Volkswagen ID 4 review

The Volkswagen ID 4 is perhaps the trendiest SUV in the VW range. The suave exterior comes with a smooth and unfussy design, covering up a big battery powering a powerful electric motor (or two) underneath.

Yes, that’s right: the ID 4 – like the ID 3, ID 5 and ID Buzz – is an electric car, and it’s been spearheading VW’s leap into cleaner vehicles. That doesn’t just mean zero CO2 emissions at the exhaust pipe, either.

Volkswagen says it has made the ID 4 carbon neutral at the point it’s handed over to you, too, by using renewable energy in the manufacturing process. That’s all well and good, but is it worth buying in the first place?

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

We'll also let you know how it compares with the best electric SUVs out there, and rate it against rivals including the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6, the Skoda Enyaq and the Tesla Model Y.

You can have your VW ID 4 with 146bhp, 168bhp, 201bhp or 295bhp, so there's plenty of choice here.

We haven't tried the entry-level 146bhp motor (called the Pure) but based on the official 0-62mph time of 10.9 seconds, acceleration will be modest. The 168bhp Pure Performance version and its 0-62mph time of 9.0 seconds is no ball of fire, but it gets up to town speeds with little hesitation and only starts to run out of puff if you press on towards the motorway speed limit.

The 201bhp Pro Performance accelerates quickly enough for most, with 0-60mph taking 7.8 seconds in our own tests. That's quite a lot slower than any Kia EV6 or Tesla Model Y, though.

The range-topping, 295bhp GTX version has two electric motors, giving it four-wheel drive. Acceleration (0-62mph in 6.3 seconds officially) is roughly on a par with cheaper EV6s and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, so it's quick enough but don't expect to be thrown back in your seat.

A four-wheel-drive 4Motion version, also with two electric motors, will arrive later, with 261bhp.

Entry-level Pure versions have a 52kWh battery for an official range of up to 222 miles (expect 160 to 190 miles in the real world). The 168bhp Pure Performance loses around 10 miles.

The Pro models have a 77kWh battery, increasing the official range to 325 miles (230 to 260 miles is more realistic, based on our testing). The GTX has the larger battery, but the additional electric motor saps more power, dropping the official range to around 300 miles.

There are smoother-riding electric SUVs – including the closely related Audi Q4 e-tron, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 – but the ID 4 is 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 the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the sportier Tesla Model 3.

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 into a corner, so it’s easy to guide the front of the car in. 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 is available on most trim levels, 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 Model 3 or the VW ID 3.

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, but it's quieter than the Model Y. The EV6 and Ioniq 5 are even more peaceful, though.

The other elements that aid calm progress are the ID 4's progressive accelerator and brake pedals – steady starts and stops around town are no problem.

However, depending on which of the regenerative braking modes 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, 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.

You have to pay extra for adjustable lumbar support as part of a pack (which also brings a massage function) on the cheaper trims, but our testers didn't note any back pain on longer journeys without it.

The steering wheel extends a good amount for height and reach, and the pod for the digital instruments moves with it so you can always see the display. Both front seats have an armrest attached. 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, because there are no physical buttons. Instead, most functions are operated through the touchscreen, and while there are separate touch-sensitive sliders for the temperature settings, these are a faff to use during the day, and next-to-useless at night because they aren't backlit.

The 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 substantial as well, although the Mustang Mach-E’s are even bigger so that car is more of a pain to reverse. It’s easier to see out of the Kia Niro EV and the Skoda Enyaq in all directions.

VW gives you very effective LED headlights, a rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors as standard.

The ID 4's standard 10.0in touchscreen infotainment system is quite small compared with the 15.0in screen in the Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y, and the operating system is nothing like as slick as either rival's. The GTX version gives you a larger 12in screen but no noticeable improvements in usability.

It's a case style over substance – VW has tried to make the graphics look fancy but the display is laggy and confusingly laid out. The Kia EV6's system is far more straightforward to operate and responds more promptly to presses, as does the Model Y's.

All models get natural-speech voice control. It’s hit and miss whether it’ll do what you ask, though. 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 ID 3, with more gloss black, shiny silver and soft-touch surfaces.

There are more hard plastics in the ID 4 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 is inconsistent.

Ultimately, if you want a really plush interior in your electric car, you'll need to stump up the cash for a BMW iX3 or Genesis GV60 but at the lower end of the price range, the ID 4 is perfectly acceptable.

“I don't understand how Volkswagen could have thought having touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel was a good idea, because they are far 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 than the ID 4, but it 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 six feet 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 massive).

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 the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the 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’ll 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 useable door bins.

The rear seats don’t recline (as they do in the Ioniq 5, EV6, or Model Y) and they don’t slide back either. All ID 4s have 60/40 split folding rear seatbacks, which isn’t as versatile as the Model Y’s 40/20/40 split, but you get a ski hatch in the centre to poke longer items through.

The ID 4’s big boot 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 fit in the Mach-E, Ioniq 5 and EV6.

There’s a small storage area under the boot floor that’s just about big enough for two charging cables, but there isn’t a storage area under the bonnet, unlike in the Ioniq 5 and Model Y. The flagship GTX trim comes with 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, because without this you have to unpack the boot to get to the charging cables.” – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

As a cash purchase, the Volkswagen ID 4 isn’t too expensive and is priced slightly above the Skoda Enyaq. That is, as long as you steer away from the range-topping variants – especially the GTX – which are 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, the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Model Y. Like all pure-electric cars, the ID 4 will cost you peanuts in company car tax.

Cheaper Pure versions have a maximum charging speed of up to 110kW from a suitably powerful CCS charger, meaning a 10-80% top-up should take around 35 minutes in ideal conditions. Pro and GTX versions can take 135kW, but because they have larger batteries, that same 10-80% charge isn't much faster.

Entry-level Life trim comes with plenty of kit, including two-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, keyless entry, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and all the infotainment and visibility aids. 

We reckon Style trim is worth the extra because you also get matrix-LED headlights, an extra climate 'zone' for your rear passengers, privacy glass and a panoramic glass roof.

Venturing further up the range pushes the price into the territory of better electric cars, including the Kia EV6 and the Tesla Model Y, so it's not something we'd advise. We would recommend forking out for the optional heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in cooler conditions.

The ID 4 is too new to feature in the electric SUV class in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. Volkswagen as a brand finished a rather underwhelming 22nd out of 32 manufacturers. For context, Seat finished slightly higher, while Skoda did much better, but Vauxhall and Cupra came lower down.

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 Volkswagen does the opposite. Personally, I think it's got it the better way around, because charging a modern electric car via a three-pin takes far too long.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here