Volkswagen ID.4
GOODBYE
£46,035 OTR/£49,400 as tested/£659pcm
WHY IT’S HERE
It’s the bedrock of Volkswagen’s all-electric future push
DRIVER
Paul Horrell
“IT GETS US FROM A TO B.” WHEN THIS IS ALL SOMEONE CAN SAY OF their car they shrug apologetically Yet any vehicle’s first and fundamental calling is to bring its human and material cargo to the destination reliably and safely Over the course of its miles with us the ID cleared this bar and that’s not something we can always say of the cars we run
It’s actually quite a desirable object when standing still I don’t find it pretty but you might Inside the upholstery is deluxe and the minimal design of the screen systems looks progressively minimalist Familiarity didn’t change those opinions But as I grew to know them better I got more not less infuriated with the screens and control system I’ve banged on about that before so I’ll zip it for this report
But “It gets me from A to B” isn’t what TopGear is about We want cars to engage and entrance us Here the ID has fallen short It’s dreary and numb to steer It’s accurate enough but you can go at a corner with the tyres squealing and the wheel rim tells you nothing Seatofpants sensations of tyres varying their load or potential playfulness of its RWD are also denied you It’s two tonnes and feels it
There is good stuff Drive it the right way and the range is fine I was consistently getting a decent mpkWh and miles from a battery Which is enough for almost any purpose
Anyway apart from its screen and button system the ID does what it’s supposed to If it had been six months in a petrol equivalent a Tiguan or RAV or Sportage I’m sure I’d have emerged feeling the same I’m not a numbcrossover kinda guy Look at the car market in general and you’ll see that makes me unusual
An alliterative TLDR then Roomy reliable relaxed refined rangey Just not for me relatable