Is This The BEST All-Round EV? (Volkswagen ID4 2023 Review)

But before we jump in and see how it goes first, lets recap on what it is. The id4 is about the size of a Tiguan and its going to go on sale from about sixty thousand dollars, which is how much you would pay for a 162 TSI. Now the id4 has been on sale in some overseas markets for a couple of years now, but its taken Volkswagen, Australia a little while to get its own allocation. We did a walk around on this very example of the high end Pro performance about a month ago, and this is a UK car thats been bought to Australia for assessment. This example is redriven with a single electric motor on the back axle good for 150 kilowatts and 310 newton meters, and it sits on a dedicated modular electric battery platform called Meb, the Meb platform locates its battery down here low and between the axles and its rated. At 82 kilowatt hours, although in terms of usable power, it offers 77 kilowatt hours its. Currently the largest battery offered on the rack for Volkswagen globally and its good for a range of 522 kilometers wltp. Its styling is quite innocuous, which is precisely the point because the id4 is supposed to look more mainstream than it is funky. It does look modern, but it is a little bit boxy and you do get typical SUV style, plastic, cladding and theyve also changed all the detailing in the badges to White.

There is certainly a design kinship with the likes of golf and Tiguan, although it is a natural and more futuristic Evolution. This UK spec car fits 19 inch wheels, which is 230 35 millimeters at the front and 255 at the rear. However, the Aussie spec versions are likely to sit on sexier 20s, so right lets check out the inside. The id4s interior design is a neat amalgamation of Volkswagen present and future. Some of the look of material use is very conventional, such as the steering wheel, the Plastics and the vent design, but a lot of the other elements are very forward. Thinking such as this sort of dual floating digital screen, which includes this 12.5 inch touchscreen infotainment, and you also get augmented reality in the head up display, reminds me saying whether or not they will be optional or standard on the performance Pro. But this version gets these heavily sculpted microfly seats and theyre very comfortable. You also get these neat fold down Captain chair armrest, which is because the center console is so low and some of its content is modular. So you can move things around like the cup holders. In an overall sense, the cabin is quite clean and conventional everything is intuitive and placed where youd expect it so far, so normal for up the front so lets check out row two, although overall length is similar to the short wheelbase TIG one, the room in the Back here is more like youd expect in a Tuareg.

The electric format allows a very long cabin with a very set forward firewall, which is why you get so much cabin length which translates in the excellent knee room, Headroom and shoulder room. This version also gets a panoramic glass roof: dual USBC ports and third Zone climate control in the rear thumbs up for that, the generous cabin space extends through to the boot, so you get 543 liters of boot. Space drop the second row and it liberates 1575 liters right enough of the specifics now lets take it for a drive off the Mark or on the move. The id4 is smooth, quiet and Progressive in response, so theres no surprises there, but what it doesnt have is that humongous torque surge that weve come accustomed to with electric motoring. You know what its not necessarily a bad thing: theres, certainly ample torque on tap its just. Not out there to shock you with sheer acceleration and frankly, most owners arent going to use shocking acceleration most of the time dont get me wrong. I, like manic EV thrust as much as any Enthusiast does, but the reality is that I would trade. Some drag racing party trick for longer range in the real world and I think a lot of owners would too when it comes to outright range claims. The pro performance has a very healthy 522 kilometers wltp and the high end version also comes with a consumption claim of 17.2 kilowatt hours per hundred now driving a prototype around a closed test course.

Isnt really going to give us a true indication of what its capabilities are so were. Gon na have to wait till next year with a production version to see what its actually capable of recharge times well, on 125 kilowatt DC fast charger, its claimed to go from zero to eighty percent charge in 33 minutes thats, not too bad, but its not too Great either plug it in at home on a single phase, 2.4 kilowatt charge and its going to take you a bit over 28 hours. So how about the rest of the Driving Experience? Well, the pro performance clocks in at around 2.2 tons curved and like a lot of todays EVS, the Meb platform locates the battery low in between the axles for a low center of gravity. This ample Progressive torque on tap to overcome that 2.2 tons of weight. So it really doesnt feel as heavy as its weight Bridge ticket suggests. The progressive steering is actually surprisingly, clear and direct, and in our cursory drive around this test, track, which doesnt have a lot of bumps and lumps the chassis actually feels quite well sorted handling. Wise is quite crisp and direct and impressively life, at least in a vehicle thats, not bringing much in a way of sporty promise in terms of regen. You really only get two modes in normal drive mode. The brake regen is so light that its almost not there hit the drive selector and put it into B for braking mode, and the Regeneration is quite a bit stronger.

However, but what the id4 does lack is a proper one pedal mode for bumper to bumper traffic. One observation is that the Meb platform isnt quite as evolved and well sorted as the internal combustion mqb platform that underpins the likes of Tiguan. But if the first taste of this id4 is anything to go by, the Meb platform is really well sorted for ride and handling, which bodes well for its Evolution moving forward into the future. And although these are bold New Frontiers for Volkswagen, its execution does feel very natural and approachable. The big question is whether the id4 really is a fitting electric Tiguan. For tomorrow, the DNA around id4 Martin B has evolved or as polished as the underpinnings of some of Volkswagens internal combustion cars. But the id4 does feel in most respects quite resolved and well sorted a chassis isnt as crisp and engaging as a Tiguan. But its early days and the signs are, it bodes well for the future. Does it suffer from not being some fire breathing ice killer? Well, not really, not at all. The Volkswagen has aimed the id4 towards more daily driven. Normality is refreshing, to say the least.