for China, calls this strategy »Accelerate«.
It should please as many customers as possible as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, the brand limits the choice in the combustion engine world;
some station wagons, convertibles and vans are no longer available.
In order to make a profit with electric cars, manufacturers have to build a lot of them.
New bodies can always be put over the so-called skateboard platforms - at Volkswagen this basic structure is called a modular electric drive system
(MEB).
With the new models and model variants can be designed quickly, easily and, above all, cheaply.
That is why VW is also making the MEB available to the brands Audi, Skoda and the Seat offshoot Cupra and even Ford. Two MEB cars will also make their debut there at the end of 2022 and in mid-2023.
The construction kit opens up new possibilities for female engineers, but also for designers – the battery and motors are placed flat on the floor.
"This allows us to create a large interior despite a dynamic roofline," says VW design chief Jozef Kabaň.
"It wasn't possible before." In this respect, the ID.5 is a step forward compared to the combustion engine Taigo - VW launched it at the end of 2021 as the first SUV coupé.
We noticed that
if you know one, you know them all - everything in the ID.5 looks suspiciously familiar, there are hardly any differences to the other models in the family.
This shows that there are hardly any truly unique vehicles in the electromobile car world.
After all, the materials in the interior are of better quality than when the ID.3 was launched.
In terms of operation, layout, seating position and driving experience, the ID.5 is confusingly similar to its siblings.
As in the other ID models, the driver feels largely decoupled from the road, the load rolls quietly and comfortably, but somewhat listlessly.
Even the backbenchers hardly notice any difference to the ID.4.
Because the roof line falls late and the legroom is large due to the large wheelbase, they are not significantly worse in the ID.5 coupé than in the ID.4 hatchback.
The trunk holds almost the same amount - 549 liters.
If you pack the ID.5 to the roof, you have a maximum volume of 1561 liters.
Only the GTX, the sporty top model of the series, stirs up more emotions.
This is mainly due to the new driving dynamics manager, an electronic control for steering, response and power distribution.
If the driver switches to Sport, the car reacts more spontaneously and gets down to business more quickly.
The second engine, the power delivery increased to 299 hp and 460 Nm of torque, and all-wheel drive help here.
Similar design, almost identical handling – the ID.5 differs from its sibling models in one essential point: the software.
VW had problems with it for a long time, long response times, limited operating scope and many hangers were annoying.
"Everything is up to date now," promises VW.
In addition, there will be many new functions.
There is a more understanding voice control, automated lane guidance or a parking assistant that remembers the last few meters from the entrance to the garage and ranks alone from the second time.
Technical data VW ID.5
Manufacturer: | VW |
Type: | ID.5 GTX |
Body: | SUV coupe |
Engine: | two electric motors |
Perfomance: | 200 kW / 299 hp |
Torque: | 460 Nm |
Transmission: | Entrance automatic |
Drive: | all wheel drive |
From 0 to 100: | 4.6 sec |
Maximum speed: | 180km/h |
Consumption: | 17.1kWh/100km |
Fuel: | electricity |
Battery capacity (net): | 77 kWh |
Range: | approx. 490 kilometers |
CO2 emissions: | 0 g/km |
Length/ width/ height in mm: | 4582/ 1852/ 1619 |
Weight: | no |
trunk: | 549 liters |
rebuilt: | 1561 liters |
Price: | 53,616 euros |
Above all, VW has improved charging, slightly increased battery capacity, made route planning more intelligent and increased the speed.
»Plug & Charge« should also work soon.
The ID.5 then automatically registers with the charging station.
The electricity flows without the customer holding a card or smartphone to the column.
With a software update, VW will soon also be updating the ID.3 and ID.4.
You have to know that:
The ID.5 will be available in stores at the end of May and should cost at least 46,515 euros.
This makes it 1600 euros more expensive than the ID.4 with the same motor.
For the base price there is a 77 kWh battery for a range of up to 520 kilometers and a 174 hp motor in the rear.
For a surcharge, VW increases the performance to 204 hp or ennobles the ID.5 to the GTX for 53,615 euros.
The top model accelerates to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds and drives up to 180 km/h, while the other ID.5 models are limited to 160 km/h.
We won't forget that
if coupé drivers always had to pay more for less car in the world of combustion engines, in this case there is a real return: additional range - because the ID.5 with a drag coefficient of 0.27 (instead of 0 ,28) is more streamlined than the ID.4.
However, the difference in the GTX is only six kilometers, in other variants even less.
So you have to drive a hell of a long way before it pays off.
Thomas Geiger is a freelance author and was supported in his research by VW. Reporting is independent of this.