Pros and cons
Volkswagen ID.4 pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2022)
4 min read·Last updated: 2022-01-01·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
4 pros, 3 cons. The Volkswagen ID.4 is best for mainstream electric suv buyers wanting meb platform reliability, large boot, and global service network — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
Volkswagen has been at the EV game long enough that the Volkswagen ID.4's pros and cons aren't speculation any more. Owners have logged thousands of miles, ev.care's network has serviced hundreds of units, and the 470 km real-world range is well-corroborated. Below are the 4 strongest reasons to buy and 3 honest reasons to think twice.
Volkswagen ID.4 — the pros
Day-to-day, this is where the Volkswagen ID.4 earns its keep. Strength 1 — VW MEB platform proven at scale. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — Heat pump on 82 kWh trims. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — Cargo space among best in segment. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — Plug & Charge support. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 82 kWh battery, 470 km range, and a USD 45,000 - 56,000 / GBP 40,000 - 53,000 / AUD 60,000 - 75,000 starting price that defines the Volkswagen ID.4's value envelope.
Volkswagen ID.4 — the cons
If the Volkswagen ID.4 fails for you, it will be for one of the reasons in this list. Weakness 1 — Capacitive infotainment controls criticized. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — Software niggles in early model years. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — Not as quick as Tesla Model Y. On the Volkswagen ID.4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a electric suv weighing 0 kg with 180 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Volkswagen ID.4 is for
Volkswagen pitches the Volkswagen ID.4 at "Mainstream electric SUV buyers wanting MEB platform reliability, large boot, and global service network", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 470 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and 10-80% in ~28 min (175 kW DC) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
Run a 7-day rental or extended test drive if your dealer offers one. The Volkswagen ID.4's pros stay constant; the cons either fade or compound — and a week tells you which.
Related Volkswagen EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at tesla model y, hyundai ioniq 5 — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Volkswagen ID.4 wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I wait for the next Volkswagen ID.4 refresh?
- Only if a specific con is a dealbreaker and you have reason to believe the next version fixes it. Otherwise the cost of waiting (lost EV running-cost savings, opportunity cost of an extra year on petrol) usually outweighs the upgrade.
- What's the most common Volkswagen ID.4 complaint?
- Look at the first item in the cons list above. That's the one owners mention first when ev.care surveys them at the 12-month mark. If you can live with it, the rest tends to fade.
- Will the Volkswagen ID.4 hold its value?
- The Volkswagen ID.4 depreciates in line with the segment. The pros above are the ones that resale-buyers will also notice, so a well-maintained Volkswagen ID.4 with documented service history holds value about as well as any EV in this band.
- How does the Volkswagen ID.4 compare to its segment rivals?
- The Volkswagen ID.4 sits in the middle of its segment on most axes — not the cheapest, not the fastest, not the longest-range. Its win is balance. Rivals that beat it on one axis usually lose on another, so the comparison comes down to which axis you care about most.
Net it out and the Volkswagen ID.4 is squarely a mainstream electric suv buyers wanting meb platform reliability, large boot, and global service network kind of car. If that description fits your week, the pros above pay for themselves. If it doesn't, one of the cons will eventually annoy you enough to matter.