Volkswagen ID 4 review

If you consider all of the most important things an electric SUV needs, the Volkswagen ID 4 should be the perfect box-ticker. After all, it’s big and practical, and its latest facelift has given all versions a respectable range between charges. 

Better still, Volkswagen says the ID 4 is carbon neutral at the point it’s handed over to you because renewable energy is used to build it. That’s all well and good, but is it worth buying in the first place?

VW ID 4 twin test video

Well, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the ID 4 sits in arguably the most competitive sector of the car market, so it’ll have to prove itself against lots of rival electric SUVs. They include the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y.

Read on to find out how we rate the VW ID 4 for practicality, performance, running costs, equipment levels and more...

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You’ll be spoiled for choice if you buy a VW ID 4 because there are quite a few versions. The list starts with the 168bhp Pure, which is the slowest ID 4 in the line-up, but still has enough pace on offer for everyday needs. It's the only version to get a smaller 52kWh battery, meaning it has the shortest official range (up to 224 miles).

All other versions have a 77kWh battery, with the mid-spec Pro giving you the best balance of performance and range. Indeed, with 0-62mph taking 6.7 seconds and an official range of up to 347 miles, it’s the best of both worlds. You can also have the 77kWh battery with four-wheel drive.

The range-topping, 295bhp ID 4 GTX gets two motors and four-wheel drive as standard, and is certainly quick enough – but don't expect the kinds of ballistic acceleration available from a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or Kia EV6 GT. Its acceleration time of 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds is roughly on a par with the Ford Mustang Mach-E and cheaper versions of the EV6.

There are smoother-riding electric SUVs than the ID 4 – including the closely related Audi Q4 e-tron, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the EV6 – but it's fairly comfortable.

Yes, you’re jostled around a bit, especially if you choose a version with chunky 20in alloys, but it's more forgiving over larger bumps and potholes than a Mustang Mach-E or Tesla Model Y.

The ID 4 isn't a particularly entertaining car to drive but it is composed and capable by class standards. That makes it entirely fit for purpose as a large family electric SUV.

The steering responds progressively as you turn in to a corner so it’s easy to guide the front of the car. There’s a bit of weight build-up to help it feel precise but it’s far from an arm wrestle in a multi-storey car park.

There’s also plenty of grip, and body movements are well controlled. Sports suspension comes as standard on the sportier GTX but there’s no escaping that the ID 4 is a tall boxy car that can feel top-heavy when pressing on. If you want something more fun and agile, try the EV6 or Model Y.

There’s next to no noise from the ID 4's electric motor around town. Once you pick up speed, wind and road noise prevail, and the Ioniq 5, EV6 and Model Y are more peaceful at motorway speeds.

The other elements that aid calm progress at lower speeds are the ID 4's progressive accelerator and brake pedals. Steady starts and stops around town are no problem, but depending on which regenerative braking mode you select, it can be tricky to judge how hard to press the brake pedal when slowing from higher speeds.

“While it can be hard to judge how much pressure you need to apply to the brake pedal on the open road, I found that in stop-start traffic the ID 4's brakes are far less spiky.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Let’s start with the good bits. The VW ID 4's driver's seat is supportive, especially through corners, and its manual controls are easy to use. It’s a bit of a shame you don’t get adjustable lumbar support unless you go for the GTX but none of our testers noted back pain on longer journeys without it.

The steering wheel extends a good amount for height and reach, and the pod for the digital driver's display moves with it so you can always see the screen. Both front seats have an armrest. It's not as comfortable as the broader centre armrest you get in the Ford Mustang Mach-E but it’s fine.

Sadly, usability isn't so good in the ID 4 because there are no physical buttons. Instead, most functions are operated through the infotainment touchscreen. There are separate touch-sensitive sliders for the temperature settings but they're a faff to use, although they are backlit, unlike on earlier ID 4s, so you can see them at night.

The ID 4's high-set dashboard makes it tricky to judge where the bonnet ends, and the thick, acutely angled front pillars can be a nuisance at junctions.

The rear pillars are quite chunky too, reducing the view you get when you look over your shoulder. True the Mustang Mach-E’s are even larger – and even more of a pain – but many rivals are much better, including the Skoda Enyaq. 

Luckily, parking the ID 4 should be a doddle thanks to standard-fit front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. What’s more, it has standard LED headlights to help you see plenty at night.

The ID 4's 12.9in touchscreen works much better than the one in earlier versions, which tended to freeze up and slow down a lot. The new operating system is more straightforward and has permanent shortcut buttons across the top of the screen.

Despite all that, the ID 4 set-up is still not quite as good as the infotainment systems in the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y.

All ID 4s get natural-speech voice control, although it’s hit and miss whether it’ll do what you ask. Sat-nav is standard across the range, as is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, plus there are two USB-C sockets in the front and another two in the back.

The ID 4 delivers a big improvement in interior quality over the smaller VW ID 3, with more gloss black, shiny silver and soft-touch surfaces.

There are more hard plastics than you’ll find in the Mustang Mach-E but the Mach-E isn’t as well screwed together in places. Likewise, the Model Y has some upmarket interior materials but build quality can be inconsistent.

Ultimately, if you want a really plush interior in your electric car, you'll need to stump up more cash – for example by getting a Genesis GV60.

“I don't understand how Volkswagen could have thought having touch-sensitive controls on the ID 4's steering wheel were a good idea. They're much too easy to trigger accidentally.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

There are cars that offer a little bit more front leg room and have broader interiors but VW ID 4 doesn't leave you short of space. Even though it's not the biggest car in the class, it’s still fine if you’re more than 6ft tall.

Storage space is good too. There are sizeable door bins, handy-sized trays and cubbies in the centre console, and a glovebox (although that’s not all that big).

If you often need to carry tall rear-seat passengers, the ID 4 is a great choice. There's not as much leg room as in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 but there is more head room and a more upright, comfortable seating position. 

As in the Ford Mustang Mach-E, shoulder room is tight when you introduce a burly third passenger to the middle rear seat. They should have enough head room though, and – thanks to the flat floor – plenty of space for their feet.

You get a couple of pockets for maps and mobile phones on the backs of the front seats. There are also two rear cupholders in the centre armrest and two door bins that are a useful size.

The back seats in the ID 4 don’t recline (as they do in the Ioniq 5, EV6 and Model Y) and they don’t slide back either.

All versions have 60/40 split folding rear seatbacks, which isn’t as versatile as the 40/20/40 split in a Tesla Model Y but you do get a ski hatch in the centre to poke longer items through.

The ID 4 has a 543 litres of boot space and the large opening means you can load bulkier items with ease. Plus, we were able to squeeze nine carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf – two more than we managed to fit in a Mach-E, Ioniq 5 or EV6.

There’s a small storage space under the boot floor that’s just about big enough for two charging cables but no storage area under the bonnet, unlike in the Ioniq 5 and Model Y. The GTX gets a height-adjustable boot floor as standard.

“While there's loads of room for luggage, I personally miss not having an under-bonnet storage area. Without it you have to unpack the boot to get to the charging cables.” – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

As a cash purchase, most versions of the ID 4 are priced around the same as the Skoda Enyaq and less than the Kia EV6. Only the range-topping variants – including the GTX – are particularly pricey.

PCP finance deals are usually competitive, although the ID 4 is predicted to depreciate more quickly than many of its rivals, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y. Like all electric cars, the ID 4 will cost you peanuts in BIK tax if you run one as a company car.

Cheaper Pure versions have a maximum charging speed of up to 145kW from a suitably powerful public EV charger, meaning a 10-80% top-up should take around 25 minutes in ideal conditions. Meanwhile, the Pro will charge at up to 135kW and the four-wheel-drive versions 175kW, but all three take around 28 mins to charge from 10-80%.

With the ID 4, the equipment you get with your trim level can depend on which battery you go for. The smaller battery adds Pure to the model name while the bigger one adds Pro.

The entry-level Pure Essential trim comes with steel wheels, heated front seats, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control and a reversing camera. Pricier Pure Match gets you 19in alloys and tinted rear windows.

The Pro Essential is, strangely, the same price as Pure Essential and comes with alloys instead of steel wheels. Pro Match adds ambient lighting, matrix headlights and an electric tailgate – but it’s an enormous step up in price from Essential Pro. Pro Black Edition adds some black styling features and massaging front seats.

GTX Edition comes with 20in alloys and adds matrix LED headlights, a head-up display, a panoramic glass roof, power-adjustable seats with a massage function, three-zone climate control and sportier styling – but it’s expensive.

The ID 4 came 13th out of 16 models in the electric SUV section of our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. The Model Y came top, the EV6 came fourth and the Enyaq came sixth. Meanwhile, Volkswagen as a brand finished 18th out of 31 manufacturers ranked.

The ID 4’s battery warranty lasts for eight years, 100,000 miles and the rest of the car is covered for three years, 60,000 miles. That’s okay, but Kia models have seven years, 100,000 miles of cover.

The ID 4's list of standard safety features is respectable for the class and includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, a driver fatigue monitor, eCall emergency response and traffic-sign recognition.

Euro NCAP awarded the ID 4 the full five stars for safety, with particularly good marks for child occupant protection. Adult occupant protection was found to be slightly behind the Enyaq but better than the Ioniq 5.

“Some manufacturers supply a charging cable with a three-pin plug and make you pay extra for a Type 2 cable, whereas VW does the opposite, which I think is better because charging a car with a three-pin takes far too long.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

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