Volkswagen ID.5 2026 Review: Long-Term Insights

Introducing the Volkswagen ID.5: A New Era for Electric SUVs

A month ago, we said goodbye to our Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid long-term test car and welcomed a new contender into our fleet – the Volkswagen ID.5 SUV. Alongside its ID.4 sibling, the ID.5 marks Volkswagen’s first electric SUV and is the first time I’ve driven one. Entering this long-term test felt a bit like walking into a supermarket while on holiday – a bit lost, even if everything looks the same.

Volkswagen is looking to China for next-gen electric cars with models such as the ID.UNYX under consideration. However, there are also possibilities of models like the Zeekr 9X rivaling the ID.ERA 9X. In 2026, Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Polo as a new electric car rival to the Zeekr X, Renault Megane E-Tech, and MG4 EVs. Additionally, the upcoming Volkswagen Golf will offer both electric and petrol options, potentially rivaling the 2026 Renault Megane E-Tech and Toyota Corolla hybrid in 2028.

What is the Volkswagen ID.5 and How Much Does It Cost?

The ID.5 is a mid-sized electric SUV and serves as Volkswagen’s rival to the Toyota bZ4x, Tesla Model Y, Geely EX5, and the mechanically related Skoda Enyaq. The ID.5 is not an identical twin to the ID.4, as it features a swoopier, coupe-like profile, whereas the ID.4 has a boxier shape.

Both the ID.5 and ID.4 are offered in two grades: the Pro and the sporty, top-of-the-range GTX. The ID.5 Pro is the car we are testing and lists for $62,990 before on-road costs. Standard features include heated and massaging front seats, three-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, proximity unlocking, and LED headlights.

The ID.5 is equipped with a 77kWh battery and offers a range of up to 543km. It has one motor that produces 210kW and 543Nm.

Design and First Impressions

What is interesting about the ID.5 is that Volkswagen created completely new models for its first electric SUVs rather than just making an electric variant of its combustion-powered Tiguan mid-sized SUV. Frankly, I think an electric Tiguan would have been a better idea, and I’ll explain why later.

My first impression of the ID.5 is that it isn’t really an SUV but just a large-ish, round-ish car. Some people told me they loved the way it looked, but I have trouble seeing its beauty. Although I admit it is uniquely designed compared to many SUVs.

I immediately appreciate the quality feel of every touch point, from the door handles through to the seats and steering wheel. The ID.5 doesn’t look like any Volkswagen that went before it, but the materials and craftsmanship are very much on-brand, even if the styling is new.

I was concerned the ID.5 might not be big enough for my family. It doesn’t seem particularly spacious or practical for a family of five.

Family-Friendly Features

Getting our child into the car and buckled up has been hard on my back, largely because of the coupe-like roofline. Higher-riding SUVs with taller door openings make this job easy, but the ID.5’s shape doesn’t help.

Halfway through putting my daughter into her car seat in the pouring rain at night, I wished Volkswagen had just made a Tiguan EV. At least the ID.4 has a boxier shape.

However, the space back there for head and legroom is actually very good. Our forward-facing child seat fits well with room for our daughter’s legs without the front passenger having to squash themselves against the dashboard.

Storage is good with big door pockets, but the adaptable cup holder area is a waste of space (literally), and the wireless phone charger lives in a pokey little cave down there too. The boot is big at 549 litres, but again, the sloping roofline means tall objects won’t fit under that hatch.

Again, I miss the practicality of the Tiguan with its draws and utility. At this point, I feel like VW has forgotten its ethos of maintaining practicality.

Finally, while the volume and climate control functions are physical, they’re haptic buttons which sometimes work and sometimes don’t. It’s already making me go a bit bananas.

The Best Thing About the ID.5

The best thing about the ID.5 so far is energy efficiency. Also, the way the ID.5 drives, too. It’s smooth, comfortable, planted, and quick. And we’ve spent more than a thousand kilometres behind the wheel—1142km to be exact.

But really, if there’s one thing that impresses me the most, it’s the SUV’s efficiency. Some EVs I’ve lived with have given me such range anxiety. They’ve stayed home in the driveway while we’ve taken our own combustion car instead if we are traveling far and the availability of chargers is scarce.

But the ID.5 uses its charge quite frugally. Officially, the combined energy use is 16.3kWh/100km, but we’ve done even better at 15.8kWh. In the coming months, I’ll attempt to calculate exactly how far we can get on a full charge because I might be able to beat the 543km range.

I know I’m going to regret saying that…

Other Interesting Discoveries

The headlights perform an unsettling movement when the car detects the key within range. It’s a sort of shifty side-eye action that is a bit too life-like for me.

The other thing is the ID.5’s accelerator pedal has a ‘play button’ icon embossed on it, and there’s a pause button on the brake pedal. I don’t like this nor do I like the person who thought it was cute, whoever they are.