Not The Best EV, But Certainly The Best EV Value | 2021 Volkswagen ID.4
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- Опубліковано 12 чер 2024
- VW's ID.4 isn't the EV designed to "beat Tesla" and that's OK, because VW has a bigger mission in mind: convince RAV4, CR-V, Escape, and Tiguan shoppers to try their first electric vehicle. To that end VW shaped it like a normal compact crossover, have it a solid usable range and mora importantly: unlimited DC fast charging for three years. If you're worried about charging and the cost of charging, this is one sure fire way to eliminate those fears, at least for three years.
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So clearly the "hybrid system" title on the powertrain screen is wrong, this is a full EV. We're working through some graphics issues here and somehow this template kept reverting to the original design. ARG!!
Why not just take public transportation? By way of example Proterra which makes battery electric buses just went public i think Yesterday. New Flyer Industries is another. "Just get rid of cars period" save for something to get rid of the need for having to fly on an Airplane like the Tesla Roadster 2.
Too bad about the Model S Plaid+ as that would have actually made having a bev finally make practicable sense.
In the meantime next to all of it walking is still the best form of personal transportation ever invented seems to be proven yet again.
I don’t see any info on the 3-year of free charging anywhere on VW site.
NP, assumed it was Freudian slip, based on your hybrid/PHEV fixation.... But it still was a nicely balanced and informative review... Which is what really matters....
Can't wait for the e-GMP BEV reviews and comparisons....
@@seannguyen593 we purchased it and you get set up with Electrify America and your charging is free for 3 years.
@@turbozzz4376 thanks. So it’s all 50 states?
I get why EV enthusiasts aren’t thrilled with the ID4, but as someone who really wants a commenter / family vehicle, the ID4 is attractive in a lot of ways.
And it wont require almost a second mortgage to buy lol
I'm an EV enthusiast and I'm thrilled with the reviews I've seen so far! (I own a Model 3 and have owned a Leaf and Volt in the past.)
The useage in the midwest in winter means less than half the range. Tons of power needed to keep the battery warm as well.
@@cayman9873 thank God in Canada there will be standard heat pumps
Lots of times Ev enthusiasts are usually tesla fanboys and are only thrilled with a tesla
It is worth noting that if you don't have the tax liability to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit, you can lease the car and VW is giving the full $7500 tax credit off of the lease, so those who don't qualify for the tax credit can still take advantage and get the Pro model for about $32,500.
If you can’t take advantage of the tax credit you have no business buying the car because *you can’t afford it*
@@oldcountryman2795 Jeff Bezos wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the credit during some of his recent tax years because his tax liability was so low. Pretty sure he could afford a VW.
@@oldcountryman2795 Not true for everyone. For example, as a retiree, my tax liability is low, but I can afford an ID.4 without any stress.
@@oldcountryman2795 wow. mighty bold of statement of you. They never said if you can't afford it he said that if you don't have the tax liability that you can take advantage of a $7500 tax credit off of a lease. Damn Trolls always talking and not reading and understanding what is being said.
@D O Jeff Bezos personally didn't pay any tax: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-did-not-pay-income-taxes-2-years-report-2021-6
I have an ID4 and have already put more than 30k miles on it because I travel to UC Davis every week. Its a wonderful cruiser, like Alex said it soaks up bumps and imperfections very very well when comparing to other EV's or other compact suv's. The tech works great albeit sometimes there are glitches but nothing like what I experienced in the Tesla model 3 where the screen randomly shut off when we were going to Monterey bay. Its also quiet efficient at high speeds. And yes the turning radius is a gift. Amazing vehicle all together and well put together. Good job to VW!
Note for DC charging. While the peak rate on the ID4 is less than the Mach-E or Model Y the average rate from 10 to 80% is actually higher than both due to a somewhat flater charging curve. So the ID4 actually charges faster.
Yes, I wish he had mentioned that. The id4 is actually a fantastic road tripping car because of that. Out of spec motoring did a 3000 mile road trip from Florida to Colorado and documented this. You really aren't that far off Tesla charging speeds in reality.
Tesla can charge a 250 KW but only for about 3 minutes. That charging curve on the id4 is extremely good it charges pretty well even it very high states of charge.
They also mentioned in that video about how epically quiet the car is the pro model has a metal roof rather than glass. But he compared it to an Audi e-tron as far as quietness that's pretty impressive
I seem to remember other people showing the ID4 actually charged faster to 90% than the Mustang Mach-E because of the current charging curve programmed into the Mach-E. So I don't mind a slower top charging rate if it holds it longer. Kinda like those old terrible word problems in school.
So what is the pack size compared to the other manufacturers. Saying you can charge faster does not mean there is superior tech. I can charge a single AA battery twice as fast as 2 AA batteries but it also means I have half the capacity. So to better inform those who are watching the video and are looking for information to make a purchase with need to know the why and the how. Just saying a battery charges faster is a little misleading.
@@buddyreynolds8036
Pack size also does not necessarily allow you to compare either. Some battery chemistries behave different than others. You also have differences in cooling systems between different manufacturers. For example Nissan leaf has no active thermal management versus a different manufacturer that might have very good thermal management.
Ultimately I think the only way to completely test would be to take both cars on a road trip starting at a given charger level, and watch each car as it makes that road trip. Good charging curve in general should lead to a better road tripping experience.
You want to see an id4 on a road trip take a look at "out of spec motors" recent post. He did a very long road trip from Florida to Colorado. He's also a record holder for a cross country cannonball run in two different vehicles. So I would suggest that Kyle is perhaps a better judge of what is a good road tripping car versus another because he has probably more experience than just about anybody else. And he said the id4 is a good road tripping car. If he says that it is I tend to trust him. You can also watch his videos to find out for yourself. There are a few other road trip videos out there with the ID 4.
@@buddyreynolds8036 I'll fill in the gaps for you. The ID4 by every metric charges faster on average from 10% to 80% than the Mach-E or Model Y. The Mach-E has a 99KWh gross battery pack with a net 88KWh usable. The Model Y LR is approximated to have a 76KWh gross battery pack with about 72 KWh net usable. The ID4 has an 82KWh gross battery pack with 76-77KWh net usable. The real world range of the ID4 and Model Y are very close. The Mach-e has roughly 10% more range but a bigger battery. On a KW basis on average the ID4 charges faster (on average). On a range/min basis the ID4 charges faster (on average). Keep in mind these values are when charging from 10 to 80%. If you only charge 10 to 50% the Model Y will be a bit faster but that is not the best way to use the ID4. Bjorn Nyland has shown that in his 1000km challenge the ID4 is one of the fastest cars for road trips.
Great review. Having road tripped my 2020 Chevy Bolt across the US and back I think you hit the nail on the head when you called it leisurely, which my wife and I found very enjoyable, but I know it would drive some folks crazy. The ID.4 is near top of my list for a second EV, but the Ioniq 5 is my current favorite, and I recently put down my $100 deposit to get on the reservation list. Can’t wait for your review of the Ioniq 5 and EV 6.
I really like the VW take on EV, finally a practical EV… Tesla’s are great, but I really don’t need my daily driver to do 0-60 in 3 sec… lol
If you work from home you'll save a few seconds more if the ID4 was faster.
Keep telling yourself that. Tesla seems like overkill until you want to go 100 miles and realize you have to fight every ev charger on the way scanning QR codes, crap apps, bad EV communication, and looking for a decent charger that doesn’t leave you waiting for hours. Tesla has infrastructure and ease of use other EV charging is far far behind.
My main issue with EV cars is the pollution old batteries will create. The battery technology is just not there yet. Best way to keep your carbon footprint small is not to buy a new car.
@@sphaera3809 you’re concerned about batteries that can be recycled but not concerned about tires and plastics that cannot? Lithium and work on sodium batteries are still far better for the environment than oil consumption.
@D O Electrify America is POS build quality. Ill take my long range tesla with over 200k miles and access to no nonsense superchargers rather than worry about crappy electrify america trickle charge whenever they feel like it. plus the power, plus the range, over 200k, free supercharging, autopilot, and still gets over 350miles per charge. Please show me a superior EV with those numbers.
For those who don't have a $7,500 tax liability, you can lease the ID.4 and then buy it out immediately from VW Credit without incurring finance charges. The $7,500 is applied as a lease incentive.
Another possibility is to convert a traditional IRA or old 401k to a Roth IRA, which is a taxable event.
Leases do not qualify $7,500 credit and the manufacturer/leasor does not receives the full $7,500 tax credit.
And who knows how much any leasor will be willing to pass along the credit to the consumer, especially just for a buyout to circumvent federal income tax law... YT wannabe experts.... SMH...
@@nc3826 Yes they do, in VW’s case. It’s passed onto the buyer as “lease cash”. Companies like Ford don’t pass it on, however.
Nope, “lease cash” is just a marketing term to fool the foolish... since the lease residual value, interest rates and addition fees.... were not disclosed, for VW ID4 lease promotion.... so good luck trying to do what was suggested...
@@nc3826 You literally get $7500 off MSRP when you lease a new ID.4. Money factor changes month to month. Right now it’s not so good. Residual on RWD is around 48%. You can lease it, get that $7500 off the Msrp, then buyout the lease after Msrp and it’s only $100 buyout fee. The only way you pay more is if it’s a dealer that has market adjustment. And some do. But otherwise you get the full $7500 at point of lease.
People are leasing ID.4 first editions for $45k.. then refinancing (buying out) the lease after 90 days for around $37k (excluding tax). All because of the “lease cash”… so.
ID.4 AWD over MME is my pick. The state that I live in has an additional $2,500 rebate for EVs under $50K. Makes this a no brainer as that’s a lot of car for the $$$. I am also a long time VW owner and their dealerships and service can’t be beat. Plus German Engineering over everything else every day of the week. This vehicle will grow on folks and the kinks are soluble. When I reserved mine this week the salesperson already had 45 orders (not reservations) for the 2021 AWDs initially being built in Zwickau, Germany. The EPA estimated range of 240 miles for the ID.4 AWD Pro S model, a maximum 295 HP, torque, and all‑wheel drive traction to help accommodate varied terrain and weather conditions. My commute is 13 miles a day and my road trips are 150 miles each way. Lastly, I want to blend in and not be stared at 😀.
I have an ID4 and a Tesla Model 3. Each has its own highlights. Driving the ID4 is very nice and quiet. You will not regret the experience. Sure the Tesla’s are super fast and highly technological. It’s like having an IPhone 12 on wheels. The ID4 is an electric vehicle period! A very competent one.
I love the idea of the ID.4, but I live in an area where fast charges are mostly confined to the interstates and I like driving for fun; into the mountains, out on the plains and out to the coast; some of my favorite mountain routes are either dicey or impossible in a 250 mile EV, and an EV range would require more than 1 fast charge to get to the coast, turning a 8 hour trip into a full day odyssey.
I really wish the manufacturers for the North American market would concentrate more on PHEV's . . . your previous comment (a Niro review) that resources would be more efficiently applied to PHEVs than EVs really stuck with me, especially considering the American way of driving . . .
. . . and a PHEV comparison much like the Leaf/Tesla/Niro EV comparison that you did would be greatly appreciated.
Every car manufacturer should be releasing EVs that are affordable ! Jeez I am really interested in the Ioniq5 though
Yeah I was all about the Ioniq 5 till I saw the AWD model I would want would be over $50k. I was looking to get the EV6 but the 1st Edition was $59k! So now I’m
Back to looking at the id.4 since it’s the best EV that I maybe can afford
The ID.4 needs about 10 minutes more than a model Y to charge 10% to 80% using CCS; 25 vs 35 minutes ;) The MEB cars have much flatter charging curves than Teslas. Rumor is that VW will update the charging speed to peak at 175 kW but we will have to wait and see. I appreciate your emphasis on how this is not just an EV but an ICE replacement. Also, don't forget, VW will give you the full tax credit if you lease, and you can then purchase it after the lease, paying no interest, and getting the tax benefit too, it's a no-brainer. Overall, this car is simply an incredible value, costing only a few thousand more than the equivalent CR-V or RAV4. I suspect it will be a huge hit, especially the AWD model. My only criticism is the lack of a heat pump in NA, maybe they will bring it to the AWD models at a later time.
Excellent review Alex! Can always count on you to provide helpful and objective reviews! Thanks!
Really great video. Hit a lot of relevant points. Very balanced. Also liked the comparisons to other EV options. I have watched a lot of other videos on the ID.4, which I have on order (AWD unfortunately) and this is the best one I have seen so far.
I love my 40kw leaf. An underrated car. It’s simple, drives great around town and for 120 mile round trips.
40 amp EVSEs are on Amazon for ~$315. Need a NEMA 14-50 socket.
The ID.4 doesn't have mechanical grill shutters, but it does have a roller blind system mounted behind the radiator but in front of the condenser that serves a similar purpose.
Love the turning radius and how long the charge rate is sustained high in to the capacity percentage. 💯
Totally agree the turn radius is insane!!
As always..very well presented.
Feel no bias.
Very detailed from a technical perspective.
Seems the ID 4 being a good value option.
Thanks for this helpfull video.
I saw your review on Redline Reviews. Really enjoy your style much better. Now subscribed and look forward to seeing more of your reviews.
Just came back from a resort in Borrego, Ca. Dates from the 1930s. All the carports had 240v charge plugs.
Interesting that he gave the ID4 a "B" and the Mach E an "A" for ride quality when he says that the ID4 has a better ride.
Alex, truly awesome review... 👍. I like how you are realistic about the use case of each EV and I truly like you have a standard test loop of 244miles .. I feed you should test the Mach E small batter RWD I know EPA is 230 but i feel it will still make that loop with only a 68kWh better the Mach E is crazy efficient..
Another great video Alex! no complaints!
That was one of the best EV reviews I have seen. Thanks! I own a 2015 Nissan Leaf and love it. Quirky sums it up quite well. 😁 I don't qualify for the $7500 tax credit but Nissan leased me the car, took the credit for themselves and then applied it to the lease. That and the Nissan incentives made it very affordable. I bought out the remainder it at the end of the lease. I've had it 6-years now. Excellent around the county car. If I ever get rid of it the ID4 looks enticing.
In most states, you can walk into a VW dealership, purchase and drive a new VW ID.4 right off the lot. Same goes for a Ford Mach-e or Chevy Bolt. You have to order a Tesla Model Y from a website. I'll never buy a car sight unseen, so I know which direction I'll be going for a EV.
Tesla's charging network is more than made up for by their lack of a dealer/service network.
Tons of great info! Thank for sharing!!!
Liking that VW is bringing a more affordable EV. If they’d brought ID.3 to the US, we WOULD have VWs EV version of the Beetle. And affordability would be even better. Thank you for the complete review!
I really wanted that car. Might have been inexpensive enough to lure in lots of folks who would use it as a second car and learn to love BEVs. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
yeah i wish they'd bring the id3 to the us.
Same here. We have used a 2016 e-Golf SE (the stripped-down version) uniquely since March 2016 -- and had our eye on the ID.3. Really, our e-Golf is mostly as much car as we need (EPA range: 84 miles). ID.4 is more car than we need but I think it could have retailed slightly lower (I notice VW has been pushing out ads, a sign they are not selling as well as hoped? I hope not).
Same here. We have used a 2016 e-Golf SE (the stripped-down version) uniquely since March 2016 -- and had our eye on the ID.3. Really, our e-Golf is mostly as much car as we need (EPA range: 84 miles). ID.4 is more car than we need but I think it could have retailed slightly lower (I notice VW has been pushing out ads, a sign they are not selling as well as hoped? I hope not).
@@xchopp pushing out ads is not synonymous with low sales. Otherwise Coca-Cola would be broke!!!
I was looking at the model Y until Tesla removed the radar and the passenger lumbar... And jacked up the price again. Right now I'm waiting for Ioniq 5 full reviews for the US version. It's a little weird-looking, but the charge curve looks great, and V2L is pretty appealing as well. Depends on the price though.
I'm with you Alex. If we go somewhere that needs an over night to reach it, we're likely on a plane. I can't spend four days driving on my seven day vacation.
We need bullet trains. Taking the train is so much easier than a plane.
@@ElroyMcDuff The distances and low population density in the US make trains uneconomical. That's why planes won.
I don’t have an issue with roadtrips, with an e-tron with less rage than an ID4, 15 -20 minutes is all I need for charging and bathroom brake, it doesn’t take me that much more than gas , it takes more time but not that much more, I plan my stops for bathroom brakes and lunch , that’s were I would charge to 100 %, in an e-tron that translates to 38 to 39 minutes from 8% so I nagar to eat fast
Another great video with plenty of pertinent and useful information. The only other constructive comment I would like to add is the lack of emphasis on the reliability of the vehicles you review. Because of the high cost, many owners try to amortize their investment by trying to keep cars for a longer period of time, making cost of maintenance and repairs top concerns. Is there a particular reason you don't include
issues one must look out for or consider prior to making a purchase. Thanks again for your world class and in my opinion unparalleled work.
Alex,
You're the best.
Thanks for a great review.
Omgoodness I've learned so much about EV's! Thank you Alex🙏 I've been so confused (even a little frightened) about charging, range, what's under the hood etc. I have considered purchasing an EV even though I live in the deep south where big gas guzzling beasts own the road.
1:50 I've had the car for a month and had no idea you could use the floor insert as a trunk divider like that. Thanks!
The EV tax credit needs to be overhauled substantially: penalizing people for buying a popular EV and preventing poor people from getting the maximum financial assistance (which is not much in the first place) is colossally stupid.
I think it's stupid to give rich people a tax credit to buy a luxury electric car. The overwhelming majority of the Democrat voters can't afford an electric car. The Democrat voters will take notice when the Democrats raise the cost of gasoline to the point that the working poor can't afford to drive to work.
@@jimfarmer7811 Blaming politicians instead of oil corporations for fuel prices is, at best, silly.
What is the noise level in dB as you used to measure for other cars?
Glad you mentioned it can charge at tesla destination chargers with an adaptor this time. It's down to this, Q4 e-tron, and Ioniq 5 for me. Might as well throw in the Niro and Kona EV's if you're gonna mention the bolt and leaf as competitors.
Niro and Kona are both superior to Bolt or Leaf.
Thanks, this is a great overview. I like the comparisons you have done at the end. I'm in Canada and it looks like the ID4 will be more competitively priced here than in the USA which is very rare for us!
The base ID4 will have heat pump, heated seats & front window and still be $2k less than the Leaf 62kWh. It's only 65% of the price for a Y (which has about 125 km more range and awd of course.) As well it's $5k CAD less than the base Mach-e with less range and no heat pump.
Looking forward to seeing your Ioniq 5 review soon.
I am watching this closely as well here in Vancouver Canada
Liking the price/value of ID4. I'm wondering what the Rwd will be like in Canadian winters though. I've read the weight of the battery underneath helps the traction in winter.
Hard to beat the latest Bolt deals for value, right now.
Being a techie 🧑💻, I feel pity for those who drives bolt and brag about it.
If you just need a second car for a normal commute or city driving, it's OK. Not very nice, but cheap to buy and operate. Just don't buy it if you take road trips and don't have another vehicle. Given those limitations, you might as well buy the very cheap Leaf.
@@markmiller3279 yup, what you said.
Agree with this. The ID.4 is a very good EV, but if you don’t need the space of a crossover/SUV, the 2021 Bolt is very affordable. It’s also
Way better than a Nissan Leaf: longer range (259 miles for ‘21/22 Bolt vs 225 Leaf extended range); water cooled battery; larger dealer network. I think we will see deals on the ‘22 closer to end of CY2022. There is a Costco deal ($1k of 2022; $3k off 2021) for Bolt running right now.
The AWD American made version coming later in 2021 is going to be best in class. It's a great look and great value. What a great vehicle especially with the price drop when it's made in America.
How much would the price drop by if it is made in the US?
@@wyw201 drops to 36 later in 2021 when it's made in Tennessee. At launch it's made in Germany. They will shift production to the USA. The tax credit will still apply.
@@yellowsnowman9157 Guessing 36k is the base version
@@wyw201 yes. All of the prices you read, reduce them by 3-4k. So base id4 is under 30k with tax credit
$36k ID.4 will not be AWD, and will have a 52kWh battery instead of 82kWh batter. But still for many that’s plenty. I’m sure 52kWh will have AWD option tho 🤔
If my 2012 Prius bit the dust today, the ID.4 would be on my short list. But I'm holding out for the IONIQ 5. Truthfully though, I'd prefer something smaller than either of those, but with the same advanced features (like 125 - 350 kW DC fast charging).
Priced like this the ID.4 is going to be everywhere soon especially with the tax credits in play. VW Chattanooga plant is going to be real busy soon.
Optioned similarly it's about the same price as a Model Y. (I know, theoretical comparison, because you can't get the ID.4 optioned up yet, and you can't get the Model Y optioned down yet.) So if the incentives come back for all EVs, there's going to be two American facilities pumping out BEVs.
Also a note is that the tax credit is expected to jump to $12,500 for those built in the USA up until the 200,000th vehicle. Ours was built in Germany and we only got $7500.
@@TKevinBlanc Our PRO-S has bunches of options, not sure what other options you'd want.
@D O when is this 10k starting?
It make happy moment for me
Some inaccuracies. We drove our Tesla last weekend and the “Superchargers” were never even meeting 50Kwh at top charging. Even in completely empty locations. The ID4 I have seen doing 120Kwh and charging from 20-80% in just 25 minutes. And this one doesn’t charge slower as it tops.
Hey Alex, just letting you know. Chevy as of right now 7-7-21, is offering $9500 off of the 2021 chevy bolt not the 2022 model. But the $9500 off msrp is for chevy owners of 2007 model year and up vehicles. Which I find strange because thats limiting the chance for non chevy owners to get any discount at the moment. Unless someone sees something different that I don't see. Ive watch all your videos for atleast 7 years or more,, keep up the good work!
Chevy is currently only offering $500.00 off 2022 both the Bolt EV and EUV models from what I can find on there website now.
The Frunk concept is oversold in my view. Particularly on the ID.4, the rear cargo area is a lot more convenient to access (particularly when it is powered). You can just leave the charge cable in its bag and store it in the right wheel well inside the trunk area if the lower compartment is too inconvenient. Its totally out of the way and easily accessible there.
The software is fairly primitive. VW is under significant pressure to improve it and I hope they do, but it wasn't a show-stopper for me when I put in my reservation in late 2020. Finally took delivery of my AWD ID.4 just recently so it was quite a wait! I personally don't care so much about the navigation since car-play works, but I would like more battery data available, such as the current consumption/regen in W/kW (without having to hook up a third-party device to the comm port), and we definitely need more regeneration options. There are definitely some warts when it comes to software, fast DC charger infrastructure integration, non-working charger scheduling for home charging, and so forth.
I'm really happy with my vehicle though. All my critiques are minor compared to what I really care about, which is ride, comfort, responsiveness, noise, paint job, etc (what you'd expect given my previous vehicle was an A6 2.7T which I bought new 22 years ago). 40A L2 charging at home is plenty, even overkill frankly. I'm considering reducing the amps the box negotiates with the car down to 30 or 35A just to reduce wear and tear on the circuitry. Virtually nobody will ever pull into their garage at 0 charge and need full charge by the next morning.
-Matt
Totally. Most people who have frunks don't use them and it's not like you can fit a lot in the frunks anyways unless you have an f150 lighting. Frunks are being treated like the make it or break it deal when most cars in the road don't have a frunk and most people don't mind at all. It would be cool to have one but its not a deal breaker.
Alex, I would like your opinion on the comparison of the ID.4 to the E-Niro.
My first electric vehicle! Nice review Alex.
Did I mention the turning radius, wow, it turns super sharp.
Driven them all. ID4 is my pick. Are you sure it charges slower than the Y? Others European videos might suggest otherwise from 0 to 80. I could be wrong. Love your channel and content
Chargers faster than my Model 3 I have both vehicles.
Hope to see a review of the Audi Q4 Etron.! Asap
I would not criticize the height of the display on the ID. Other manufacturers should be critiqued for having the display too low. It’s not personal preference its human factoring. Reducing the distance your eyes travel from the road increases your reaction time when scanning the display if your eyes travel less. It also improves your peripheral vision coverage by closing the gap between infomation and road action. Good on VW in this case.
The glass roof shade is good.
I'm wondering how well those touch controls will work in winter if you're wearing gloves or mittens.
I was hoping he'd do this car. I'm kinda interested in the pro version
We bought a Pro-S a couple weeks back and its our first EV (had hybrids not the same) and we absolutely love the ID.4. Also, depending on where you live check the insurance rates. My ID.4 cost less to insure then our 2013 VW beetle and the Tesla model 3 was going to cost almost 3 times that of the Beetle.
I've had the ID4 Pro for a month and a half and I absolutely love it. Go take a test drive!!
Hopefully the technology improves and comes down in price.
One thing I would like to see added to your reviews would be a few more details about how it’s like to drive at night. When you talked about the headlight design it made me wonder how good they are. A lot of new cars are coming standard with LED headlights but not all of them are going to be good or necessarily better than halogens or HID lights. You could briefly mention it during the walk around of the exterior or during the driving part
Can’t comment on the ID.4 specifically but VW headlights are generally very good.
The LED headlights in my 2015 e-Golf SEL are spectacular. VW knows how to make very good headlight systems, regardless of if HID or LED powered.
I have driven my ID4 for six months. Lights at night as good as the best in the market.
I wasn't sure about the lack of physical controls for vehicles. But after driving my brothers girlfriends 2018 Honda Civic Hatchback. I realize how much the lack of physical controls for AC and volume makes me angry. I think I could love a car a lot and the lack of normal controls will be a deal breaker. It is just so frustrating especially in summer in my state trying to turn it on and off as I get in and out of a car. Such a distraction and unnecessarily complex method.
1. I don't find opening a front hood/bonnet easy or convenient. 2. Combine the Mach-E's boot and frunk and it's still significantly less capacity than ID.4's boot. Conclusion? Don't need a frunk!
I am a VW owner for many years and have had my eye on the ID4 since it was announced... With that being said, I have also always been a big fan of the Tesla lineup even tho it is priced out of what I would say my comfortable range for the options I would want (AWD being a big one), the middle ground that I am seeing that I am VERY much interested in now is the Mach-E. It seems to check all of the boxes for me and hit right around the price that I will be more comfortable paying. If the "GTI" model of the ID4 gets a little more power and hits at a pretty good price, I might be swayed into one.
(current daily driver is a '17 VW Alltrack)
I notice that the underside of the hood is cutout with obvious struts running around. I wonder if you couldn't put a small cargo net up there and put the charge cord there?
As a slight correction to Alex's statement about the "cash discount" available on the Chevy Bolt. I just checked and that is for the 2021 Bolt, not the new 2022 model EV or EUV. I doubt we'll see those giant discounts on the 2022 models because Chevrolet decreased the base price of the Bolt EV by $5,500 dollars from 2021 to 2022.
So to clarify, there are NOT any discounts available for the new 2022 model Bolt EV or Bolt EUV on offer from Chevrolet. There IS $9,000 on the hood for and remaining 2021 models (and another $1500 if you already own a GM product).
Hey, thanks for your thoughts on the issue. I just want to add a quick thought - while maxing out the hybrids might be more efficient for Toyota right now, going full electric now and trying to build up driver buy in has to be factored in too. If we end up in a world where 100% of people will drive hybrids, for those of us who care about the environment this still isn't enough. It seems more sensible to really push EVs now and get the consumer buy in so we can eventually get the vast majority of drivers into EVs. I appreciate the math though, I hadn't considered Toyota's position from that perspective before.
Hi Alex. Why doesn’t the US version not come with a HUD like the European ID4”s?
Hi Alex, I’m in the Palm Springs area where I use to own a fleet of CNG Passenger Vans many years ago. If I could get my hands on New Ford Vans again I’d be very happy. I know this is a small selling point for California Owners of Plug-in or EV’s excluding Standard Hybrids. That your able to qualify for a State of California HOA exemption to be able to drive in a State Owned Car Pool Lane with only the Driver & Valid for Toll Roads. If you live in the Bay Area or most of Southern California it’s can be a Huge Deal. Love your detailed evaluations of all autos. One Question. What’s Volkswagen going to do in 3 years when all of these 3 year leases are being turned in. What incentives will they offer to second round buyers. With the 3 Free Years of charging you can drive Coast to Coast, I just can’t figure out how many down days will you have to wait to get a full Charge?
Like the auto shade. I put a regular one in my M3 and it’s been there about 3 years. I’m willing to trade for a different electric vehicle but this ain’t it. I don’t care so much about 0-60 but don’t need wheel buttons and gauges in front of me ever again. Also the over 100 voice commands are pretty awesome. Also although there are several types of chargers often they have problems, watch a few trip videos in this car. Nice first try though. How is the battery cooled? Fan or liquid?
The ID.4 looks like an SUV, while the Mustang MachE is a combo of a regular Mustang & Escape which is OK by me.
Unfortunately, the MachE's interior is awful with an overly big display that looks like an afterthought.
The design of the screen is a personal preference. The infotainment system itself is the problem with the Mach-e. I was watching another video that showed the navigation recommends gas stations points of interest… in an EV.
I like the styling of the Mach E, but it is longer in length than the ID4, so the ID4 would fit a lot better in my single car garage😎
Really deep analysis.
VW's modern Beetle is the ID.3, available in Europe and other parts of the world - but not the US.
Still have my pro s awd on order, but I’m really eyeing that ioniq 5. HARD. 😸
Yeah, when the Hyundai and Kia show up the decision-making will be hard. They look exceptionally attractive.
@@markmiller3279 especially since I really want the HUD, but don’t want to pay Audi money for it…
Me too. But I keep coming back to VW because they drive so well and create a fun, easy to live with package.
It is less efficient as an ID4. Now in summer I’m getting around 450km at 120kph on my ID4.
Both will be more expensive than the ID.4 (the Kia especially).
Great review Alex, I have a SR Y if you want to do some tests.
How did you buy yours? Off menu or during the brief period when they were for sale?
@@Hogtown1986 i missed the small timeframe where you could order one, but right before the end of last qtr they were quite a few of them in inventory, thats how i order, but it wasnt easy by the time I order they were selling within an hour or less of being posted by Tesla
@@vicduenas84 what’s your real-world range? I read that Musk cancelled the SR Y because he considers 250 miles minimum for Tesla.
@@Hogtown1986 I dont think thats the real reason he cancelled it, as the SR 3 is only a few miles more and he didnt cancell that one. As for real world range, as everyone says it depends on a lot of things, but ive done trips to San Diego, and the best ive gotten on full charge is from my house to harris ranch supercharger wich is like 170 miles away, and i probably had like 20 miles left so i would say 180 to 190, but this was wile driving 85 to 90 mph to keep up with traffic. I didnt think it was bad considering I did the one thing that kills range, but i didnt care as it is clear Tesla knows this and there are superchargers everywhere along 5
Excellent Review of a good car!
Thank you thank you Alex for explaining why Level 1 charging is still viable for many people! I’ve owned an EV for the last five years and have been fine with 120 volt charging at home.
I was ok for 3 years with 120 charging. Especially charging at work for 8 hours. With-a 4 mile round trip commute. Once I moved and my commute was 18 miles one way I needed the 220 charger. Especially with only 89-92 miles of range on my Kia Soul ev.
Most people aren’t obsessed with a front trunk. I wouldn’t use it anyway. I need a good ride and comfortable seats. Don’t care much about the 0-60 either.
For those not going cross country too often, the 10k off the hood and 7500 tax credit are hard to look past on the base Leaf Plus. Low 20s plus tax.
I own a leaf plus and I charged at 100kw on a trip yesterday. All EA stations have a 50kwh chademo port. All other stations will have a chademo and a ccs port.
The problem is whether new stations will continue to have CHADEMO ports. It doesn't make sense to include them for a diminishing number of Nissans (assuming all new ones go with CCS).
Alex, do are the best car reviewer out there, by a mile!
This man is driving 244 miles for us
Test drove this coming from owning a Kia Soul Ev and having a Tesla model 3 for two weeks. It was so hard to drive coming from the Tesla. The Tesla with speed boost and FSD spoiled me $48,000 2018 used. But the Kia only has 89 miles of range after 4 years. Down from 113 when I got it new $25,000 2017
But does the ID.4 do anything better than the Skoda Enyaq? Or is the Enyaq not coming to the US maybe?
As always, another great and thorough video! In the market for a full EV after selling my Models 3 and Y! Currently drive a RAV4 Prime SE and Kia Niro PHEV. Will need a full EV in the spring of 2022, so the ID4 and MachE are on the list…can’t wait for the Aria (sp?) and the Audi Q4 etron to hit the market to compare them! Thanks Alex!
q4 is just a more expensive, better looking id4.
@@nox5555 hard to say that until it’s released and driven!
@@petegalindez9961 well you can testdrive it in some markets already.
Not in the US as far as I know. Euro models are usually different. But, so far reviews in Euro are its much better than id4. But, depends what your priorities are in a car.
Why no decibel rating in the review? I have been genuinely curious about this compared to my Kona EV which I find a bit too noisy.
How is the range with A/C constantly on? This would be very common to keep the AC on in southern/western states.
A/C doesn't really affect range, it's mostly heat that does.
Alex; does the Base model have Heated Seats !? I think I am being snowed by a Dealer Rep that the Base model does not have heated seat !!
AoA will hopefully get their hands on the AWD ID4. That should be more of a competitor with the Mach-E and other crossovers.
9:30 You meant the Mach E GT, right ? Would be cool to have an electric mustang coupe, but EV coupes won't sell as well as crossovers.
The silhouette of the ID4 is very similar to the Model Y so it definitely should have had a frunk.
My ideal EV would be an EV that could double as a commuter and as a light outdoor rec vehicle. Currently, our outdoor hauling is mostly handled by our Subaru Ascend, but I've been wanting an EV that has a bit more outdoors ability for trips closer to home (eg
Tires are under-rated. Nice to see 255s on some EVs.
I don't understand the tax credit description c. the 24 minute mark. I think everyone will always benefit from a credit. Seems to mix tax deduction v. credit.
I noticed you gave the Cabin Noise rating a B but didn’t specifically speak about it with a dB number as usual? Did I miss it?
I thought that was kind of strange too because some of the other reviewers I've seen have commented that on the highway the id4 is incredibly quiet like Audi e-tron quiet. The thing that I really like about the ID for is the pro model the base version gives you the vast majority of stuff that you want but skips the enormous panoramic roof which I don't want. The only thing I don't really like about the VW is it's a bit slow zero to 60 for an electric car. Compared to a Tesla anyway. It's not really slow though. 0 to 60 is decent and I suspect the 0 to 30 is probably pretty damn good as most electric cars are
That would be in comparison to other EVs, which are all pretty quiet. Wider tires are almost always louder.
@@kens97sto171 I own an E-Tron and test drove the ID4. The ID4 isn't as quiet as an E-Tron, not even close.
@@gazzyT644
Which model of id4 the person I saw was driving the base model which does not have the glass roof apparently he had driven the other versions of the id4 and said that the base model was significantly quieter due to the taller tires and lack of glass roof.
@@gazzyT644 According to Bjorn Nyland's testing it is.
The charge outlet is in the back so why would you want to put the cord in the front?
I am so sick and tired of all these “professional” reviewers bashing this car left and right. They all complain about its slow acceleration, lack of frunk and regular buttons, and a laggy software. I test drove this car at my local dealer and liked it very much. It is quiet, has a very roomy interior and a good cargo space. The haptic feedback buttons on the steering are pretty easy to use and vibrate in response. You can also just press on them. The sliders under the infotainment screen were also pretty responsive. I have a RWD Pro S with a Gradient package on order that is coming this September. And no, I am not a housewife who is buying this car as her new toy. I am a single mother who actually works for a living. I don’t need a 3-second acceleration when I drive my kid to a daycare or commute to work. I wanted an SUV and VW ID.4 checks all the marks for me, it just happened to be an EV. And yes, I love German cars, VW Group especially, and I owned my 2011 VW Jetta for 10 years now - never any issues. To each their own. To all the haters of this car I’d say - go and test drive one and see for yourselves.
Which review are you talking about? Alex bashed nothing. Don't overuse that word, or you weaken your argument.
@@mountainhobo 10 year old Jetta’s with no problem whatsoever.
@@mountainhobo Alex’s first review of this car was a bit harsh I think. This review was pretty objective though. However, there are several others that complain a lot about ID.4 in their reviews. For example, Engineering Explained guy called it a “disappointing EV”, another guy (don’t remember the name of his channel) said that he didn’t like anything about it aside from its handling. Moreover, one Tesla fan boy who reviewed it called it a perfect car for a housewife which just infuriated me. The list goes on and on. It just seems to me that many reviewers intentionally trying to diminish this car in every possible way. All I am saying is I just don’t understand why they are doing that.
@@kseniak5676 "called it a perfect car for a housewife which just infuriated me" - It sounds like an opportunity to prune your subscriptions. 🤣 To me this is the first EV I would potentially consider (perhaps I am a housewife 😆). There are a few items that would give me a pause: (1) Price for EVs is still high by comparison to similar ICE vehicles, (2) VW reliability, and (3) I am moving to a state where fast chargers are much sparser than where I live now (moving to Florida from California).
@@mountainhobo I live in the Carolinas and the charging stations here are also very limited, although keep growing. Honestly , I was dead set on getting an Audi Q3 this year but then I saw ID.4 at the VW dealer when I went there for an oil change and liked the car. I wasn’t looking for an EV specifically but ID.4 just happened to fit my style. VW reliability was never an issue for me as I’ve been driving my 2011 Jetta for 10 years with no issues.
I appreciate the truth about not really needing a faster charger. Some convenience comes with a 220v charger, but it's typically not needed for the average american commute. So many EV videos try to say you'll never be able to use a 110v charger because it takes 50 hours to charge. Somehow they think the average person drives 200 miles a day or something.
But if you leave your car charging slowly over the weekend... You won't be able to use it to go to places lol
@@jiayaw With my commute, I only plug into 110v every other day and I'm at >95% when I wake up for work in the morning. If I plug in Friday night after work I have a full battery for the weekend. 110v charging works well for the majority of commuters/home owners.
@@JuiceBoxScott but didn't he said you only get 3 miles charged per hour? Your commuting distance must be around 10-20 miles daily only?
MachE is more fun to drive, but the ID4 would be so practical for me.
What about vs the Koreans (Ioniq, Kia)? Perhaps they aren't available in the US yet?
I would like to see more comparisons with Gas powered cars. When a shop I am not just looking at EV's. How does this compare in ride and drive with a Mazda CX5?
Really? Who cares?
A $46500 plus destination charges ID.4 will have you paying $4503 in California State Sales @9.5% tax rate here in Los Angeles County, California.
Randy, is sales tax levied on EVs in Cali? I don't know. Here in NJ we don't pay sales tax on EVs, plus the $5k incentive just came back (sssshhhhhh! it's our secret).
I'm really liking this vehicle!
Alex you are a complete professional. I value your opinion. If there is bias in your reviews you hide it well. I loved your thoughts on why VW may have excluded a frunk. Your explanation was very logical. Great review. Well done Alex, well done. PS nix the "Alex on Auto's exclusive trunk test" you will end up throwing your back out one of these days.....
I saw a short article on Jalopnik where the author cut a piece of heavy material to size and placed it under the hood so he could store some items there such as the charging cable, etc.
My LEAF gets 4.1 miles per KWH and has a range of 250+ miles.