Pros and cons
Volkswagen ID.5 pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2023)
4 min read·Last updated: 2023-01-01·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
4 pros, 3 cons. The Volkswagen ID.5 is best for buyers wanting id.4 mechanicals with sportier coupe roofline — direct vw tiguan allspace ev equivalent — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
Buying decisions narrow down faster when you can see strengths and weaknesses side by side. For the Volkswagen ID.5, Volkswagen has built a real platform with real wins, but also real compromises. Here are 4 on the plus side and 3 on the minus, with enough context on each to know which matter to you.
Volkswagen ID.5 — the pros
Across reviews, owner interviews, and ev.care's service history, these are the Volkswagen ID.5's consistent strengths. Strength 1 — 82 kWh battery on Pro trims. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — Up to 532 km WLTP range. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — GTX 340 hp performance trim. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — Coupe SUV styling stands out. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 82 kWh battery, 532 km range, and a GBP 50,000 - 60,000 / EUR 53,000 - 64,000 / AUD 80,000 - 95,000 starting price that defines the Volkswagen ID.5's value envelope.
Volkswagen ID.5 — the cons
Where the Volkswagen ID.5 loses ground to rivals — and why that matters or doesn't, depending on your use case. Weakness 1 — Coupe roofline reduces rear headroom. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — Capacitive controls criticised. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — Boot space slightly smaller than ID.4. On the Volkswagen ID.5 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a electric coupe suv weighing 0 kg with 180 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Volkswagen ID.5 is for
Volkswagen pitches the Volkswagen ID.5 at "Buyers wanting ID.4 mechanicals with sportier coupe roofline — direct VW Tiguan Allspace EV equivalent", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 532 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and 10-80% in ~28 min (175 kW DC) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
Ask a current Volkswagen ID.5 owner what they'd buy again. Owner regret is the cleanest signal — far better than reviews from people who drove the car for an afternoon.
Related Volkswagen EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at volkswagen id 4, kia ev6 — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Volkswagen ID.5 wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the most common Volkswagen ID.5 complaint?
- Look at the first item in the cons list above. That's the one owners mention first when ev.care surveys them at the 12-month mark. If you can live with it, the rest tends to fade.
- Should I wait for the next Volkswagen ID.5 refresh?
- Only if a specific con is a dealbreaker and you have reason to believe the next version fixes it. Otherwise the cost of waiting (lost EV running-cost savings, opportunity cost of an extra year on petrol) usually outweighs the upgrade.
- How does the Volkswagen ID.5 compare to its segment rivals?
- The Volkswagen ID.5 sits in the middle of its segment on most axes — not the cheapest, not the fastest, not the longest-range. Its win is balance. Rivals that beat it on one axis usually lose on another, so the comparison comes down to which axis you care about most.
- Will the Volkswagen ID.5 hold its value?
- The Volkswagen ID.5 depreciates in line with the segment. The pros above are the ones that resale-buyers will also notice, so a well-maintained Volkswagen ID.5 with documented service history holds value about as well as any EV in this band.
Read this side-by-side, the Volkswagen ID.5 is a strong choice for buyers wanting id.4 mechanicals with sportier coupe roofline — direct vw tiguan allspace ev equivalent. The cons are real but mostly knowable; the pros compound the longer you own the car.