Volkswagen ID.5 GTX review: A powerful and stylish electric cruiser

When we reviewed the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX last year, we found that although it had all the ingredients one would find in a performance electric vehicle (EV), it didn't quite live up to expectations with its generally dull driving demeanour.

The ID.5 GTX tested here uses pretty much the same ingredients but cloaked in a more stylish coupe SUV shape. How much of a difference does it make though?

What is the ID.5 GTX?

Just to recap, Volkswagen uses the ID name for its EVs, and the number roughly denotes the size and type of vehicle. That's in theory anyway, but in practice, the ID.4 and ID.5 are sort of the same car, just with differently styled bodies.

While the ID.4 takes the form of a more conventional-looking SUV, the ID.5 features a sleeker coupe SUV form

In high performance GTX trim as tested here, the ID.5's design seems to work slightly better than the fairly nondescript ID.4 GTX. The car's sloping roofline and rear spoiler make a better effort to give off a sporty impression, while the black wheels, roof and trim details of the GTX add a little bit of aggression to its vibe.

The inside is much the same as the ID.4 however, with the obvious exception being the space at the back for rear passengers. That said, despite the ID.5's sloping roofline, there is ample space to accommodate three adults at the rear.

It doesn't feel claustrophobic too, thanks in part to the large panoramic sunroof that floods the cabin with natural sunlight when open.

Perhaps the only minor drawback is the slightly restricted view out the rear window for the driver due to the sloping roof, but to be fair it's not like the ID.4 was particularly great in this aspect either.

One surprising bonus is that the ID.5 has a bigger boot, just, at 549 litres of capacity versus 543 litres for the ID.4. This is achieved by pushing the rear seats slightly forward so that rear passengers won't have their headroom impinged too much by the lowered roofline.

Everything else is the same as on the ID.4, including the large 12.9-inch central touchscreen, along with its associated quirks like the haptic touch controls on the steering wheel that aren't the easiest to use, and the car's annoying tendency to shut off once you lift your butt off the seat.

Material quality isn't the greatest too, with the car featuring more than a few low-rent plastics that feel out of place on a German car at this price point.

Does it drive like the ID.4 GTX?

Very much so.

The ID.5 GTX shares its sister car's electric drivetrain, which means a dual motor setup with a combined power output of 335hp and 545Nm of torque. Its 0-100km/h sprint time is identical too at 5.4 seconds.

It does get slightly better range though, at 533km versus 515km for the ID.4 GTX. That's probably helped along by the ID.5's more aerodynamic shape, which aids with overall efficiency.

Truthfully, the ID.5 GTX doesn't feel very much different to drive from its ID.4 equivalent. Despite its plentiful power, the car has a rather relaxed nature, getting you up to speed with plenty of composure but not much excitement.

You get the sense that it can cover all of its 533km range quickly and easily without much effort, but it does so with a sort of clinical efficiency that doesn't quite live up to the car's sporting pretensions.

It's not even truly comfortable too, with the car's ride quality leaning towards the harsher side, especially over bumps.

The steering also feels dull and unconnected, and the car's sizeable 2.2-tonne weight makes it slightly cumbersome to go around corners.

That said, the four-wheel-drive system does offer plenty of traction and stability to keep you in check when taking on a bend at speed.

So, is it worth buying then?

That really depends on what you're looking for. If you want an electric coupe SUV that looks fairly sporty, is reasonably fast, has a decent enough range, and is still somewhat practical, the ID.5 GTX is a car that ticks all of those boxes.

However, for its asking price of $269,900 with COE (as of January 2025), there are many other contenders out there that can do what the ID.5 GTX does, in a much more well-rounded fashion as well.

If you really want a Volkswagen electric coupe SUV though, do consider the non-GTX ID.5, which retails for 20 grand less. It loses the dual motor setup of the GTX, and thus a bit of its performance, and it doesn't look quite as menacing. But in return you get more range at 556km, and while still fulfilling much of the GTX's brief.

Just as it is with the ID.4, unless you absolutely must have the GTX's four-wheel-drive setup, the standard ID.5 probably represents a much better value proposition.

[[nid:702151]]

benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.