Coupe crossovers: they’re so hot right now. Buyers just can’t seem to get enough of their compromised cargo space and poor rear visibility. But while the body style may make little sense on ICE vehicles, EVs can actually see a range benefit from the sloped-roof design. At least, that seems to be Volkswagen’s hope — they’re testing the theory by chopping the ID.4's roof to make the ID.5.
At first glance, the idea appears to have worked. The ID.5 GTX, the top-shelf performance trim, gets 310 miles of range from its 299 horsepower dual-motor drivetrain — far more than the 260 miles offered in the longest-range ID.4. With a drag coefficient reduction of only 0.02 compared to its boxy brother, however, it’s unlikely aerodynamics get full credit for the difference.
Oddly, despite the chopped roofline, Volkswagen claims an increase in cargo volume from the ID.4: 19.4 cubic feet compared to the standard SUV’s 19.2. Rear seat headroom is reduced by half an inch, but the overall body gains just over half an inch in length — not something you’re likely to notice from the inside.
To Volkswagen’s credit, they seem to have worked to mitigate the worst parts of coupe-crossovers: If storage space is comparable to the squared-off ID.4, the next big complaint of the design is rear visibility (something I couldn’t abide in the similarly-styled C40 Recharge). Judging from the press photos, VW appears to have crammed in a substantial amount of rear glass — but only time will tell if it’s enough to match the visibility of the ID.4.
The ID.5 also borrows one of the best features of the Ford F-150 Lightning: two-way charging. The crossover’s charging port not only accepts power from chargers, but can dish it back out when needed to power other devices. Volkswagen didn’t give figures on how long the ID.5 can power a full house, but assume it’s a short duration — don’t rely on it for your next big storm.
The ID.5 is more compact than the Mustang Mach E or the Model Y, but larger than Volvo’s C40 Recharge. Volkswagen hasn’t announced pricing for the ID.5, but coupe crossovers generally pull a slight premium over their boxier siblings. With the ID.4 starting at $39,995, expect the ID.5's MSRP to start with a four. That is, if we ever get it — Volkswagen’s been cagey about whether we’ll get the whole car, a few trims, or nothing at all.