Volkswagen ID.4 Review 2023

The Volkswagen ID.4 is available with the choice of two battery packs. The lower-powered 52kWh battery pack pack is available in either Pure (148PS) or Pure Performance (170PS) configurations and both deliver an electric range of 213 miles (in the entry-level ID.4 Life).

The more powerful 77kWh battery pack is labelled as Pro Performance. Delivering 204PS, the distance you can travel between charges increases to 322 miles. 

The entry-level Volkswagen ID.4 Life is the only model available with all three motors, while the Volkswagen ID.4 Style can only be specified with either of the two lower powered 52kWh battery packs. Spend a bit more and the premium Volkswagen ID.4 Family and ID.4 Max are available with the 77kWh Pro Performance battery pack. 

The trim you pick will come down a little bit to your needs - if you're not going to be looking at a lot of long journeys, then the Volkswagen ID.4 Style is a pretty well-rounded package, though the Volkswagen ID.4 Family with it's longer range and additional standard features is pretty tempting.

The Volkswagen ID.4 is pitched against a rapidly expanding line-up of large, family-sized electric cars, ranging from the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 to more practical SUVs like the Kia e-Niro and the upcoming Nissan Ariya. 

You may also have your head turned by the Skoda Enyaq iV which, in true Skoda form, is essentially a Volkswagen ID.4 in a slightly less attractive (but more affordable) package. If you've got deeper pockets, then there's also the Audi Q4 e-tron. Like the Enyaq, it's based on the same platform as the ID.4, but offers that little bit more in the way of luxury and badge appeal. 

With such a high reputation for quality, there's a certain level of expectation when it comes to the interior finish of the Volkswagen ID.4.

While we were left a little disappointed with the interior quality of the ID.3, there's a noticeable improvement when you step inside a ID.4. There's more pleasing tactile and soft-touch surfaces, but there are still too many hard plastics dotted round the cabin. 

It certainly doesn't feel any nicer than the more affordable Skoda Enyaq's interior. If you want something a little more sophisticated, then you'll have to dig a little bit deeper and splash the cash on something like an Audi Q4 e-tron. 

All models come with a 10-inch media system with the exception of the ID.4 Max that gets a bigger 12-inch display. 

Strangely, it's a smaller touchscreen than the 13-inch display offered with all Skoda Enyaq models, but it looks pretty smart and it's something we're getting used to seeing across a range of VW models, including the latest Volkswagen Golf. 

However, as we've found when we've used it in other VW cars, it does take a bit of getting used to - especially as the ID.4's button-free approach means the infotainment screen is required to control everything. If we're honest, everything seems a bit of a faff, while the touch-pad climate control buttons are a prime example of technology for technology’s sake. Would a button be too much to ask for – especially when it’s dark and you just want to turn the heating up?

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the ID.4, which is really handy as you can quickly access your apps from your smartphone. It's no surprise to see there's also a DAB radio, Bluetooth and VW's on navigation if you don't want to pair it with your phone. 

There’s loads of space in the ID.4. You get chunky door bins with enough space for a water bottle or two, while there’s a huge storage area in the centre console (along with a couple of cup holders in front of it). The sloped windscreen and fairly long dashboard add to the feeling of space, while there’s no chance you’re going to be bashing your head on the roof or clashing arms with your passenger. You don't get a panoramic sunroof in the ID.4 as standard, but it feels airy enough in the cabin. 

Things are good for those in the back, too. Tall rear-seat passengers will find their knees sitting ever so slightly higher than is ideal, but that’s pretty standard and there’s certainly no shortage of space in the back of the ID.4. You’ll squeeze three adults side by side, but whoever sits in the middle seat will have drawn the short straw – it’s significantly narrower than the outer seats. The Volkswagen ID.4 isn't offered as a seven-seater - look at the (non electric) Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace if that's what you're after.

The ID.4's boot space is a pretty decent size at 543 litres (the Enyaq is 585 litres and the Q4 e-tron 520 litres) but there is a bit of a lip for lifting items over - there’s no adjustable boot floor to reduce this, though there's a powered tailgate available on Style and Max models respectively. The cables for charging the car have to go in a bag in the boot with your shopping, which seems a bit of an oversight somehow.

Curious about fitting the Volkswagen ID.4 in your garage? Well, the ID.4's dimensions are 4584mm long and 1852mm wide. 

The Volkswagen ID.4 comes with the choice of either 52kWh or 77kWh battery packs, with both paired to a single speed automatic gearbox.

While electric cars have built up a reputation for being fast off the line, the Volkswagen ID.4 certainly isn't. The lower-powered 52kWh battery pack with 148PS (branded ID.4 Pure) has a 0-62mph time of 10.9 seconds, while the slightly more powerful 170PS Pure Performance sees the 0-62mph time improve to 9 seconds. Hardly impressive numbers. 

Opt for the 77kWh battery and the Pro Performance motor will get the ID.4 to 62mph in a slightly quicker time of 8.5 seconds. If you're looking for something a bit rapid, then you'll want the 299PS ID.4 GTX, which will sprint to 62mph in 6.2 seconds. 

Depending on which trim you opt for on the ID.4 will affect the maximum range you're able to achieve. If range is your main criteria, you'll want to go for the entry-level Volkswagen ID.4 Life with the Pure Performance 77kWh battery as this will achieve a claimed 322 mile electric range. This will depend on a number of criteria though and under real world conditions you can expect that to be less.

If you opt for the Volkswagen ID.4 in Family or Max trim, expect the range to be a little less at 317 and 316 miles respectively - we can put these differences down to slight variations in weight and wheel design. 

If you go for the smaller 52kWh battery in the Volkswagen ID.4, expect the range to be 213 miles with an ID.4 Life and 211 miles with an ID.4 Style.

The suspension on the Volkswagen ID.4 does a brilliant job of soaking up jolts in the road, while the light steering and good visibility means it's easy to drive around town.

It’s also supremely comfortable (it does an incredible job of hiding its two-tonne kerb weight, in fact), and also very refined. If you wish to cover the commute in serenity, with nothing more than Radio 4 taking your attention, the Volkswagen ID.4 is very good at that.

Hit the motorway in the Volkswagen ID.4 and you'll experience a bit more road noise, but VW's done a good job at keeping this in check and for our money it's that bit more refined at higher speeds that the Tesla Model 3. 

The Volkswagen ID.4 features an array of standard safety equipment, including front side airbags and curtain airbags, driver and front passenger airbags with passenger airbag deactivation, lane assist and front assist with assisted automatic braking. If you're carrying children (and let's face it, you probably are if you're looking at a large family SUV), the Volkswagen ID.4 features Isofix child seat points on the front passenger seat and outer rear seats. 

Just like the Skoda Enyaq, the Volkswagen ID.4 has been awarded a five star safety rating by Euro NCAP, scoring 93% for adult occupant safety and 89% for child occupant safety. The ID.4 also scored 85% for Safety Assist tech.

Other than some initial software quirks that have been updated, it's still pretty early days to see how reliable the Volkswagen ID.4 will be. That said, VW is a brand that's generally reliable and scored a decent 85.7% in the 2020 HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Score and ranked 21st out of 34 manufacturers (and behind SEAT, Skoda and Audi).

The Volkswagen ID.4's battery has a warranty of up to 8 years/100,000 miles, while the rest of the car's warranty is 3 years/60,000 miles. Not bad, but a little underwhelming when you compare it to the likes of Kia and Hyundai who offer a 7 year/100,000 mile warranty.

Insurance groups for the Volkswagen ID.4 start at group 18 for the Volkswagen ID.4 Life with the 52kWh Pure battery pack, rising to 34 for the GTX. This actually compares pretty well to the Skoda Enyaq, with the lowest insurance group of 23 for iV 60 Lodge edition. 

As ever, it's worth shopping around for car insurance quotes - particularly if you're a young or inexperienced driver. You might find our guide to the cheapest electric cars to insure helpful.

If you're looking to run a pure-electric car like the Volkswagen ID.4, the great news is that they're exempt from road tax, which means you won't have to pay a thing. 

Standard equipment on the entry-level Volkswagen ID.4 Life includes LED headlights, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, 2 USB-C ports, ambient lighting, 2-zone climate control and a multifunctional heated steering wheel. What you don't get is alloy wheels, with the ID.4 Life sitting on steel wheels. 

Move up to the Volkswagen ID.4 Style and 18-inch alloy wheels, LED Matrix headlights, rear tinted glass, rear parking camera, keyless entry and start and 3-zone climate control.

The Volkswagen ID.4 Family brings with it a panoramic roof and 19-inch alloy wheels, while the top-of-the-range ID.4 Max enjoys an Augmented Reality Head-up Display, a 12-inch touch-sensitive display (all the others are 10-inch) and a Area View that includes a rear view camera system.