If Volkswagen comes onto the market with a self-contained, relatively affordable electric model, that is quite big news. Yet that ID.3 – because that is what we are talking about – was a little disappointing for many. Could the bigger ID.4 be the car that the ID.3 should have been?
Volkswagen actually disappointed a bit with the ID.3. In part, this was because the brand shoots itself in the foot with this EV with seemingly ill-considered choices and an overall feeling that the car might have had to mature for a few more months before it hit the market. But yes, the ID.4 also had to continue. In any case, the start is positive: after fifty meters you have the idea that this is the car that should have been the ID.3. The multimedia system, for example, can be used almost immediately instead of after a minute of boot time, and functionality such as the augmented reality head-up display (which points the way with floating arrows above the road surface) is immediately available. The overall quality experience on board is also better. The materials have been chosen with more care and although Volkswagen is no longer the uncrowned king of the just-not-premium part of the market, it all looks higher than in the ID.3. Thanks to the insulated side windows (not standard on all versions), the ID.4 is also remarkably quiet on the motorway, which improves comfort. Yet the operating concept in which almost everything in the multimedia system is hidden does not make us wildly enthusiastic. It seems that a software update has been made that improves the speed and stability, but it is still not super fast. In addition, you often have to perform several actions to, for example, turn the seat heating on or off or to arrange other simple things. Every second of delay is then too much.
Spacious
Fortunately, the seating position can be adjusted with large margins, so that tall drivers can also find a good seating position. An average Dutch person is also very spacious in the back seat. Although the floor is somewhat high in relation to the sofa, as with many electric cars, you do not experience any significant negative consequences. The feet fit neatly under the front seat and the headroom is not compromised even with the panoramic roof. In the back you can then store 543 liters of luggage and that is certainly not disappointing.
When it comes to acceleration, the Volkswagen has a trump card: the electric motor could be placed on the rear wheels thanks to the MEB platform developed specifically for EVs. This means that the 204 hp ID.4 can almost always lose its power. Still, the ID.4 isn’t getting off the starting blocks as fast as you might expect, but that will undoubtedly have to do with the weight of just over two tons. A pity: there are only two recovery modes and you always need the brake pedal to get the last bit of speed out of the car. Moreover, it is not that economical with electricity. We arrive at a consumption of 22.3 kWh per 100 kilometers, so that the ID.4 does not go further than 345 kilometers despite its substantial battery capacity. Fortunately, you can fast charge with 125 kW and charging on alternating current is possible up to 11 kW. In addition to a lot of traction, the rear-wheel drive of the ID.4 has another advantage: the front wheels can turn very far. This makes the large ID.4 feel compact in the city. In addition, the balance is very good. The ID.4 rides solid, but very comfortable, has a lot of grip and a nice neutral balance. As icing on the cake, the controls fit very well into the overall picture.