THERE is absolutely no doubt electric vehicles are becoming better and better - nicer to drive, longer range and properly designed from the ground up.

Volkswagen's ID.5 - the ‘coupe-SUV' version of the company's ID.4 is one of the latest examples.

It's worth remembering that the ID.4 was World Car of the Year in 2021.

And the good news is that VW has just introduced a ‘all the bells and whistles' Match trim for the ID.5 which comes with additional equipment but benefits from on-the-road prices reduced by around £4,300.

All ID.5 versions are powered by Volkswagen's new APP550 drive unit which offers significantly more power together with reduced energy consumption. The unit delivers 282bhp and gives the vehicles an impressive 75 per cent more torque than previously, jumping from 310 to a more than ample 545Nm.

The electric coupe-SUV also now features a new-generation infotainment system, complete with a larger 12.9-inch screen and intuitive menu structure and controls - including illuminated sliders for cabin temperature. Previously, they weren't and there were grumbles.

Volkswagen has moved the driving mode selector to the steering column to create space for the larger infotainment display.

Operation of the ID.5 is made easier by the new IDA voice assistant, which responds even more precisely to natural voice commands and offers new functions, including cloud-based weather information and the status of sporting events or, should you ever need them, stock market prices.

There's also ‘comfort seats', a rear-view camera, keyless entry and starting, Matrix LED headlights with automatic headlight control, poor weather light and entry lighting, 19-inch alloy wheels with black, diamond-turned surfaces, an electrically-operated tailgate opening and closing function, operated via foot movement under rear tailgate, and an upgraded satnav system.

There's also electrically folding, adjustable and heated door mirrors, a wireless smartphone charger, LED taillights, heated windscreen jets, rear tinted glass, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof - but no rear windscreen wiper.

Despite its coupé-type shape, the ID.5 has just 12 mm less headroom in the back than the Volkswagen ID.4.

There's plenty of space inside the ID.5. Despite the car's sloping ceiling, there's just 12mm less headroom in the back than the ID.4 so rear headroom is good, and even taller adults can sit in the back comfortably. As it's built on an EV-specific platform, the ID.5 benefits from a long wheelbase and completely flat floor, so legroom is generous, too.

There's a good-sized boot offering 549 litres of space, or 1,561 litres with the seats down.

The heated front seats offer lots of power-assisted adjustability, and the steering wheel has the usual rake and reach adjustments, so getting the perfect driving position is a piece of cake.

With an official electric driving range of 342 miles, the ID.5 is a relaxing drive, comfortable, stable and very refined although there's a little wind noise around the wing mirrors. Turning on some the radio will sort that.

With all that power available, responses to the accelerator are very good, and its swift and agile around town. The suspension is a little firm so, though the ID.5 is very comfortable, some lumps and bumps do transmit into the cabin. The firm suspension does limit body lean though if you fancy pushing it down some twisty lanes.

Personally, I wouldn't. While the power is there, and it's rear-wheel drive and grip is good, it lacks the ‘playfulness' of cars designed for that kind of driving.

The ID.5 is a safe place to be though, achieving the maximum five-star crash safety rating from Euro NCAP, including a 93 per cent score in the adult occupant protection category and 89 per cent for child occupant protection.

Standard safety kit on the ID.5 includes Volkswagen's ‘Front Assist' active emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, fatigue detection and swerving support in emergencies, plus front and rear parking sensors.

A 135-kW rapid charge from 0 per cent to 80 per cent should take just under 30 minutes, while for those lucky enough to have a 7.2 kW home charger, powering it up from 0 per cent to 100 per cent should take 12 hours and 40 minutes. The battery warranty covers it for eight years or 100,000 miles.