2024 Volkswagen ID

Pros

• There are a lot of helpful technologies and driving aids that come as standard.
• A smooth ride and a roomy interior.
• Is qualified for a tax credit from the government.
• Because the small turning circle makes it easy to park and make U-turns.

Cons

• Tools can be difficult to use.
• Cheap plastics in the cabin take away from the experience.
• It’s less fun and sporty to drive than other electric vehicles.

How does the ID.4 move? The all-wheel-drive ID.4 has an extra electric motor that drives the front wheels. It gives the ID.4 better grip and gets it to 60 mph 2 seconds faster than when it only had a single motor and rear-wheel drive. On our test track, it took our test car about 5.7 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. Even though 5.7 seconds is still too long for dual-motor EVs at this price, it is a big step forward. Even so, the ID.4 feels quick in the city because it has a lot of power, most of which is usable at lower speeds.

Even though it looks fast, the ID.4 is not the most fun EV we’ve driven. That doesn’t mean it’s careless, but Volkswagen’s engineers put comfort ahead of steering precision. The ID.4 is a letdown because it can’t be driven with just one pedal like most direct rivals. However, the brakes are reliable, with a robust, secure pedal and enough regenerative braking. The driving is precise and light, and the car can turn in a tiny circle. It’s easy to park an electric car.

How well does the ID.4 fit? The ID.4 rides well on the highway, but when it hits bigger bumps, it may move up and down in a visible way. This doesn’t mean it’s terrible; it’s just the norm in this class. The four-way lumbar adjustment is nice, but the front seats are soft and don’t have enough support or ways to change them. The back is fine, but nothing special about it.

Most of the time, the touchscreen is used to handle the temperature control system. Volkswagen has instructions like “warm feet” and “fresh air” that instantly change the settings. These are in addition to the usual temperature and fan changes.

How does the inside look? The ID.4’s cabin has some familiar Volkswagen features and some of the most modern technologies and driving aids in its class. Unfortunately, the way it’s done is random. The worst thing about the window switches is the main settings. The driver only has two buttons to use; one handles the back windows and sometimes doesn’t work. We don’t see how this is better than using four keys like every other car. Another worry is that the temperature control buttons don’t light up at night. At the very least, the touchscreen has functions that are already there.

Aside from that, it’s an excellent place to stay inside. Both seats have enough head- and legroom, and the higher ride height makes it easy to get in and out. The big windows make it easy to see in every direction.

How good is the tech? The ID.4’s touchscreen interface might be hard to understand, and its settings must be more elementary. Even if the ID.4 increased the average screen size to 12.3 inches in 2023, the system’s menus and layout would still be hard to use. It would help if you had a wireless link for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, but when we tested it, we found that the connection was irregular and unstable. When it links, the user interface looks great on the giant touchscreen of your phone, which is a plus.

The navigation device in Volkswagen cars is one of the best on the market. It’s easier to use than other maps because it works like a phone. The voice controls work well, letting you change the temperature and put addresses into the navigation system.

The ID.4 has many features to help the driver, like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping aid, automatic parking, and automatic emergency braking. In our tests, everything worked fine.

What about putting things away? Inside the ID.4, there is a lot of storage room both in the cabin and the hatch. When the back seats are folded down, the space for cargo goes from a reasonable 30.3 cubic feet to 64.2 cubic feet. This is the same as rivals and small crossovers running on gas. Even though the cargo floor is a little high, the 60/40-split folding back seat folds flat and square with the cargo floor. The ID.4 doesn’t have a front trunk, but there is more storage space under the bottom of the luggage area.

The natural beauty of the ID.4 is shown by its ability to hold things inside. The front cabin is very flexible because the center desk has walls that can be moved and cupholders that can be pulled out. Also, the door pockets are big enough to hold many things. The size of the back seat and the fact that the anchors are easy to reach make this the best standard EV for car seats. This EV is an excellent choice for a family.

The range—how well does it work? The EPA says that the content of the ID.4 is between 209 and 275 miles, based on the model and battery. We tested a Pro S AWD with an EPA range of 255 miles. In Invoice Pricing real-world range test, our test car drove this ID.4 for 269 miles. That’s a great result that’s just on the edge of what the EPA says is okay. We went 288 km in an ID.4 Pro with rear-wheel drive. Overall, the ID.4 has enough range for most people who want to buy an EV.

All ID.4 types are about the same regarding how well they work. The EPA says the AWD Pro S uses 34 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles. Its 31.4 kWh/100 miles, more than the average for its class, is the same as its competitors. Remember that the amount of kWh an EV uses directly relates to how well it works.

How much is ID.4 worth? The ID.4’s interior is well-made, but some plastic parts look like they were thrown together quickly. Things might be better than they seem. The steering wheel is covered in leather, and the interior looks and feels great. At night, it feels more high-end because of the lights. Also, since production moved to the United States for the 2023 model year, the ID.4 is qualified for the full $7,500 tax credit. The ID.4 has a big selling point compared to other EVs that don’t qualify for a tax credit.

Volkswagen offers an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty over a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and powertrain protection. For this class, the topics could be more enjoyable. The ID.4 also comes with three years of free 30-minute fast charging on the Electrify America network and free repair for two years or 20,000 miles. But EVs often only need a little regular upkeep.

The all-wheel-drive ID.4 would be more fun because it is much faster than its predecessor, which only had one motor. It’s good on roads with turns, but it doesn’t have the power of the Mach-E or the Kia EV6, which are faster and more fun on back roads. On the other hand, people switching from gas-powered cars will be more used to the ID.4’s slower acceleration, which may be preferred over the Ford or Kia’s suddenness. Even though the ID.4 looks sleek and doesn’t stand out, it doesn’t get as much attention as other electric vehicles (EVs).

As of this writing, Volkswagen has not said anything explicit about the 2024 ID.4. If anything changes, we’ll change our suggestion, but based on the ID.4 from last year, we recommend the Pro. The most cost-effective way to get more range from the ID.4 is to buy the bigger battery pack. Even though the single motor in the ID.4 gives it enough power, the faster acceleration and better grip on wet surfaces of the version with two engines may be worth the extra money.

Models of Volkswagen ID.4

There are four different trim options for the ID.4: Standard, Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus. Most ID.4 cars can have rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, and they all come with an 82-kWh battery pack. The 60 kWh battery only comes with rear-wheel drive on the Standard grade. The type with rear-wheel purpose (RWD) has a single electric motor that makes 201 horsepower. Two engines drive the AWD ID.4. One motor drives the front wheels, and the other drives the back wheels.