Today, we’re sticking with Volkswagen and the same electric MEB platform as used by yesterday’s ID. Buzz. This is something completely different, the thoroughly modern ID.5, a sort of SUV coupé sister to the slightly staider ID.4. The ID.5 has had some slightly lukewarm reviews but I rather like it. Snapped/driven at the 2023 Test Day for car journalists held by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders #VW #Volkswagen #EV #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
@davidwilkins they are kind of pointless, but I generally do like the look of coupe SUVs (too much at times!), however, whereas I love the look of the ID. Buzz you posted before this doesn't quite do it for me. It's kind of muted and forgettable in my eyes.
Having said that, as a daily driver I'd consider it against a Model Y or Ioniq 5. A daily doesn't have to look like a dream, it has to perform adequately :)
@gpowerf It’s a nice car but in the UK the entry price - about £51K - is much higher than most of the other MEB-based cars because Volkswagen is only offering it with the largest available 77kWh battery. If they hadn’t slightly mis-specced it in this way, I think it would have had a far better reception.
@davidwilkins car prices in Europe and North America are becoming a serious issue for families generally. I'm always surprised at how much car you can get in South East Asia for your money compared to what you can get in Europe or North America.
Something like a Toyota Vios is the equivalent to under £10k, you can get a 7 seater Japanese car for £11k or so too, an a Japanese SUV roughly the size of a Discovery for under £20k. We don't have those options here.
@davidwilkins and this is before factoring Chinese cars into the equation. The level of luxury you can get for £23k is incredible. The GAC Emkoo seriously impressed me.
@gpowerf In the UK, the main Chinese impact has come from MG. They’ve come back from extinction here as a British brand to a decent market share, mainly thanks to value-for-money Cinese-built EVs. I can see why the Europeans are currently concentrating on high-end EVs but they are leaving the door wide open for the MGs and BYDs of this world.
@davidwilkins I've yet to drive one, but the MG4 EV looks like a pretty neat hatchback.
And I'm of the opinion that it doesn't matter where a car comes from. I'm happy to drive Korean, Japanese, or Chinese as much as I'm happy to drive German, American, or Swedish. If it's a good car, it is a good car.
@gpowerf although I don’t think it would be a complete bar but I would have some reservations about going for a Chinese car on ethical/future supply chain doubts. That said, most of the other EVs out there are probably full of Chinese componentry anyway. Leaving that aside, the MG4 is great to drive and all-round, a very good all-round product for the money.