Volkswagen ID.5

Rakish coupé-style version of the ID.4 sashays in as Volkswagen's flagship electric SUV On sale Now Price from £52,185

- Neil Winn

THERE ARE PLENTY of ways to reinvent yourself, but nothing beats a bold new hairstyle for an instant transformation. Just a few inches off the top can give you a new lease on life. Just ask the Volkswagen ID.5. It started life as an ID.4, but visiting the salon for a buzz cut turned it into a sleeker, sportier-looking coupé SUV.

Under its slicked-back bonnet, you'll find the same underpinnings as those used by the Audi Q4 Sportback, Skoda Enyaq Coupé and regular ID.4, but unlike those cars, there is no small battery option; a sizeable 77kWh unit is the only one offered and it gives you an official range of up to 313 miles. That’s very close to the official figure for the Tesla Model Y (331 miles) and significantly better than you’ll get from a Volvo C40 Recharge (277 miles).

Sharing the same battery also allows all models to be charged at a rate of up to 135kW, at which a 10-80% top-up will take around half an hour. Now, that would have been considered quick a few years ago, but these days the much cheaper Kia EV6 can charge at rates of up to 239kW and the Model Y at up to 250kW. Plus the Tesla comes with the benefit of the California company’s extensive Supercharger network.