The Volkswagen ID.4 is a mid-size electric SUV. It’s an excellent family car, with lots of interior space, and it gives you a very quiet and comfortable ride. Some models provide a battery range of up to 328 miles, which makes long journeys relatively easy.
The ID.4 has been sold since 2020. It’s Volkswagen’s first electric SUV, similar in size to the petrol/diesel-powered Tiguan SUV. There’s a choice of different battery capacities and electric motors as well as different trim levels. These can look quite complex, so let’s break it down.
The smaller of the batteries is fitted to the most affordable model of ID.4, which is called Pure. It has a capacity of 52kWh, which gives you an official range of up to 223 miles. Pro models have a bigger 77kWh battery, which gives a range of up to 328 miles. High-performance GTX models also have the 77kWh battery, but range is a bit lower – up to 308 miles – because these cars focus on power over range.
Then there are the Pure Performance and Pro Performance models. These have a more powerful electric motor than the regular Pure and Pro models, so they accelerate faster. In addition, the Pro Performance is available with four-wheel drive – which Volkswagen calls 4Motion – adding even more power at the expense of some battery range. GTX models have four-wheel drive as standard.
On top of that, you have a number of trims to choose from, including ones called Life, Style or Family. The GTX is a trim package in itself and models with the Max package gain extra luxury features.
The majority of the ID.4’s features and functions are controlled via a touchscreen display in the middle of the dashboard. It’s not the most user-friendly of such systems and it can take some time to learn how to find your way around. But you can sidestep that by using voice commands or connecting your phone to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Features fitted as standard to all ID.4 models include two-zone air con, sat nav, adaptive cruise control and heated front seats and steering wheel for those chilly morning commutes. You’ll also get a wireless charging pad for your phone, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. High-spec models gain extra features like an opening panoramic glass roof, adaptive LED headlights, three-zone climate control and electrically adjustable front seats.
ID.4 Pure models fitted with the 52kWh battery can give you a range of up to 223 miles on a full charge, according to official figures. Models fitted with the 77kWh battery can give you up to 328 miles.
To fully recharge the 52kWh battery at home using a 7kWh electric car charger takes 7.5 hours. The 77kWh battery takes 12 hours 40 minutes. A 100kW rapid charger at a public charging station will recharge from 5% to 80% recharge in less than an hour, on either battery.
There’s no Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) to pay after the first year, although models costing more than £40,000 when new will attract an annual premium surcharge (£355 as of September 2022). Servicing costs should be low, although insurance might be a bit higher because electric cars are more complex and expensive to repair than petrol/diesel cars.
Other electric SUVs like the ID.4 include the Skoda Enyaq iV, Audi Q4 E-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC. All these cars are closely matched in many ways. The Skoda is a bit more spacious than the Volkswagen, and the Audi and Mercedes have more of a premium feel. But the ID.4’s style is very appealing and it can give you a usefully long battery range.
Space in the front of the ID.4 is really generous, with a load of head, leg and shoulder room, so you should be able to get comfortable whatever size you are. The seats are also positioned at a convenient height – so that most people won’t have to overly stoop down or climb up to get in.
In the back, there’s space for up to three teenagers to sit comfortably for a long journey. Anyone taller than six feet might find knee room is tight, especially if someone of similar height is sitting in the front. Installing a child seat onto either set of Isofix mounts is hassle-free – they’re easily located and you’ve got plenty of space to work in.
The boot is a decent size, though not the biggest you’ll find in this type of car. You’ll still be able to pack in pushchairs, school bags, shopping and all the other stuff of family life. The back seats fold down if you need to carry anything really big. There’s also a storage compartment for the charging cables under the boot floor.
Volkswagen is building a large range of ID-badged electric cars. As of September 2022, you have three to choose from – the ID.4 sits between the ID.3 hatchback and ID.5 SUV coupe. In time, there will be smaller and bigger models in the ID lineup. Compared to Volkswagen’s petrol and diesel cars, the ID.4 is the same size as the Tiguan SUV.
Safety organisation Euro NCAP awarded the ID.4 a full five-star rating. It scored highly in every aspect of the assessment, including for protecting adult and child occupants in the event of a crash. Driver-safety features fitted to every ID.4 model include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and a driver-attention monitor.
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