2024 Volkswagen ID.4 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Drama isn’t part of the Volkswagen ID.4’s design recipe, so, like most Volkswagens, it has a conservative but timeless look that is aging well. This year, the all-wheel drive (AWD) versions have standard 20-inch wheels, an upgrade from the 19-inchers on other trims.

The lineup requires some explanation. First, there are two models: ID.4 and ID.4 Pro. The ID.4 has a 62-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, while the ID.4 Pro gets an 82-kWh battery. Next, there are two trim levels in Canada, base and S, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available on Pro models for added traction and performance. Prices range from a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $51,228 for the entry level trim to $63,228, including a destination charge of $2,100 to ship it from the Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory to your dealership. The 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 qualifies for the Canadian federal government’s EV rebate program as well as provincial and territorial programs where they exist.

In addition, every 2024 ID.4 sold in Canada comes with four years or 1,400 kWh of free DC fast charging at Electrify Canada stations.

We drove an ID.4 Pro S, so it had the larger battery pack (Pro), the higher-level trim (S), and rear-wheel drive (RWD). With extra-cost paint and the destination charge, the cost of this would come to $54,303 Canadian before any EV incentives are applied.

Inside the S trims in 2024, you can get Galaxy (black and grey) or Cosmic (white and blue) artificial leather upholstery. The standard models continue with your choice between Nutmeg/Brown and Stone/Black fabric with artificial leather bolsters.

Other changes include a new transmission shift stalk on the right of the steering column, revised steering wheel controls, available ventilated front seats, and a Harman Kardon premium sound system option. Every ID.4 Pro also gets a new 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an improved user experience. When the ID.4 went on sale in 2020, the interior was radically different from a typical car. Today, and especially to people with experience driving electric vehicles, it is less unusual. Still, quirks remain. For example, the dual-function power window controls can cause aggravation until you get used to them. Also, the ID.4 turns itself on and off, potentially adding some hassle, though there is a hidden button on the steering column allowing you to manually turn the EV on and off.

The 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 isn’t a compromised EV thanks to the new rear electric drive motor that comes on the single-motor Pro (82 kWh) models. It supplies 282 horsepower and 402 pound-feet of torque and scoots the ID.4 to 96 km/h in a claimed 5.9 seconds. That’s 1.3 seconds quicker than the 2023 model. The 62-kWh models continue to use the previous motor, making 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque.

Get the 2024 ID.4 Pro with AWD, and it adds an electric motor at the front to assist with traction when necessary. There is no connection between the front and rear motors, and each independently drives the wheels on its respective axle. With the dual-motor AWD powertrain, the ID.4 makes 335 hp with 99 at the front wheels and 402 lb-ft at the rears. According to VW, acceleration to 96 km/h takes 4.9 seconds, making the ID.4 Pro all-wheel drive models 0.8 of a second faster to that speed.

In addition, the 2024 ID.4 Pro models offer more driving range on a full charge. Official Natural Resources Canada ratings are 468 kilometres of range at 18.5 kWh/100 kilometres with RWD and 423 kilometres at 20.5 kWh/100 kilometres with AWD. The standard models with the 62-kWh battery can travel estimated 332 kilometres.

All ID.4 models are compatible with 11-kW Level 2 home charging stations. The 62-kWh battery fully recharges in 6.25 hours or less, while the 82-kWh battery tops off in eight hours or less. Visit a DC fast charger, and the 62-kWh battery pack can handle up to a 140-kW charging rate, while the 82-kWh battery accepts up to 175 kW. Volkswagen says any ID.4 can DC fast-charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes.

Our testing took place during a media event. We spent less than two hours with the ID.4 Pro S with RWD, driving in and around Pasadena, California. Therefore, we did not experience a charging-station visit. On a drive route including city, highway, and mountain road driving, the observed efficiency rate was 17.8 kWh/100 kilometres, scoring a little better than the NRCan rating. We drove the SUV in Normal mode with the Brake mode active.

Acceleration is substantially better with the new electric motor, and the ID.4 doesn’t seem breathless as velocity increases. Merging onto highways is easy, and zipping up into the mountains proved effortless. At higher speeds, more road noise filters into the cabin than is preferable.

On its 20-inch wheels and with the slot-car handling common to EVs, the ID.4 handled well on the twisty mountain roads, with steering feel and response aligned with this VW’s mission. In the city, the ID.4 has a firm ride, but it isn’t uncomfortable.

The brake pedal feels natural underfoot, always a challenge with regenerative brakes. With the regen braking mode active, you can feel it more when coasting at highway speeds than in the city. It can bring the ID.4 nearly to a stop, but it isn’t a one-pedal driving system. That’s fine, because after the novelty of one-pedal drive wears off, it’s more a game than a practical tool.

Overall, in this environment, the 2024 ID.4 Pro proved agreeable to drive. Moreover, it performs on par with its rivals, making it seem less like a compromise and more like a competitor.

Depending on the model and trim level, the changes to the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4’s interior make it easier to use and more comfortable to be in.

For starters, the transmission selector moves from a pod to the right of the digital instrumentation to a stalk on the right side of the steering wheel. The wiper controls move to the left stalk in 2024, and the lighting controls are exclusively grouped on a touch-sensing pad on the left side of the dashboard.

In addition, the touch-sensing controls on the steering wheel get minor modifications, but we still accidentally activated the heated steering wheel during our drive. The problem with these, and similar ones in other vehicles, is that it’s too easy to unintentionally turn things on or off, or change data on a screen, or make some other needlessly irritating error.

In the Pro versions of the ID.4, the new 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system aims to improve usability in 2024. It makes the climate controls more readily accessible, and the touch-sensing slider controls for volume and temperature are now illuminated at night so that you can see what you’re doing. Comfort improves, too, with the Pro S models adding new ventilated front seats this year. They’ll make it easier to live with the simulated leather upholstery in hot and muggy conditions.

Both of the ID.4’s front seats are comfortable and provide an excellent view out. Heated front seats, heated side mirrors, a heated windshield, and heated washer nozzles are standard in Canada. A heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a triple-zone climate control system are standard on S models.

Rear passengers enjoy just enough legroom and footroom, and the seating position is excellent with good thigh support and a comfortable backrest angle. Air conditioning vents, USB-C charging ports, and a small cubby enhance occupant satisfaction, and a centre armrest with cupholders folds down when a fifth passenger isn’t along for the ride.

The 60/40-split folding back seat has a centre pass-through for carrying longer items while preserving room for passengers. Behind it, the ID.4 holds 858 litres of cargo. Fold it down, and the maximum cargo-space volume is 1,818 litres. There isn’t a front trunk (frunk).

In addition to the new rear electric motor, the big news for the 2024 VW ID.4 is the 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes standard with the Pro models. In some ways, it isn’t as graphically appealing. But the user experience improves, and that’s what is important.

The new layout includes a home screen with four main data panels, quick access to all primary menu tiles with the ability to arrange them in your order of preference, and a strip of climate controls that lives at the bottom of the screen and is always visible. The volume and temperature touch-sliders are newly illuminated at night, so you can find them and use them after the sun goes down.

A new benefit to the standard navigation system is a battery preconditioning feature. During a longer trip, you can program charging station waypoints and, as you approach them, the battery will start preparing itself for a DC fast-charging session.

A nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system is also available for the first time, but only with Pro S trims.

From the larger display to its simplified user experience, the ID.4’s new infotainment system represents an improvement. We had no trouble quickly pairing an iPhone and wirelessly running Apple CarPlay, and the native environment is reasonably easy to use, especially if you take the time to customize its layout. It also incorporates gesture control, but during the limited time we had with the SUV, we forgot to give it a try.

Every ID.4 includes a free four-year subscription to two Car-Net connected service plans: Remote Access and Safe & Secure. Remote Access allows remote battery charging, climate control operation, charging station search, and roadside assistance calling from a smartphone app. Safe & Secure includes automatic crash notification and SOS emergency assistance.

You can also turn the ID.4 into a Wi-Fi hotspot with the Car-Net Hotspot service, though the trial period is much shorter on this feature at 30 days.

Every Volkswagen ID.4 has a post-collision braking system that brings the SUV to a stop as soon as possible following an accident in which the airbags deploy. This helps to prevent injury in secondary collisions after the initial impact. In addition, Volkswagen’s collection of advanced driver assistance systems is standard. The list of features is long, and includes Travel Assist and Emergency Assist.

Fortunately, we did not require Emergency Assist during our drive. It can recognize when a driver has become unresponsive due to sleep or a medical problem and can bring the ID.4 to a safe and controlled stop with the hazard lights flashing.

We did use the semi-autonomous Travel Assist feature, but only briefly. It smoothly managed following distance to traffic ahead as well as situations where another vehicle cut into the gap in front of the ID.4. The lane-centring function was accurate, too. However, a more extensive test on a wider variety of roads would be necessary to fully evaluate the technology.

In crash testing, the ID.4 earns favourable ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Evaluations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are incomplete, but in the few rated assessments the electric SUV performs well.

With competitive prices, improved performance, enhanced technology, reasonable charging times, and an impressive list of standard and available features, the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 offers good value. That’s especially true when you consider it qualifies for the Canadian federal government’s $5,000 EV rebate as well as provincial and territorial rebates where they exist.

In addition, Volkswagen supplies four years or 1,400 kWh of complimentary charging at Electrify Canada charging stations and generous Car-Net connected service trial subscriptions. So, in addition to an EV’s inherent lower costs of ownership, VW adds several sweeteners to entice buyers.

Granted, the Volkswagen ID.4 isn’t exciting to look at, thrilling to drive, or a rolling emblem of success. Neither was the original Beetle, but it went on to change mobility for the world. Still, the Bug oozed personality. The ID.4 does not.

Note: Images show a US model.