Quick Take: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4
The ID.4 is a very important vehicle for Volkswagen, showcasing the company’s investment in electric vehicles for the United States, which has steadily been seeing an increase in EV sales. Designed to appeal to customers who are considering compact SUVs due to their size and ride height, the ID.4 is intended to provide an emissions-free alternative while providing a similar driving experience and matching level of practicality compared to gas-powered alternatives. We managed to sample an ID.4 and got to experience the future of Volkswagen.
As a compact SUV alternative, the ID.4 is offered with all-wheel-drive, useful for customers in cold weather climates. The ID.4 we drove was the all-wheel-drive Pro S version with the full-tilt Statement package. Having dual electric motors that make a combined 295 horsepower, the ID.4 we drove accelerated very quickly and provided more than enough grunt in the midrange when we needed to overtake other vehicles on the highway. Handling on the twisting roads of Northern California was good and the ID.4 drove like any other compact SUV or midsize sedan, however, the incredibly quick acceleration out of slow corners made us take notice.
Our loaded ID.4 test vehicle came with numerous creature comforts such as dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents, a heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting, adaptive front LED lights, power folding side mirrors, a panoramic roof, 12-way power heated front seats with 4-way lumbar support as well as a massaging feature, and a 12-inch touchscreen in the center stack for the infotainment system. Tech features included IQ.DRIVE which brought Travel Assist (semi-automated driving assistance), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and blind spot monitoring as well as the ID.Cockpit digital instrument display. All of these features came together nicely to make our time behind the wheel a pleasant and comfortable experience, on par with that of the typical compact SUV.
Ultimately, the ID.4 should be successful in transitioning many of Volkswagen’s current customers to electric vehicles. Offering a high amount of interior room and comfort along with plenty of efficiency (up to 240 miles of range on a full charge), the ID.4 will likely be instrumental in converting more drivers of gas-powered vehicles to EV conductors.
