Volkswagen ID.4 Review & Prices

Volkswagen has a wide range of electric cars on sale, but the ID4 is its only medium-sized, battery-powered SUV. It’s a comfy cruiser with a roomy cabin, but it gets pricey as you go up the range - and for the money, it feels far too cheap inside and far too bland on the outside.

You can think of the ID4 as one of those big, tartan laundry bags. It may be practical and you can fit a lot inside, but it doesn’t feel premium and you’d rather be seen with a posher option instead.

And there really are plenty of classier alternatives to choose from, such as the sharply-styled Nissan Ariya, the futuristic Kia EV5, the stylish yet affordable Citroen e-C5 Aircross and the mechanically similar Audi Q4 e-tron. The Chinese Geely EX5 and Changan Deepal S05 are worth considering, too.

All of the aforementioned cars look better than the ID4. With its blobby corners, slab sides and neither tough nor slick plastic cladding, it’s just a bit too frumpy and characterless compared with other SUVs of this size.

Volkswagen ID4: Electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 222-351 miles
Efficiency: 3.9-4.1 miles per kWh
Battery size: 52kWh, 77kWh
Max charge speed: 135kW / 175kW
Charge time AC: 12hrs 40mins, 0-100% at 7kW
Charge time DC: 28 mins, 10-80% at 135kW / 28 mins, 0-80% at 175kW
Charge port location: Right rear
Power outputs: 170hp, 204hp, 282hp, 335hp

The interior is much easier on the eye. It’s not as exciting to behold as a BYD Sealion 7 or a Peugeot E-3008, but the ID4’s sleek, low-set dashboard has a futuristic edge to its styling, topped with a whopping great infotainment screen. The design wraps around onto the door cards, which looks smart, but the tiny driver display looks old compared to the latest fare on the market.

The phrase ‘look, but don’t touch’ comes to mind, however, because the ID4’s interior feels awfully cheap once you’ve poked and prodded around for a while. Hard, scratchy, hollow-sounding plastics adorn the cabin, and the climate controls on the infotainment screen are a headache to operate.

Fortunately, things improve once you’re on the move. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, there’s plenty of storage space for your random bits and bobs and back seat passengers - even tall ones - won’t complain about the generous head and legroom on offer.

At 543 litres, the boot is about average for an electric SUV of this size, larger than a Hyundai Ioniq 5 but smaller than a Skoda Enyaq.

There’s a huge variance in range, depending on which version of the ID4 you choose, from just 265 miles in Pure trim to 351 miles in Pro models - fitted with the larger battery. GTX models split the difference - they’re fitted with a larger battery, but have an additional motor for all-wheel drive and improved performance.

It’s an easy car to drive thanks to its soft, cushy suspension and light steering dealing with bumpy roads and tight corners with ease. It’s quiet and refined on the motorway, too, but don’t expect the ID4 to be any fun on a twisty road - even if body lean is kept to a minimum.

Verdict

The Volkswagen ID4 is a good, if boring, all-round family car. It’s spacious and easy enough to live with, but the cheap cabin betrays the quiet premiumness associated with having a Volkswagen badge on the bonnet. We’d save some money and opt for a Citroen e-C5 Aircross or Geely EX5 instead.

Browse new Volkswagen ID4 deals, ID4 lease deals and have a look at the selection of used ID4s for sale on Carwow. There are plenty of used Volkswagens to choose from, too. Remember, you can sell your current car through Carwow, too.

Starting at just under £37,000, the ID4 looks expensive against the likes of the £32,000 Skoda Elroq and £35,000 Nissan Ariya, and while it matches the Skoda for range it lags behind the Nissan. It’s also not as pleasant inside as either option. The Geely EX5 and Peugeot E-3008 are far nicer to be stuck inside on a long road trip, too.

The ID4’s equipment list also looks a bit stingy by comparison, with the entry-level ‘ Essential’ coming with 18-inch steel wheels, no front light bar and with only a grey paint finish as standard. Match trim comes with alloy wheels, ambient lighting and tinted rear glass. The range-topping GTX features additional running lights, larger wheels, matrix lights, 360-degree cameras and advanced parking software - as well as more powerful electric motors and four-wheel drive.

The VW ID4 is quiet and refined at all speeds and has a sharp turning circle. Base models aren’t particularly rapid though, and the ride can be a bit too firm on larger wheels

In town

The VW ID4 offers the usual EV benefits of smooth power delivery and brisk off-the-line performance allied with the SUV bonuses of a raised driving position and good visibility. It’s got a tight turning circle, too, making it great for town driving.

The regenerative braking is progressive, making it easier to judge if and when you need to apply the brakes at slower speeds. The view out the rear is slightly impeded by the large pillars either side of the rear window, but even the base Pure trim comes with front and rear parking sensors, rearview camera and park assistance plus as standard.

To further aid you during your commute, oncoming vehicle brake assist and dynamic road sign display are also included across all trims. The ride quality is on the firm side so we’d avoid the sportier 20-inch wheels if that’s a deal-breaker for you.

On the motorway

At motorway speeds the cabin is impressively refined, with wind, tyre and road noise well contained. The lower powered models don’t feel especially quick but won’t have you rocking back and forth in your seat as you attempt an overtake either. The ID4 is designed more as a cruiser than a sport EV anyway, and it excels in this role. You get adaptive cruise control, lane assist and a driver fatigue alert as standard on all models.

On a twisty road

The ID4 is firmly sprung and doesn’t lean too much in the corners, and grip levels out of tight corners are good too, especially in the sporty GTX and more powerful all-wheel-drive models. What the VW ID4 doesn’t do is provide an entertaining drive. It’s great at its intended role as a family-friendly electric SUV, but the BMW iX3 and Ford Mustang Mach-e are far better at putting a smile on your face down a back road.

The cabin offers loads of room four or even five adults at a push. You also get plenty of storage space front and rear, although some alternatives have even more space in the back

It’s not the largest SUV in its class, yet the ID4 makes the most of its interior space with enough head and legroom in the front for all shapes and sizes, and the steering wheel and driver’s seat offer plenty of adjustment to help you find the perfect driving position.

Storage space has been well thought out too. The centre console contains two cupholders which can be removed to create a large storage bin, and between the front seats is another storage bin with a retractable cover with a wireless charging pad and USB-C slots inside it. A pair of large door bins will take big bottles without issue and the front passenger seat comes with ISOFIX mountings if you want your toddler riding shotgun.

Space in the back seats

The ID4 offers a generously-sized back row, and two adults will fit quite comfortably even on longer trips. The middle seat is easily accessible thanks to a lack of a hump in the floor, and while it will fit another adult, shoulder room will be at a premium. Alternatives like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 have even more rear legroom and partially reclinable rear backrests, but the ID4 should be spacious enough for most families.

ISOFIX mountings are provided in the outer two seats, and you get two large door pockets, front seatback pockets and the obligatory set of cupholders in the foldable centre armrest. Two USB-C slots and two air vents are situated low down by the feet of the middle passenger.

Boot space

There’s a total of 543 litres of space in the boot, this is better than what you get in a BMW iX3 (510 litres) as well as the Kia EV6 (466 litres), but not quite as good as the 615 litres of the petrol-powered Tiguan.

The boot offers a few hooks and straps to help secure your luggage, as well as a 12-volt socket and a small compartment under the boot floor for the charging cables. An adjustable boot floor is offered on certain trims, and the load space increases to an impressive 1,655 litres with the rear seats down although there is a pronounced step in the boot floor and there’s a bit of a load lip to deal with when packing in heavy items.

There’s enough tech in here to keep your inner geek satisfied, although the quality of the interior lags behind some alternatives

There’s nothing wrong with the way the interior of the ID4 has been put together, but some trim and material choices aren’t quite as good as you’d expect in a car at this price level. The overall design follows the minimalist approach adopted by most manufacturers for their electric cars, with a bare minimum of physical buttons and a large infotainment screen pasted onto the dashboard.

A 10.0-inch version is standard on the Life and Style trims, with the GTX versions getting a slightly larger 12.0-inch unit. There’s no difference in features, with both getting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard as well as sat nav and DAB radio. The icons and layout look sharp, but it can be a bit slow to respond to instructions and the voice control is a bit patchy sometimes. The steering wheel controls are also a bit frustrating to use, they’re touch-sensitive and respond differently depending on whether they’re pressed or swiped.

This can be difficult to get right while on the move, just like the finicky touch-sensitive controls under the screen for the fan and temperature adjustment. It all works fine once you account for these idiosyncracies, but a Tesla Model 3 and BMW iX3 have far slicker setups.

You get plenty of kit for your money though, with a digital driver display, LED headlights, heated seats and adaptive cruise control fitted even on the base trim. Mid-spec Style trims get keyless access and a panoramic sunroof which greatly enhances the feel of the cabin, while GTX models get the larger infotainment unit and a head-up display.

The Volkswagen ID4 can be had with either a 58kWh or 77kWh battery, with range varying from 268 miles to 351 miles. The various combinations are called Pure, Pro, Pro 4Motion and GTX.

The Pure option comes with a 58kWh battery pack, it will do up to 268 miles on a charge. Charging from 0-100% will take eight and a half hours using a 7.4kW home wall box, and if you can find a fast enough public charger it will take just 26 minutes to get from 0% to 80%.

Pro models get a larger 77kWh battery for 351 miles in rear-wheel drive guise. With a 7.4kw wall box it will take 12 hours to get you from zero to fully charged, and 30 minutes on a rapid charge.

Pro 4Motion uses the same 77kWh battery but adds an additional electric motor to the front axle making it all-wheel drive, and the range drops slightly to 325 miles. The range-topping GTX trim uses the same 77kWh battery but gets a power boost, and can travel up to 321 miles on a charge.

All ID4 models make for great company cars as they fall into the minimum Benefit-in-Kind band, while all models - bar the GTX - come in under the £50,000 luxury car supplement threshold for vehicle excise duty.

Volkswagen ID4 Euro NCAP score (2025): 5/5

Adult occupant: 89%
Child occupant: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 84%
Safety assist: 76%

The ID4 maintained its full five-star rating when tested by safety experts Euro NCAP in 2025, having earned the same result in 2021. It performed particularly very well in the adult occupant (89%) and child occupant (87%) categories.

Standard passive and safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, rearview camera and park assistance plus as standard. Autonomous emergency braking for pedestrians and cyclists and a proactive passenger protection system are also part of the standard package.

Volkswagen scored poorly in the 2026 Driver Power owner survey, placing 26th out of 30 manufacturers entered. That’s particularly disappointing given the brand’s historic reputation for sturdy engineering and build quality.

The ID4’s standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty is pretty average fare, as is the eight-year/100,000-mile battery pack warranty. Many alternatives offer higher mileage as part of their standard warranties, such as Kia with its seven-year/100,000-mile offering and Toyota leading the way at ten years/100,000 miles - so long as you service the car annually.