Prices start from £50,550 and the ID.5 has a range of nearly 320 miles.
Order Books are open now for the Volkswagen ID.5, with first deliveries expected in a few months time.
The range kicks off with the ID.5 Tech Pro model that can be had with a choice of two electric motors driving the front wheels – the 174PS model starts from £50,550, the 204PS version is £51,940. The 204PS models do 0-62mph 8.4 seconds and the 177PS versions lags behind at 10.4 seconds.
Tech Pro is the basic trim level, but you wouldn’t really know it because it comes with matrix LED headlights, an augmented reality head-up display and a comprehensive suite of autonomous driving aids. You also get kit like three-zone climate control, 12-way adjustable electric front seats and a powered tailgate.
Max Pro models make the ID.5 a touch more sporty to look at and drive. They get massive 20-inch alloy wheels on the outside and more heavily bolstered seats on the inside.
You also get the Sports Package Plus as standard which includes adjustable dampers and progressive steering that reduces turns lock-to-lock at low speeds. It too comes with the 174PS (£54,050) and 204PS (£55,440) motors.
In the world of EVs, GTX is the new GTI so predictably the ID.5 GTX gets a sporty body kit and is the only model to come with 299PS and all-wheel drive. It does 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds.
Along with the body kit, GTX’s visual cues include a C-Pillar and roof in Anthracite, while inside you get a smattering of GTX badges, red stitching in the seats and blue synthetic leather door panels.
All Volkswagen ID.5s come with a 77kWh battery – the biggest currently available in a Volkswagen – which goes some way to explaining its meaty price tag.
That gives you a range of up to 313 miles between charges, while charging speeds of up to 135kW mean you can charge the battery from empty to 80-per-cent full in less than 30 minutes, adding 100km worth of charge (62 miles) takes less than 6 minutes.
The Volkswagen ID.5 is basically a Volkswagen ID.4 with a more rakish roofline. As a result, the two cars are almost identical front on. That means you get a blanked off nose that's more aerodynamic than a grille – traditionally needed on cars with radiators – and an LED light strip that runs across the width of the car's front end. It performs a cool light-up dance every time you lock and unlock the car. The Volkswagen ID.5 has vents that can open when cooling is needed.
Around the sides, the Volkswagen ID.5 puts some clean air between itself and the Volkswagen ID.4 it shares its platform with. Its sloping roofline give a 0.26 (ID.5) or 0.27Cd (GTX) drag coefficient, which beats the ID.4's 0.28Cd figure, allowing it to cut through the air more cleanly to save fuel.
The sloping roofline means the ID.5 isn't as practical as the Volkswagen ID.4, with rear passenger headroom reduced by 12mm, but a hatchback boot lid means it'll be easy to load.
The 2022 Volkswagen ID.5's interior will – at the risk of sounding like a broken record – closely mirror the interior of the Volkswagen ID.4, with a clean design that is dominated by two large infotainment screens. It uses the 3.0 version of Volkswagen's software which allows for over-the-air updates and for new features to be unlocked following payment.
The touchscreen in the centre of the car is used to control everything from the suspension to the radio. It understands voice commands and uses the car's interior lighting to communicate things like cabin temperature – blue for cold, red for warm – to you and your passengers, allowing for a Herbie-like understanding between you and your Volkswagen.
You also get a digital instrument binnacle behind the steering wheel, with the option to choose an augmented head-up display that makes navigation instructions look like they have been painted on the road.
The Volkswagen ID.5 will be surprisingly spacious for its size. Its stubby bonnet means more of the car's length can be dedicated to passenger space and packaging the batteries below your feet means the floor can be completely flat.
That means the ID.5 will feel light and airy up front with loads of room for tall adults to get comfortable and plenty of smaller storage areas to keep the cabin tidy.
Thanks to that sloping roofline and smaller rear windows, the back of the Volkswagen ID.5 is slightly more cramped than the taller Volkswagen ID.4 but adults over six foot should still be able to fit, even in cars with the optional panoramic glass roof. Even three people will be able to sit across the back seat in reasonable comfort.
A 549-litre boot capacity means the Volkswagen ID.5 has a larger boot than the Volkswagen ID.4 (543 litres) so it will happily swallow a set of suitcases and you'll be able to stow away an adult's bike with the back seats folded away.
The 2022 Volkswagen ID.5 will initially be offered in 170PS and 204PS rear electric motor form, which will give it performance of 0-62mph in 10.2 and 8.4 seconds, respectively, and a top speed of 99mph, which is limited to help preserve range.
Expect the VW ID.5 to focus on providing a relaxing drive with near-silent operation and a single gear that means it drives like an automatic.
Regenerative brakes that recharge the battery whenever you lift your foot off the accelerator will make driving in town relaxing and – thanks to having no bulky engine to get in the way of the front wheels – it also has an extremely tight turning circle. While the standard models' performance is nothing startling on paper, the ID.5 will have scooter-like acceleration at city speeds.
That said, the Volkswagen ID.5's range means it's perfectly capable of going further afield and its 150kW charging capacity means you can recharge the battery in just 30 minutes or 12 hours using a 7kW home charger. Its 77kWh battery will give it a range of up to 323 miles.
Mid-range Volkswagen ID.5s and above will be available with a full suite of autonomous driving aids meaning they can accelerate, brake and steer themselves on the motorway and in heavy traffic. You can expect them to have active cruise control that can read and follow speed limits as well as being able to pull out to overtake cars automatically when you indicate. Factor in automatic emergency brakes that can detect vehicles as well as people and steer around obstacles automatically and the Volkswagen ID.5 is a sure-fire bet to get a five-star NCAP rating for safety.
The Volkswagen ID.5 might be on sale, but deliveries are a few months away – why wait when you can have an ID.4 right now? Exactly. The ID.4 is 95 per cent ID.5 anway, you lose a bit of style but gain a bit of practicality – not a bad thing if you’re a family car buyer making their first foray into the world of EVs. You still get the same ultra modern cabin and soothingly silent performance. A little under £40,000 buys you a basic 150PS 2021 model with a 52kWh battery and less than 3000 miles on the clock.
Need you 2022 new car news fix? Read the latest on the new Dacia Spring Electric, Citroen AMI EV and Mercedes-Benz EQE luxury electric car right here on heycar.
You can buy a new Volkswagen ID.5 now with prices starting from £54,050 for a 174PS Tech Pro model.
The Volkswagen ID.5 is the third member of VW’s ID family of electric cars. It’s based on the ID.4 but has more stylish looks and a longer list of standard equipment.
The Volkswagen ID.5 has a 313mile range when combined with the 174PS engines and Volkswagen's 77kWh battery.