New Volkswagen ID.5 GTX prototype review

The hot new all-electric Volkswagen ID.5 GTX is looking in very good shape

Verdict

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.

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 coupé-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 295bhp and four-wheel drive when needed, so 0-62mph should take an equally swift 6.2 seconds. The pair of electric motors are fed by a 77kWh battery for a claimed range of 308 miles.

• New Volkswagen ID.4 GTX 2021 review

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; 186 miles of range can be added in 30 minutes, but rivals outstrip it here.

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 £45,000, those are harder to bear.

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