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BMW iX3 (2021-2025) vs VW ID.5 (2022-2023)
Selected trimPremier Edition · 2021Change trim279 mi · 80 kWh · £58,850
Selected trimPro 77kWh 174PS · 2022-23Change trim316 mi · 77 kWh · £49,735
At a glance
In this comparison, BMW iX3 stays competitive across the board, while the VW ID.5 leads on value for money, motorway range and family practicality.
Which should you choose?
Choose the VW ID.5 (2022-2023) if...
- you want the most for your money - best overall spec per pound
- you do long motorway journeys - it has the best estimated real-world range at speed
- you need the most family-friendly option with good safety and space
- you need the fastest charging of these options
- you want the lowest running costs - from just 2.1p per mile on off-peak electricity
- you drive in the city - it's compact with an excellent turning circle
How we reached the recommendation
Verdict
Our take
The VW ID.5 wins almost every category - it's the clear choice unless price is the deciding factor.
ValueVW
BMW
4.7
VW
5.4
Motorway RangeVW
BMW
2.2
VW
5.4
FamilyVW
BMW
7.6
VW
8.3
ChargingVW
BMW
3.8
VW
4.4
Cost Per MileVW
BMW
1
VW
5.5
City DrivingVW
BMW
2.3
VW
6
What each car does better
See the specification differences behind the verdict, with supporting figures for each advantage.
Key specifications
Compare the key specifications for your selected trims.
Size Comparison
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BMW iX3
VW ID.5
Length
BMW iX34,734mm
VW ID.54,599mm-135mm
Width
BMW iX31,891mm
VW ID.51,852mm-39mm
Height
BMW iX31,668mm
VW ID.51,618mm-50mm
Space, size & parking
Parking & manoeuvring
Compare exterior dimensions to assess how each car fits UK parking spaces.
People & luggage
Compare seating, child-seat mounting points, boot space and towing capacity.
Full specifications
| Specification |  BMW iX3 Premier Edition | VW ID.5 Pro 77kWh 174PS |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4.73m | 4.60m-135mm |
| Width | 1.89m | 1.85m-39mm |
| Height | 1.67m | 1.62m-50mm |
| Wheelbase | 2.86m | 2.77m-93mm |
| Ground Clearance | 179mm | Not available |
| Capacity | ||
| Boot (seats up) | 510L | 539L (better) |
| Boot (seats down) | 1560L | Not available |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Practicality | ||
| Turning Circle | 12.1m | 10.2m (better) |
| Kerb Weight | 2,260kg | 2,128kg (better) |
| Towing Capacity | 750kg | 1,000kg (better) |
| Electric | ||
| Battery | 80kWh (better) | 77kWh |
| Range (WLTP) | 279 mi | 316 mi (better) |
| Max DC Charge | 150kW (better) | 135kW |
| Pricing | ||
| UK MSRP | £58,850 | £49,735 (better) |
| Details | ||
| Body Style | SUV | SUV |
| Available | 2021–2021 | 2022–2023 |
* BMW iX3: Euro NCAP applied its 2017 BMW X3 rating to the iX3 after extra checks in 2021. That rating expired on 1 January 2024.
* BMW iX3: WLTP range on 20-inch wheels; the 19-inch M Sport is rated a little higher.
Range & charging
Range, charging & battery
Check official and estimated driving range alongside charging speeds, efficiency and battery technology.
| Measure | BMW iX3Premier Edition | VW ID.5Pro 77kWh 174PS |
|---|---|---|
| Official range (WLTP) | 279 miles | 316 miles (better) |
| Estimated motorway rangeEVcarsguide estimate at sustained motorway speed. | 196 miles | 263 miles (better) |
| 10-80% rapid charge time | 34 min | 29 min (better) |
| Max rapid charge rate | 150 kW (better) | 135 kW |
| Home AC charging | 11 kW | 11 kW |
| Energy consumption | 195 Wh/km | Not available |
| Usable battery capacity | 74 kWh | 77 kWh (better) |
| Battery chemistry | NMC | NMC |
| Battery architecture | 400V | Not available |
| Heat pump | Standard (better) | Not standard |
Driving & everyday use
Prices & deals
New and used prices
Current pricing and recent used-market behaviour.
Used prices are indicative figures gathered from independent UK dealer listings and change frequently.
Calculate your real costs
For a useful running-cost comparison, factor in your mileage, charging access and current petrol or diesel car alongside the EV estimate.
Compare with petrol or diesel
Compare purchase price, energy, road tax and maintenance with a petrol or diesel alternative.
Calculate company-car tax
Work out monthly Benefit-in-Kind using current and future HMRC rates.
Cost per mile
Compare EV charging costs per mile with petrol and diesel using your charging options.
Check a lease quote
Assess the effective monthly cost alongside the list price and expected depreciation.
Safety & ownership confidence
Euro NCAP - BMW iX3 Premier Edition
Tested 2017
Adult Occupant93%
Child Occupant84%
Vulnerable Road Users70%
Safety Assist58%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Euro NCAP - VW ID.5 Pro 77kWh 174PS
Tested 2021
Adult Occupant93%
Child Occupant89%
Vulnerable Road Users76%
Safety Assist85%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Warranty
Check the published battery warranty cover for each selected trim.
What owners say
Aggregated from UK owner forums and communities - the things you only learn after living with the car.
Shared watch-outs for both cars
Owners of every car here flag real-world range. Worth checking on a test drive whichever you choose.
BMW iX3
Premier Edition
Owners love
- Owners consistently praise the smooth, quiet ride and the adaptive dampers, saying it feels like a well-sorted BMW rather than an EV experiment.
- The interior is rated highly for material quality, with physical buttons and the iDrive controller preferred over touchscreen-only rivals.
- Many owners report around 210 to 270 miles in mild weather, and efficiency of roughly 3.5 to 4 miles per kWh on gentle runs.
Watch out for
- Range on cold motorway runs falls well short of the WLTP figure, with some owners reporting 145 to 175 miles at 70 mph in winter.
- Rapid charging peaks at 150 kW, and owners on slower public chargers find stops long.
- It is built on the combustion X3's platform, so there is no front boot and the cabin design is conventional.
Owner tips
- Test-drive at motorway speed and, if you can, in cold weather to judge whether the real range suits your longest regular trips.
- Check the car's exact equipment against its build date rather than assuming the trim name tells you everything.
VW ID.5
Pro 77kWh 174PS
Owners love
- Owners like the looks, the comfortable ride and the roomy cabin, which feels more spacious than the ID.3.
- In mild weather owners report around 250-280 miles, and efficiency of about 3.6-3.8 miles per kWh.
- Cars with the optional heat pump lose noticeably less range in winter.
Watch out for
- The software is the most common complaint: slow start-up, settings that reset, unreliable CarPlay and voice control, and updates that needed dealer visits.
- Winter range falls to around 190-215 miles for some owners, well below the figures dealers quoted.
- Several owners report DAB radio stuttering and poor reception.
Owner tips
- Check the car is on current software and ask which updates and recalls the dealer has done.
- Look for a car with the heat pump if you do a lot of winter driving.
Buying options
Get a quote
BMW iX3
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
VW ID.5
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
Live used listings
Active inventory from independent UK dealers.
BMW iX3
- £29,6632021Car360View
VW ID.5
- £20,8242022Car360View
- £19,2502022Car360View
- £20,6792022Car360View
Frequently asked questions
Is the BMW iX3 worth the extra £9,115 over the VW ID.5?
The BMW iX3 costs £9,115 more than the VW ID.5. For that premium it adds 82 kW more power. The VW ID.5 is not just cheaper - it also offers 37 miles more WLTP range. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the VW ID.5 comes out ahead overall.
Which is cheaper to own over 5 years, the BMW iX3 or the VW ID.5?
The VW ID.5 is £9,115 cheaper to buy. The VW ID.5 is cheaper to charge, roughly £168 a year versus £216 for the BMW iX3, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the VW ID.5 comes out roughly £9,355 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.
What are the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 like on a long motorway trip?
EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 196 miles for the BMW iX3 and 263 miles for the VW ID.5 - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The VW ID.5 goes roughly 67 miles further between charging stops. Both rapid-charge to 80% in a similar time, around 29-34 minutes.
Which is easier to park and drive in town, the BMW iX3 or the VW ID.5?
The VW ID.5 is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 39 mm narrower than the BMW iX3. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 548 mm of total clearance for the VW ID.5 and about 509 mm of total clearance for the BMW iX3. The VW ID.5 also turns in a 1.9 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.
Which battery will hold up better as a used buy, the BMW iX3 or the VW ID.5?
Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the BMW iX3 and 84% for the VW ID.5. That is close enough that capacity loss should not decide between them. Both use NMC-type cells, so for daily use keep the charge limit near 80% to slow degradation. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.
Go deeper on each car
Visit the full model pages for owner feedback, expert reviews, used prices and battery-health information.
Compare against other rivals
Compare similarly sized and priced electric cars before finalising your shortlist.
More BMW iX3 comparisons
More VW ID.5 comparisons
See both cars in our rankings
EVcarsguide scores every verified EV on price, range, family use and running costs. Here is where this pair appears.
Where the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among the best family EVsWhere the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among the best electric SUVsWhere the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among the best motorway EVsWhere the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among the best city EVsWhere the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among the cheapest EVs to runWhere the BMW iX3 and VW ID.5 rank among EVs with the biggest boots
If neither is quite right
Explore other verified electric cars that may better suit the priorities this pair does not meet.
Further reading
Explore buying and ownership guides to help you choose between these electric cars.
GuideBuying a Used BMW iX3 (2021-2025): Premier Edition or M Sport, Recalls, Range & What to Check
A used BMW iX3 (2021-2025) buyer’s guide: Premier Edition and M Sport trims compared, the battery recalls, warranty left, real-world and winter range, the 750 kg towing limit, what to pay and a printable checklist.
GuideBuying a Used VW ID.5 (2022 on): Pro, Pro Performance or GTX, Software, Range & What to Check
A used VW ID.5 buyer’s guide: Pro 174 PS, Pro Performance and GTX vs the 2024-on 286 PS Pro, the software issues and updates, the heat pump, warranty left, the door-handle recall, real-world range, what to pay vs new with the grant, and a printable checklist.
Data accuracy
Specs are sourced from manufacturer websites and manually reviewed. These figures were last verified .