Volkswagen ID.4 Review & Prices

As a medium-sized electric SUV, the ID4 has the tricky job of representing Volkswagen amongst a sea of capable alternatives. It’s very spacious and sleek-looking inside, but the interior feels cheap, it’s frumpy on the outside and other SUVs offer better range.

It’s a bit like one of those big Ikea bags. Sure it’s practical and you can put a lot of stuff in it, but there are more stylish, sturdier alternatives out there - which you’d rather be seen with, too.

While the ID4 was novel when it was launched, cars such as the stylish Nissan Ariya, posh Audi Q4 e-tron and the simply superb Skoda Elroq have come along to steal its thunder. Spend a bit more and you can get behind the wheel of the excellent BMW iX3 or Tesla Model Y, too.

The ID4’s exterior design leaves a lot to be desired. The front light bar, contrasting roof pillars and intricate taillight patterns are all talking points, but otherwise the ID4 is awkwardly proportioned and a bit bloated in its styling.

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

Step inside and things improve, because while plain, the ID4’s interior is far more convincing. The low-set dashboard, wraparound door cards and floating central touchscreen are all easy on the eye and make the cabin feel even more spacious than it already is. The climate controls are irritating to use, however, and the small driver’s display now looks dated compared to alternatives.

Have a feel around the surfaces, however, and the material quality spoils things. There are far too many hard, nasty plastics in easy to reach places. It’s a massive shame given Volkswagen’s reputation for high-quality cars.

At least the seats are comfortable and highly adjustable, while there’s a lot of front storage space in the doors and centre console. Back seat passengers won't want for space, and that rear bench is supportive on long drives, while the 543-litre boot is bigger than in the BMW iX3 and Audi Q4.

Range varies massively between models, from just 222 miles in the ID4 Pure Match to a more respectable 351 miles in the Pro Essential model. Both are rear-wheel drive, while 4Motion cars offer four-wheel drive and around 320 miles of range.

Around town the ID4 takes the strain out of commuting. The high driving position and light steering makes it easy to navigate tight streets, but the thick rear pillars get in the way when parking. Wind and road noise are kept at bay on the motorway, while on a twisty road the ID4 keeps body lean to a minimum - though it’s not fun to drive.

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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 ID4 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 52kWh or 77kWh battery, with ranges from 222 miles to 351 miles. The various combinations are called Pure, Pro, Pro 4Motion and GTX.

The Pure option comes with a 52kWh battery pack, it will do up to 224 miles on a charge. Charging from 0-100% will take seven and a half hours using a 7.4kW home wall box, and if you can find a 110kW public charger it will take just 38 minutes to get from 0% to 80%.

Pro models get a larger 77kWh battery 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.

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 ‘Essential’ models and the Pure Match come in under the luxury car supplement threshold for vehicle excise duty. All other models will be subject to an extra tax between years two-to-six.

The ID4 received a full five-star rating in the more stringent 2021 Euro NCAP rating system, and performed particularly very well in the adult occupant (93%) and safety assist (85%) 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 2025 Driver Power owner survey, placing 27th out of 31 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.