2023 Volkswagen ID.8 vs 2023 Volkswagen ID.5: Comparison Test!

2023 Volkswagen ID.8 vs 2023 Volkswagen ID.5 Comparison.

Although we haven't seen any images of it yet, Volkswagen has confirmed a three-row SUV will soon launch on its electric-vehicle architecture. The family-friendly SUV will be called ID.8 and we expect it to share styling with the slightly smaller ID.6 (shown above) that was unveiled for the Chinese market. The ID.8 will be much larger than the ID.4, putting it into contention with mid-size SUVs. It will have three rows of seats and seating for up to seven riders. Rear-wheel drive will likely be standard, but a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive arrangement will probably be optional. It's currently unclear how big of a battery Volkswagen will offer here, but in China buyers of the smaller ID.6 can choose either a 58.0- or 77.0-kWh pack, with a driving range of up to 365 miles with the larger of the two. Given the popularity of three-row crossovers, VW would be wise to bring the ID.8 to market soon, and we expect to see it as a 2023 model.

What's New for 2023?

The ID.8 is all-new and will be the largest of Volkswagen's ID models when it goes on sale. More information should be available closer to the SUV's on-sale date.

The diesel-emissions scandal is fading from public consciousness, but the repercussions are far from over. The chief one for Volkswagen is a big push into EVs, and the models on its MEB platform are a key part of this strategy. In the U.S., the ID.4 crossover is VW's most important EV offering, and now in Europe, VW has added a sporty variant called the ID.5. Volkswagen's EV "coupe" follows similar offerings from its corporate siblings, the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback and the Skoda Enyaq Coupé, which ride on the same platform.

When you buy a coupe, you might deal with slightly diminished practicality but expect a payoff of visual excitement. Unfortunately, here the ID.5 falls flat on its dull face—which, in fact, is unchanged from the ID.4. The ID.5's roofline is somewhat lower and more sloped, but since the ID.4 looks somewhat coupelike itself, the ID.5 design doesn't mark a major change when viewed in profile either. The taillights are identical too. Only the liftgate looks truly different thanks to a prominent spoiler.

Inside, the ID.5's dashboard is lifted straight from the ID.4. The infotainment system has a 12-inch display and could be more intuitive. A touch slider controls volume, and some important functions—such as turning off the irksome lane-keeping assistant—are hidden in submenus. The electronic gear selector requires you to push away (or forward) for Drive instead of pulling back, which takes some getting used to. (We're told the setup, which is the opposite of a conventional automatic transmission, was the subject of intense internal debate at VW.)

But there are many good ideas in this car too. A plug-and-charge function does away with the need for a separate RFID tag, app, or charging card—the billing runs via VW's own We Charge. In Europe, Volkswagen's system is recognized by many major charging networks such as Ionity, Aral, BP, E.ON, and Enel, as well as Iberdrola and Eviny, with more to come.

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