In our test of the Volkswagen ID.3, we saw the first model of the third phase in the history of the brand. And today we come to the second part of that age. It is the Volkswagen ID.4, the brand’s first electric SUV.
The market demands SUVs and the planet demands cars that don’t pollute. And the answer of the German brand is the ID.4. Announces an electric range of more than 500 km, for a price from 36,985 euros without discounts. But before we say whether it is a lot or a little, let’s get to know it thoroughly:
Volkswagen ID.4 Review
Exterior
When you see an ID.4, you have to think about what an SUV is. Originally they were cars with an off-road look but without the ballast of their architecture. Of course, the ID.4 is not remotely reminiscent of a classic 4×4, with its smooth and delicate lines.
It doesn’t matter that it doesn’t look like an off-road. This neutral line helps to have a car for all audiences, which was perhaps the goal of the brand. As also that, thanks to various details, we associate it with the ID family.
The most obvious, the blind front, with LED headlights (optional matrix), connected by a strip of the same technology. We have a lower air intake, with a lower lip in silver and other lateral with no role other than aesthetics.
On the side we are struck by the very elongated A-pillar, designed to improve aerodynamics, that is 0.28 Cx. We also see some details typical of SUVs, such as the plastic guards in the wheel arches (with 20-inch wheels and 235/50 tires underneath in this unit) and throughout the lower part.
There is also a dark aesthetic detail in the lower part of the doors, which goes unnoticed here because the bodywork is very dark. With a lighter color, the car would look lighter if the sheet metal part is reduced.
The measures predict good interior space. And is that with? 4,584 mm in length, the wheelbase is 2,771 mm, almost like that of a seven-seater Tiguan Allspace, because it has very short overhangs. It’s also quite a wide car, at 1,852mm wide and not very high, as it stays at 1,612mm.
At the rear, the body widens over the wheel arches, a reminder that this is a propulsion model. Already at the rear we have a very stretched rear window and a wide gate. The lights with 3d_LED technology create a light signature very similar to the front one, connected by a thin red illuminated strip.
Inside
If the model has the language of the electrical family on the outside, the same happens on the inside, using a multitude of resources that we had already seen in the ID.3. Which brings us to talk of minimalism, possibly taken too far.
It is a pleasant space due to the simplicity of the lines used. And wide. That feeling is achieved by the same means as the ID.3. A dashboard that does not reach very low and leaves the lower part very clear. And a low center console, where you don’t need a gear lever, which is placed next to the instrument panel.
There are some good seats, which I have found comfortable, although they don’t support the body much. You sit quite high in it and the view to the front is good.
Between the two we have a pair of removable drink holders and a console designed to store objects, covered by a curtain, with a space to leave the mobile and two UBS-C sockets. It is a very practical space, although you can not leave anything in the lower part.
On the dashboard, the protagonist is the 12-inch screen which, as you can see, concentrates most of the functions, if not all. Copy of ID.3 the touch controls that do not convince us too much because they lead to errors.
From temperature to volume, via the warning. You may be surprised that you pressed it to look for another, as happened to me. There are also touch areas for the light, which in the ID.4 go lower and do not see well, the controls on the steering wheel or that activate windows and mirrors. 
The other screen is that of the instrument panel. It’s very simple and you can hardly change how the information is displayed. Volkswagen is focusing more on the Head-Up Display, which this test device did not have.
And in terms of materials, the brand emphasizes that it has not used animal origin. Only the upper dashboard and door trim are made of soft plastic, the lower ones are quite modest.
Rear legroom is very good. And for an electric one, which almost always carries batteries under the floor, you sit very naturally, because with others the floor forces you to keep your knees slightly bent.
Good headroom too, and although three occupants will be a little cramped, it will help to have a completely flat floor to place their legs. At the end of the console we have vents and two USB-C sockets that allow to charge a mobile whose space is reserved behind the front seats.
Trunk
The power tailgate leads to a luggage compartment of 543 liter capacity. It has a fairly comfortable access and the loading surface is not very high, so even a child can easily put things in it.
The mouth is wide, which also makes it easy to transport large items, such as a bicycle. If you fold down the backrests of the rear seats, divided into two asymmetrical parts, you can load a large bike without having to remove the front wheel. The space is 1,575 liter capacity.
There is no shortage of practical details such as hooks to hold the load, hangers or light points on both sides, as well as a 12V socket on the left. In some versions, the floor can be placed at two heights and below that we find an ideal hole to feed the charging cables through.
Equipment
The unit tested corresponded to the 1st version with which commercialization began, of which only 27,000 units were produced. It boasts a very complete equipment, with elements such as the 20-inch wheels, the package Style exterior or tinted rear windows. 
Inside we find the heated front seats and the multifunction steering wheel, mood lighting package with 30 colors, stainless steel pedals, two-zone climate control, navigator and reversing camera on the multimedia screen. It includes four USB connections and a non-trivial element, the heat pump, which helps to reduce electricity consumption.
There is no shortage of state-of-the-art driving assistants that offer level 2 autonomous driving, such as Front Assist, adaptive cruise control and Lane Departure Warning. 
The current trim level for the ID.4 is divided into six trim levels called City, Style, Pro, To live, Business Yes Max from the lowest to the highest donation. The price starts at 37,948 euros, which increases to about 45,900 euros if you decide to mount the battery with the largest capacity.
You will find offers of the Volkswagen ID.4 in our new car section, published by the official dealers of the brand. Those rates may include financing the branded car.
Engine
More than power, everyone asks about the autonomy of batteries. Volkswagen offers a simple 58 kWh capacity (52 net) and a more complete of 82 kWh capacity (77 net). Not only does it offer more km of autonomy, 518 km homologated, but it can be charged up to 100 kW in direct current, while the small one has only 50 kW.
There is no front case… and no engine there
With the small battery (344 km of autonomy) motors from 149 hp and 220 Nm torque and 170 hp with 310 Nm of torque. With the major, this from 204 hp and 310 Nm torque from and the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX with 299 hp and all-wheel drive.
Advantages? Well, it is capable of reaching 100 km/h from standstill in 8.5 seconds, with a top speed of 160 km/h. But more than how much, we are interested in how.
Behaviour
You can think of the ID.4 as a big car. Yes, but it’s a great car to get around the city. Both because of the propulsion system, as good electric, as for the driving comfort and how easy it is to carry. You sit in the seat and the car automatically connects to the infotainment system and is ready to go. You step on the brake and set position D. And to circulate.
The turning circle also helps a lot. It’s not as spectacular as the ID.3, but it makes maneuvering and moving through tight parking spaces much easier. The response of the engine to the accelerator pedal is very linear and progressive. Like any electric car, it accelerates very well from a standstill as torque is delivered from 0 rpm.
As usual, you can vary the character of the car slightly by using its driving modes, which are the usual Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. There are differences between the two, especially in the delivery of throttle demand, but they are not significant.
But with 518 km of autonomy in the technical data sheet, he had to hit the road. As I say of all electric cars, the weight of 2,124 kg on the highway makes it roll with great balance even in the wind, but mostly in silence. Ride comfort has been prioritized, perhaps not as much as in the Skoda Enyaq we also tested, but it leans more towards comfort than suspension firmness.
Of those more than 2,100 kg, especially practically 500, 493 kg correspond to batteries. And despite the fact that they move to the lowest place of the car to favor the center of gravity, when attacking corners, the sluggishness and rocking of the bodywork that are common in high cars appear. The controls are fast, but too assisted and not very communicative. And while the brakes stop the car when they should, the feel is highly variable.
In terms of consumption, it approves a decent 17.4 kWh / 100 km. But the cost is highly variable depending on the usage. We have moved in urban and suburban roads at a speed of approximately 14 kWh/100 km. If you’re driving on the highway, at higher speeds, things change, but if you don’t go overboard at speed, which on the other hand is very easy because there’s no noise and you feel a lot of isolation, you’ll be in are the 20. kWh.
We will return the car with a cost of 18.5 kWh / 100 km in mixed use. In the city, mode B helps a lot to spend little, which increases energy recovery and acts as an engine brake. Retention gets stronger in Sport mode, but never reaches a level so high as to avoid braking at a stoplight. On the road you miss the paddles to control the retention level as B mode can be a bit abrupt at times, especially for passengers.
The Volkswagen ID.4 is a good electric car for the family. Ideal for the usual routes, quiet, agile in city traffic and with a very pleasant suspension feel. The drive allows you to move in tight spaces, where you maneuver almost like a commercial vehicle.
The interior is very spacious and hopefully they will return some, if not all, of the physical controls to improve life on board. That’s one of his big problems. Because it is a car with which we would dare to make a long journey. And it is that you can make trips of 350 km without fear of stopping to load, at legal rates.
Having a single electric car at home is of course not cheap. The starting price of 37,948 rises to about 45,900 euros if you choose the most capable battery. A remarkable difference that encourages you to take it into account. But the price is not high when you consider what the competition costs.
