Volkswagen ID.4 review

The Volkswagen ID4 is a spacious electric car with a modern, minimalist interior. It’s not the sleekest looking SUV though and you may struggle to get near the claimed range.

Buy or lease the Volkswagen ID.4 at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £36,550 - £57,270 Avg. carwow saving £1,027 off RRP
carwow price from
Cash
£34,137
Monthly
£424*
Used
£42,790
Ready to see prices tailored to you?
Compare new offers Compare used deals
wowscore
7/10
This score is awarded by our team of
expert reviewers
This score is awarded by our team of expert reviewers
after extensive testing of the car

What's good

  • Modern-looking interior
  • Spacious in the back
  • Comfortable to drive

What's not so good

  • Boot has annoyingly high lip
  • Top versions quite expensive
  • Some tech seems glitchy

Find out more about the Volkswagen ID.4

Is the Volkswagen ID.4 a good car?

You love SUVs and more and more of you are loving electric cars, so the new Volkswagen ID4 electric SUV has come along just at the right time – especially as you have to wait a bit for likely alternatives such as the Tesla Model Y and Nissan Ariya.

The VW ID4 is about the same size as Tiguan and should be just as practical – but a bit more futuristic-looking. If you and your sibling are the VW Golf and Tiguan, then the ID3 and ID4 are a bit like your posh cousins who always have the latest fashion and tech.

The ID4 is supposed to follow the look of the ID3 and it like that car, it has slim LED headlights connected by a full-width LED light bar, while a large intake sits low on the bumper. You’ll spot that there’s no grille (electric cars don’t need them because they don’t have a hot engine to cool).

And that’s about it for the front-end highlights. At the back, a wide lightbar mimics the similar element of the front of the car.

But with a high bonnet and bulbous back end, the ID4 is a bit blobby and heavy-looking.

It has a more simple design inside, though. For a start, there’s no gearlever — rather, you simply twist a large knob behind the steering wheel, similar to that on a BMW i3. However, the wheel obscures the switch, so you have to crane around the rim to see it.

Speaking of that driver’s display, it gives you key information, such as speed and charge status, on a sharp display. For other functions, there’s a 10-inch infotainment system.

The looks might not be to all tastes, but there's a good all-round EV underneath the ID 4's skin

Mat Watson
Mat Watson
carwow expert

There are comparatively few buttons, because most functions are operated through the central screen. You won’t have to rely solely on using the infotainment on the move though, because voice control is present and correct. That said, the system is glitchy.

Interior quality isn’t great either – there are some scratchy plastics – but at least the ID4 is comfortable. There’s lots of adjustment for the driver’s seat and steering wheel so you should be able to find a good driving position. And there’s loads of space in the rear seat, so passengers in the back should be comfy too – even in the middle seat.

As for boot space, the Volkswagen ID4 offers 543 litres — ever so slightly more than the 510 litres in the BMW iX3’s boot. To keep with the Volkswagen Tiguan comparison, the ID4 doesn’t quite match its 615 litres, but given the size of the batteries underneath the floor in the ID4 it’s a fair effort.

VW ID4 range and charging

The Volkswagen ID4 is available with four battery options, with power outputs ranging from 148hp to 299hp, and range figures starting at 213 miles and rising to 322 miles.

As with all electric cars, the ID4 picks up briskly and smoothly, and cruises quietly. In the absence of engine noise, some EVs suffer lots of wind and road noise, but that isn’t the case here.

It’s nimble, too, because the ID4 has a tremendously tight turning circle, which is a huge help in town or when parking.

Check out our deals on the VW ID4 here.

How practical is it?

It may be quite bulbous on the outside, but the benefit is that this translates into decent cabin space.

Boot (seats up)
543 litres
Boot (seats down)
1,575 litres

If you’re in the front, you get loads of legroom and headroom, so you can stretch out without a care. There’s also plenty of seat adjustment, so you’ll find a good driving position no matter how tall or short you are.

Anyone in the back gets a decent space to relax in, too. There’s plenty of legroom for three, and the headroom is great, too. A couple of adults can easily lounge around in comfort, and even three across the rear bench isn’t uncomfortable; the flat floor means there’s no tunnel to straddle.

You won’t struggle to find place to put odds and ends in a Volkswagen ID4. Between the driver and front passenger is a cubby that’ll easily hold a couple of decent-sized bottles. The cupholder section can also be removed to leave a large storage bin.

Behind this is a storage area with a lid and dividers that can be moved to alter the layout of the space. There are also USB-C sockets here, plus a wireless charging pad for your smartphone.

You’ll get a large bottle in each of the four door bins, and these are also lined with felt so that the stuff you put in there doesn’t rattle.

Those in the back get a decent deal, too, because there are large pockets on the backs of the front seats, and also small pockets into which you can slide a smartphone.

The 543 litres of space you get in a Volkswagen ID4’s boot is pretty decent. For example, the BMW iX3 has 510 litres. There are also various hooks and straps so that everything remains where you left it, and there’s a power socket.

All isn’t perfect though, because the VW ID4 has a bit of a load lip to lift things over, and when you fold down the rear seats they leave a real step in the floor. This means you can’t just slide long items to the front of the boot, which is annoying.

What's it like to drive?

As with all electric cars, the ID4 picks up briskly and smoothly, and cruises quietly. It’s a heavy car though, so achieving the claimed range may be difficult

The Volkswagen ID4 is available with four battery options. First up, the Pure option provides a 52kWh battery that generates 148hp and give the ID4 a range of up to 213 miles. This version does 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds, so isn’t that quick. This is available in Life and Style models.

Next up is Pure Performance, which has the same battery, but 170hp, which gives it the ability to cover the 0-62mph sprint in 9.0 seconds. The range is still 213 miles. Again, you can have this on Life and Style models.

Both of these can be charged to full in seven and a half hours using a 7kW home wallbox, and can be charged to 80% in 38 minutes using a 110kW public charger.

The Pro Performance models have a 77kWh battery linked up to a 204hp electric motor, good for 310Nm of torque. This set-up drives the rear wheels and can shift the ID4 from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds. It’ll do a claimed 322 miles between charges.

That said, it would take 30 hours to charge from a three-pin plug, and a 100% charge will take 12 hours from a 7.5kW wallbox. A newer 11kW wallbox can charge it in eight hours. This battery system is available on Life, Family, Max and First Edition models.

Finally, there’s the GTX model, which also has the 77kWh battery but develops 299hp. This uses two motors to send the ID4 GTX from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds, and it has a range of 301 miles.

As with all electric cars, the ID4 picks up quickly and smoothly, and cruises quietly, although the Pure model is merely brisk while the more powerful models are rapid. The good news is that there’s very little wind and road noise.

It’s nimble, too, because the ID4 has a tremendously tight turning circle, which is a huge help in town or when parking. However, it’s slightly tricky to see out because of the thick windscreen pillars and small rear window.

However, on faster roads, the ID4 is all about getting form here to there with not a smile cracked along the way. It has very benign handling, but it’s also pretty porky, so isn’t at all entertaining. Shame.

Still, the steering is light, and the ID4 responds faithfully to inputs, which is just what you need in an emergency. The ride is comfortable enough, too – it’s firmer than a Tiguan, but stays nice and controlled.

The GTX aims to make the ID4 more engaging to drive with a lower ride and stiffer suspension. Whilst the steering feels sharper and it has a lot more grip, it doesn’t really feel that sporty. Probably because it’s a big family SUV. But if you want a bit more punch, the GTX is definitely worth considering.

What's it like inside?

It’s roomy, stylish and quite high-tech inside, although some of that tech could be easier to operate

Volkswagen ID.4 colours

Solid - Moonstone grey
Free
Metallic - Blue Dusk
From £685
Metallic - Glacier white
From £685
Metallic - Kings red
From £685
Metallic - Manganese grey
From £685
Metallic - Mythos black
From £685
Metallic - Scale silver
From £685
Metallic - Stonewashed blue
From £685
Next Read full interior review
Buy or lease the Volkswagen ID.4 at a price you’ll love
We take the hassle and haggle out of car buying by finding you great deals from local and national dealers
RRP £36,550 - £57,270 Avg. carwow saving £1,027 off RRP
carwow price from
Cash
£34,137
Monthly
£424*
Used
£42,790
Ready to see prices tailored to you?
Compare new offers Compare used deals
Volkswagen ID.4
Build your own ID.4 on carwow
Save on average £1,027 off RRP
  • Customise colour, engine, trim & much more
  • Receive offers from local and national dealers
  • Compare by price, location, buyer reviews and availability
  • Using carwow is 100% free and confidential