2023 Volkswagen ID.4 review: Quick drive
A quick steer of two Volkswagen ID.4 evaluation vehicles gives us a good idea of what to expect from the brand's first electric car to come to Australia.
2023 Volkswagen ID.4
Some would say that Volkswagen Australia is running terribly late to the electric party in Australia. They haven’t really arrived yet, and some attendees have started on their entrees. Others are already getting stuck into their mains.
However, you could also argue that Volkswagen has chosen not to rush things. Local representatives of the German giant have been quite forthright in their criticisms of parts of the Australian government in not assisting Australia's uptake of electric vehicles.
What we do know is that Volkswagen is all frocked up for the party, and looking to lob in fashionably late with something of a bang.
And the first of its range of electric cars coming to Australia – which is always increasing – will be this: the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4.
When will the Volkswagen ID.4 come to Australia?
The Volkswagen ID.4 is scheduled to land in Australian showrooms (and driveways) towards the end of 2023.
It’s a medium-sized SUV – Australia’s most popular kind of vehicle at the moment – and will be joined by a more sporty ID.5 variant with a coupe-style swooping treatment to the roof line.
The ID.4 is built atop Volkswagen’s new dedicated electric vehicle platform known as MEB. It’s also known as a ‘skateboard’, because that’s what it looks like with the body off: a low bank of batteries running the full length of the chassis with wheels at each corner.
Technical Details | 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pure | 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro |
Battery size (gross) | 55kWh | 82kWh |
Battery size (net) | 52kWh | 77kWh |
Driving range (claimed, WLTP) | 345km | 522km |
Electric motor (RWD) | 125kW/310Nm | 150kW/310Nm |
Maximum charging rate | 7.2kW (AC) 110kW (DC) | 11kW (AC) 125kW (DC) |
AC charge @ peak speed (0–100%) | 8 hours | 8 hours |
DC charge @ peak speed (0–100%) | 32min | 42min |
Kerb weight | 1966kg | 2124kg |
0–100km/h | 9.0 seconds | 8.5 seconds |
It’s a modular-style platform, and is being used for the smaller ID.3 hatch and larger ID.Buzz people mover, along with offerings from Audi, Skoda and Cupra.
There are two specification levels: The ID.4 Pure, which has a 125kW/310Nm electric motor and 55kWh battery, which combines for a claimed WLTP range of 345km.
More expensive is the ID.4 Pro, which carries more kit inside, and a 150kW/310Nm electric motor and 82kWh battery pack, yielding a claimed range of 522km.
The Pro model – despite weighing around 200kg more – is able to sprint to 100km/h a little faster: 8.5 seconds in comparison to 9.0 seconds for the Pure model.
How much will the Volkswagen ID.4 cost?
Pricing is not yet announced, but Volkswagen has used its current Tiguan R-Line ($56,390 plus on-road costs) as a guide. We’d expect a starting price of around $60,000, which will pin the ID.4 firmly in competition against the likes of Hyundai, Polestar, Kia and Tesla. And, of course, there are more and more new electric models on their way to Australia.
And it’s worth pointing out that these two example vehicles – which are here for evaluation and training – are not exact representations of what we can expect on Australian-delivered models. But, they are quite close.
The two ID.4 vehicles we have in Australia – and access to for a short drive – have been picked from the United Kingdom, because they will be the closest representation to what will eventually land in Australia.
There are some nice details on the outside, especially around the headlights and tail-lights. They are quite intricate on closer inspection, as Volkswagen tells us ‘light is the new chrome’ for electric vehicles like this.
How much space is inside a Volkswagen ID.4?
On the inside, it’s a typically restrained but upmarket design that Volkswagen seems to do so well, with a nice use of materials where they matter most.
It’s clearly a very streamlined design as well, through the nose and wheels. And the doorhandles are more of a flush design, with a capacitive button used to electrically open the door.
The touchscreen buttons and the operating system are similar to what you see in newer Volkswagens (like the Golf), with capacitive touch and slide functions for volume and temperature.
Dimensions | 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 |
Length | 4584mm |
Width (excluding mirrors) | 1852mm |
Height | 1640mm |
Wheelbase | 2771mm |
Seating capacity | 5 |
Boot space (min/max) | 543L seats up 1575L seats folded |
Spare wheel | Tyre repair kit |
Cupholder elements can be moved around for some added functionality, along with some dividers. And having the centre console mounted relatively low frees up a lot of visual space in the interior. There are some handy slots for storing carpark tickets, and extra storage for your bits and bobs.
The second row of the Volkswagen ID.4 has loads of legroom on offer, with a low and flat footwell being a big positive of electric vehicle packaging. It feels more in line with a large SUV here, in comparison to a medium-sized standard.
There are USB-C power outlets and air vents near the floor, and headroom is good even with a sunroof. It’s worth noting that this sunroof has a thin fabric cover, which does seem to let a lot of direct sunlight in.
The seating position in the back is noticeably higher than up front as well, yielding good visibility for those in the back.
The boot, with 543L of space on offer, is more medium-sized. There’s an elastic cover to help keep your groceries from flying around, and you’ll find no spare wheel underneath. Unfortunately, it looks like Australian models will get a tyre repair sealant kit instead.
What is the Volkswagen ID.4 like to drive?
Visibility from the driver’s seat is good, with a big windscreen and decent mirrors. And another benefit of a rear-wheel-drive set-up like this is a relatively tighter turning circle: 10.2m.
The gearshifter (if you can still call it that) is mounted next to the small digital instrument cluster, and it works well. You can choose between normal Drive and Battery, which increased the amount of trailing throttle regenerative braking. It’s not a full-on one-pedal driving experience like you might get in a Nissan Leaf, but it will suit those who prefer to use the brakes a bit less in their general driving.
You can also skip using the start/stop button: just jump in, foot on the brake, and select your gear to start driving.
There is instant torque available, and a bit of a whir from the electric motors… All typical EV things. The performance is plenty good enough for the application, remembering it’s not a performance or sports car.
There is definitely a premium sense to the ID.4, in terms of the way it drives and feels. Obviously it’s quiet and smooth, but also refined and with a well-presented interior.
Rear-wheel drive helps, feeling less likely to spin the wheels under hard acceleration and through corners.
The other big element of difference between the two vehicles was active damping and variable steering, which can be controlled through the driving modes (including one that customisable) in the Pro model.
With the steering and ride quality set to comfort, it’s a comfortable drive experience (for our short loop), soaking up bumps well with that big kerb weight. The steering never becomes overly light, but instead feels a little meaty with some resistance to work through.
You can certainly feel the weight of the vehicle, which is just over two tonnes for the ID.4 Pro Performance model, and the ID.4 Pure being slightly lighter. The weight is most certainly felt through corners as well.
General driving is well maintained, and the ride comfort and steering feel are good overall. But once you carry a little too much pace into a corner, you can feel the weight of the ID.4 heaving against the efficiency-focussed tyres, which start to squeal in protest.
Although, the lighter overall weight and non-adaptive damping and steering of the Pure model felt more naturally direct and enjoyable during our short drive.
And while the extra 25kW might seem appealing, less weight and equal torque means my seat-of-the-pants dynamometer says the performance is very close between the two models – or maybe even benefits the lighter vehicle – over the first hundred or so metres.
Like I have said earlier, it’s only a short taste of what we have in store for the future, which does look promising for Volkswagen. It’s not as audacious and against-the-grain as some other new EV models of recent years, but rather playing with a straight and conservative bat.
The details of specification and pricing will be important to nail down, especially as competition in this battleground becomes more and more fierce. And, of course, we’ll need to do a thorough test of driving range and charging times, which will happen in due course.
However, first signs are good. There is loads of space available in the second row, and the overall presentation and practicalities of the interior are solid. Combine that with an easy driving nature and good ride comfort, and this ID.4 will be yet another compelling option for Australian buyers moving into their own electric future.