Volkswagen revealed its first electric SUV, the ID.4, last week and within 24 hours the brand’s USA website had crashed due to customers trying to order it.

It will go on sale in Europe later this year, will also be built and sold in China and the US, with hopes it will come to New Zealand late 2021.

“The ID.4 is an emotional all-rounder which will impress many customers with its efficient electric drive, a generous amount of space, modern assist systems and powerful design,” says Volkswagen’s  Chief Executive Officer, Ralf Brandstätter.

“As the first global electric car, this model will roll out our modular electric drive matrix platform that has been developed specifically for electric mobility the world over. Volkswagen is thus once again demonstrating its leading role in innovation, technology and quality on the high-volume market.”

The ID.4 is an all-round talent that can be driven in a sporty, yet also an easy and comfortable way. The battery stores up to 77 kWh of energy (net) and enables range of up to 520 km (WLTP). 

It is installed below the passenger compartment which guarantees a low centre of gravity. The electric drive motor, positioned at the rear axle, generates 150kW and delivers a top speed of 160 km/h. 

Only a few motoring writers had the chance to drive a prototype and here are their opinions.

Car Advice

The Aussie website had a first drive and gave it 8.5/10.

“Volkswagen says the early build prototype is not quite representative of the production version, but by the look of its excellent panel fit and well-built interior, it’s very close on quality and general finish to what we can expect to see when UK deliveries get underway before the end of the year.

With the battery mounted down low, the ID.4 benefits from a much lower centre of gravity than typical combustion engine SUVs of similar dimensions. The chassis, featuring MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear, is similar in design to that of the ID.3, and comes with optional adaptive damping control.

There’s a measured rear-wheel-drive fluency to the handling, which is characterised by excellent lateral body control, strong grip and excellent traction in sport mode.

Hit the starter button hidden on the steering column trim – at which a chime signals the electric powertrain is primed – then twist the gear selector mounted on the end of the instrument panel. One notch forward gets you the standard drive mode, while two notches selects the battery mode, at which point stronger brake energy regeneration is triggered for added energy harvesting when you lift off the throttle and under braking. It’s the same controller used by the ID.3, proving simple and straightforward from the outset.

Further drive modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual – alter the characteristics of the steering, throttle, powertrain and adaptive damping.

We’re driving the most powerful of the rear-wheel-drive ID.4 models here. With 310Nm of torque on tap from the very moment you nudge the throttle, it is brilliantly responsive. It has instant performance – the kind that is sufficiently strong to whip you up to posted urban limits with all but a fleeting application of the right foot in each of its three driving modes – and excellent traction.”

Driving Electric

“The good news is that the Volkswagen ID.4 is great to drive – there's some lean in corners, but the steering feels precise and there's little sense from the driver's perspective of the car's considerable 2.2-tonne weight, thanks mainly to the low centre of gravity afforded by the under-floor batteries.

Performance is brisk, with a 0-100km/h time of 8.5 seconds and 310Nm of torque on tap at any speed. A tight turning circle of 10.2 metres is welcome in a large car such as this, too.

Our time with the ID.4 was long enough to get an idea of the car's interior and its new infotainment system, which itself operates on a large central touchscreen. We found the system to be less than intuitive, feeling a little clunky and complex – although this could well be refined for launch. A smaller readout in front of the driver features, while the augmented-reality head-up display on our test car was functional, offering overlayed stopping-distance and sat-nav information. 

It's practical inside, with lots of space for passengers, a flat floor for great rear legroom and a large boot. Another practicality consideration for most buyers will be the claimed range – depending on spec, the ID.4 boasts can go between 350km and 520km on a charge, with 125kW rapid-charging capability allowing you to top back up again quickly.”

Auto Express UK

Andreas May also tested the prototype.

“Sitting alongside us in our very lightly disguised ID.4 prototype is Dimitri Asmus, the engineer responsible for signing off the final production version of this new electric SUV. His last project before this was thee Mk7 Golf R, something we immediately pay attention to, given that he describes the way the ID.4 drives as “quite sporty”.

It can tackle as much light off-roading as you’d expect from an SUV of this size: dirt tracks, sandy surfaces and stony slopes, that sort of thing. However, it’s when we try the new electric VW on the test track that we find its biggest strength: that it’s great to drive.

With 310Nm of torque sent to the rear wheels, the front axle gets on exclusively with the job of steering, completely detached from the risk of torque steer. There’s a bit of body lean, as to be expected with an SUV. However, the ID.4 feels precise, and it’s much lighter and nimbler than its official kerbweight suggests … It moves off at a decent pace, too. 

We’re told that VW brand boss Ralf Brandstaetter has responded to early criticism of the ID.3 hatchback’s interior plastics with the ID.4. That’s because while the ID.3 can get away with a few hard edges in Europe, the ID.4 SUV is going to be the first global ID model, with launches planned in China and the US. 

As a result, the ID.4’s design is heavily inspired by the ID.3’s, but the plastics are softer and of higher quality. The augmented reality head-up display makes its debut here too, and it’s impressive. The infotainment (an optional 12in system in our prototype) remains a mixed bag to operate, though.”