Volkswagen ID.4 Review

Practicality and Boot Space

It may not look it on the outside, but the ID.4 is one of the most spacious pure-electric SUVs you can buy. As it was designed to be an electric car from from the outset (rather than using the underpinnings from a petrol car like the Mercedes EQA or EQC), it means interior space has been prioritised. 

There's plenty of room upfront and it all feels very airy thanks to there being no centre console. There's also tons of rear leg and headroom – more than you'll find in the Ford Mustang Mach-E – and thanks to a flat floor, you can carry three back-seat passengers – just. The boot is right at the top of the class for outright space, beating the Mustang again. It's a shame there's no height adjustable floor as when you fold down the 60/40 seats, there's an awkward step. Having said that though, there is a small storage area in the boot floor that's perfect for storing the car's charging cables.

Technology

Volkswagen hasn't scrimped on the technology and goodies, even on the basic Life trim level. This entry level version gets a 10-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, sat-nav, wireless smartphone charging, ambient lighting (which 30 different colour options), keyless go, climate control with an auxiliary air heater, heated front seats and windscreen. You even get a parking camera – which is good as the ID.4's rear visibility isn't the best – a second screen in front of the driver and a ton of safety kit. Models higher up the range get a larger touchscreen and even come with a head-up display with augmented reality. 

It's just a shame then that the infotainment system is far from the easiest to use. The menus are logically laid out but the screen is slow to respond and we're not big fans of the lack of physical buttons for the climate control and volume settings. Instead you get touch-sensitive sliders at the base of the touchscreen, which are not only fiddly to use on the move, but also don't light up at night. It's a far cry from the simplicity of the old VW e-Golf, that's for sure. 

Safety

Ah, yes, as hinted at above there's rather a lot of safety thrown in as standard. The basic Life trim level gets all the basics and some extras thrown in for good measure, including adaptive cruise control, a speed limiter, high beam assist and a driver fatigue monitor. The top-spec Max adds a 360-degree parking camera and 'travel assist' – essentially as semi-autonomous lane-keeping aid which controls the steering. 

All of that standard safety equipment has helped the ID.4 achieve a five-star safety rating from independent crash testers, EuroNCAP. It received a 93% rating for adult occupant safety, 89% for child occupant safety, 76% for vulnerable road users and an 85% score for its safety assist systems.