The 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 was one of the first of a new-generation of electric vehicles, but it's initial luster has waned quickly as rivals offer more range, more engaging performance and handling, better interiors and less frustrating controls, all for roughly the same money. Still, the ID.4 offers excellent in-car tech, driver aids and tons of space for people and cargo, and real-world range exceeded expectations.
* Starting MSRP of $45,095 for a 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro with single-speed automatic transmission. Prices exclude destination, taxes, title, other options, and dealer charges. Dealer sets actual price.
Three years of free 30-minute charge sessions at Electrify America stations
Part of the first ID.4 generation introduced for 2021
What is the ID.4?
The 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 is a small SUV powered by electricity. In terms of size, it fits in Volkswagen's lineup just below the compact Tiguan SUV. Despite smaller exterior dimensions than the Tiguan, the ID.4 has a similarly spacious interior. The ID.4 initially launched for 2021 with just one powertrain choice — a single electric motor that powered the rear wheels. It uses an 82-kWh battery pack and produces 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque.
Subsequently, Volkswagen added an all-wheel-drive version to the ID.4 lineup. A second motor drives the front wheels and overall horsepower rises to 302 hp. The ID.4's EPA-estimated range of 240 to 260 miles is plenty for most EV buyers, and you might be able to go even further — in Edmunds' real world range test the ID.4 went up to 288 miles on a full charge.
Since the ID.4 is a relatively new model, there's not much in the way of changes for the 2022 model. You'll be getting a spacious interior with lots of attractive surfaces and impressive tech. A 10-inch center touchscreen comes standard and a 12-inch screen is optional, providing all the modern tech aids and smartphone connectivity you'd expect. Driver safety aids such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure mitigation are standard too.
Edmunds says
When we first tested the ID.4, we were impressed by its roomy interior, modern tech and reasonable prices. You can expect the same for the 2022 model. It's an EV to consider shopping for alongside rivals such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia Niro EV and Tesla Model Y.
According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.
Estimated battery warranty remaining is 5 years or 58,000 miles for this car.
EV Tax Credits & Rebates
$7,850
Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.
Restrictions:
Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers taxpayers a Used Clean Vehicle Tax Credit equal to 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000 for the purchase of a used plug-in electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Beginning January 1, 2024, Clean Vehicle Tax Credits may be initiated and approved at the point of sale at participating dealerships registered with the IRS. Dealers will be responsible for submitting Clean Vehicle Tax Credit information to the IRS. Buyers are advised to obtain a copy of an IRS "time of sale" report, confirming it was submitted successfully by the dealer. Not every version of the vehicle models will necessarily qualify. Please check with the dealer/seller to determine the eligibility of your specific vehicle.
For the vehicle to qualify:
Price cannot exceed $25,000.
Need to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Must be at least two model years older than the current calendar year in which the vehicle was purchased.
Must be sold through a dealership, private sales not permitted.
Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022, to a qualified buyer.
For individuals to qualify:
Must meet income eligibility, depending on modified adjusted gross income (AGI) and tax filing status.
Must not be the first owner of the qualifying vehicle.
Has not been allowed a credit under this section for any sale during the 3-year period ending on the date of the sale of such vehicle.
Purchased for personal use, not a business, corporation or for resale.
Restrictions: Edmunds is partnering with Treehouse, an independent provider of home EV installation services. Edmunds visitors receive a $100 discount when they contract with Treehouse for their home charger installation. Discount excludes permit, hosted inspection, and load management devices. Valid for 30 days.
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 1st Edition 4dr SUV (electric DD)
First, this is NOT a Tesla, if your primary consideration is to compare it with a Model Y, then you may be disappointed. I bought a ID.4 First Edition. It is a wonderful compact SUV, but its primary target audience is not Tesla buyers, it is RAV4, CRV, and other small SUV buyers. When compared to that group, I feel you can't go wrong with the ID.4. You get a competent, well laid out SUV … that happens to run on electric.
Here are the positives
- Electric range is 250 miles according to the EPA, I have found in real life if you stick to the speed limits you will achieve this easily. Temperature can impact this, but I have found the range to be adequate. Using a 125KW charger at Electrify America, the vehicle can recharge from 5% to 80% in about a half hour. That gives you about 200 miles of range. As a bonus, 3 years of charging at EA stations is included free for 3 years.
- Driving, I enjoy driving this car very much. It is extremely quiet and smooth, acceleration is on par with other small SUVs. Torque is instant and will throw you back in your seat. Since the center of gravity is low, and VW includes wide tires, this vehicle handles better than you would expect. This vehicle is extremely comfortable, the seats have great padding. Cargo room is about what you would expect in a small SUV. My First Edition has a HUGE fixed moon roof that is an awesome feature.
- Operating costs are phenomenal. I live in Ohio and charging this from 5% to 80% takes about 6 hours on a level 2 charger at 40 amps. It costs about $5 and nets about 200 miles of range. At 30 MPG in a traditional SUV that would cost about $20 at $3 a gallon. *Remember you can charge at Electrify America stations for FREE. There is no real maintenance to speak of except routine inspections and air filter changes.
- Technology, here is where I take away half a star. The infotainment system and vehicle controls work well, but there is a learning curve. Don't skip the orientation at the dealership. Expect to take about two hours to go through your vehicle with the dealer. There is A LOT to learn. Once you understand how the system and controls operate, they are actually quite fun to use. Being an early release, there are some obvious improvements that need to be made. One of them is in the navigation system. It is just downright awful. It will add charging stations to your trip as needed, but they often are slow level 2 chargers and not the DC fast charging that would be a better option. While this is a big miss, you can use your choice of third party navigation apps through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Using the Plugshare app, will help you plot charging stations along your route. It is an extra step that I hope VW resolves with an upcoming update. By the way, this car is completely capable of over the air updates. Which means that no trip to the dealer is required to update the software and enable new features.
In summary, I am very pleased that I made the choice to purchase this car. It has exceeded my expectations and I actually look forward to driving it. VW did a great job and in true VW fashion, the build quality is excellent. I think this is a solid choice for someone looking for an electric suv. With the $7500 tax credit, this vehicle is an amazing value. I encourage you to put it on your list and go test drive it.
Move Over, Elon. You've Got Competition
5 out of 5 stars
Jewopaho, 05/02/2021
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 1st Edition 4dr SUV (electric DD)
We've never been VW fans. Each time we test-drove one, the vehicle fell short of the competition. However, the ID.4 not being your typical Volkswagen, we pursued a possible purchase. We drove a demo, and were impressed. The general consensus from three dealerships was that we'd have to order one to our specs online, then wait for it to be built and shipped from Germany. The fourth dealer … in the area showed one available.
By the quirk of luck, a model (1st Edition) dressed exactly as we would have ordered it was sitting on that showroom's floor. Apparently, the purchaser declined delivery, and we were able to buy it.
For starters, it doesn't look like any EV on the road ... no funny shape (looks just the same as a standard SUV) or cheesy interiors (actually borders on the upscale). Range is just over 250 miles, three years of free charging through Electrify America, $7500 tax credit (provided you owe that much on your return) ... priced fairly (MSRP $45,100, we paid $44,400).
Driving is a pleasure, smooth without being sloppy, plenty of pickup (entered the freeway with no problem), responsive handling, comfortable seating, not to mention quiet. We've also driven a Tesla Model Y ... no comparison whatsoever. If you can get to drive an ID.4, do it. You'll be impressed, too.
Update: After ten months of ownership, nothing about this vehicle has changed our opinion. It remains an outstanding EV. My wife is the primary driver, and raves about it to whomever will listen (and some folks who won't). We have a 220/240 setup in the garage, so charging is not an issue. No regrets about the purchase.
My Favorite Of ALL Car's I've Owned
5 out of 5 stars
Lee Rothman, 06/21/2021
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S (Statement) 4dr SUV (electric DD)
Considering I've owned 17 new cars since 1969, some of which were premium vehicles. I have certainly had the experience of quality in my driving career. For 10 years I traveled 17 states for a living from Ohio to the West Coast in a 1994 Volvo 850, a superb vehicle for comfort and safety. I never fully intended to visit the idea of ID4 ownership until I happened into my dealer with a … 2020 Tiguan SEL, another fine vehicle. I was however getting very tired of shelling out for gas with the prices steadily rising.
So lets get to the meat of the matter. I took the test drive and found the following. The ride quality and ability to absorb road defects was the finest I have had the opportunity to experience including all of what Honda, Nissan, Mazda and Toyota have to offer having driven them recently. Here's another kicker. The seats were by far the finest I've sat in no matter HOW much the vehicles cost and I'm talking up to $80k cars and SUV's I've checked out along the way. They are so comfortable and adjustable beyond compare. The Infotainment system is much criticized but let me just say that once you've seen a few good Youtube video's on how to customize and use it, it's a breeze, and the sound is darned good for not being a super premium system. The details it provides on the car and all the settings you can customize is staggering but welcome. Another thing that in noted almost immediately was the choice of materials used inside and fit and finish are top flight as in a luxury vehicle. That sure won me over. Every aspect of the vehicles design and operation from the mechanics to the seats and storage is classic German engineering, not the plasticky Japanese inspired stuff. I love the nice 19" tires of my Pro S which also came with about all the added features you can get. The suspension is also remarkable in it's suppleness and also the shear flat handling in corners at speeds which I was not used to. All the safety features work so well I was able to go 30 miles on a rural highway without touching a pedal. The wonderful Adaptive Cruise allowed me to effortlessly follow a car in front of me at a very good distance, and when we came to reduced speed corners my vehicle slowed perfectly to negotiate the turns. I LOVE that brake regenerative mode to drive as I rarely need to touch the brake. It is smooth and NOT abrupt like some seem to think it should be. NO thanks this is great. All the lighting and adaptive front lights keep up with the latest in safety and competency for night driving scenarios. I love the beefy, solid and tight steering wheel and love it's accuracy with NO slop. Closing the doors provide that wonderful solid bank vault type of thunk. The auto up and down back hatch is also a real delight. Storage space is simply outstanding and the hidden compartments are a real joy as well being so cleverly applied. All in all this vehicle is flat out fun to drive and I can't wait to get into it and go somewhere. I'm using only the supplied 110v charging cord and it's all I need as we often don't go anywhere for several days at a time so it's perfect, no need for a Level 2 charging system. I can only say to drive this vehicle is to love it. It rides and handles like a dream.
Update: Regret ID 4.
5 out of 5 stars
Matt R, 04/26/2021
2021 Volkswagen ID.4 1st Edition 4dr SUV (electric DD)
August 4, 2023:
Oh, how badly things ended up with our ID4. After the initial excitement and wonder of our first EV, things started getting weird. The infotainment was extremely sluggish. In Texas heat, having to wait 20 seconds to be able to turn on or adjust the AC was brutal. Voice commands were a joke. Our first issue was cruise control not working. I finally theorized it might be … because the cars front sensors were dirty. We washed the car, it started working again. Wow.
Then the car began shutting down at driving/highway speeds with no warning. Talk about scary/dangerous. This happened at least 5 times over the course of our ownership across 2 drivers. There would be times the car would not recognize the key fob (after changing battery) resulting in getting stranded, having to walk away from car, wait a few minutes and it miraculously worked again.
Our local dealer literally did not have the knowledge or tools to complete the recalls on the vehicle. We finally had to drive it to Dallas (with the issues) to get it done. The final straw for me was hearing it had a recall on the door handles which can fly off -- but there was no available fix yet for our model. (not to mention the recall had to perform promised OTA updates that actually take 18 hours plugged in at a dealer -- and bad cells in the battery).
We traded for another vehicle. I probably should have pursued compensation from VW but as two working owners, we just don't have the time to be without a vehicle or the energy to dispute. We lost money on this for sure. I do NOT recommend this vehicle.
We were looking to get out of an expensive finance mistake and ended up leasing a 1st edition ID4. We already have a VW Beetle and know that VW is a great brand and has always offered us an affordable option but with a focus on driver experience and affordable tech plus compared to other vehicles maintenance cost has always been great.
The ID4 feels like a luxury vehicle in the 1st edition trim. Seats are extremely comfortable. We drove 365 miles on the highway from the dealer and found it to be very quiet, adequately powerful and fun to drive. The safety and tech features are top notch.
We of course had range anxiety due to our distance from purchasing dealer but we were pleasantly surprised. Electrify America stations did give us a couple of issues (some were because of operator error) but their support line has a human answer the call within 1-2 minutes, amazing! We made it home with no worries and are already planning next mini road trip.
Visibility on front windshield is superb. Panoramic moonroof (viewing only no open) is amazing. GREAT storage for drinks / flexibility of moving storage holders for big cups etc. Wireless charging is a plus. Android Auto & Apple Car Play. USB-C plugs. Motorized trunk opening/closing.
Hard to talk about long term range yet due to new ownership. I would say this vehicle feels next get but is still enough like a regular crossover SUV that it is not a drastic change. I don't want to attract too much attention personally. My only complaint so far is the infotainment system seems to have too many options. I also personally like traditional buttons and knobs for climate control / radio. There is a volume "slider" and temp up and down buttons but most of the ac controls are on the screen. We will get used to it. Minor complaint. I would prefer it to have a spare tire but I know most vehicles are moving to eliminate that as well.
All in all, this feels like a high-end affordable electric vehicle. We are optimistic that charging infrastructure will continue to improve in Texas. For now, it does have our most travelled routes places like El Paso, Midland, DFW and then El Paso, San Antonio, Austin. I would highly recommend this vehicle.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4, so we've included reviews for other years of the ID.4 since its last redesign.
Best Electric Cars Right Now | Ranking the Tesla Model Y, Porsche Taycan, Rivian R1T — More
Electric cars, or EVs, are all the rage these days. And with more and more automakers debuting new electric cars seemingly each week, it's safe to say that the electric revolution is beginning. But which EV is best? In this video, Ryan ZumMallen from Edmunds runs down our list of the very best electric vehicles and what makes each one great. From electric SUVs, like the VW… ID.4 and the Ford Mustang Mach E to electric sedans like Mercedes EQS to the Rivian R1T electric truck. There's also a few Tesla models throughout this list. This is our video for the Best Electric Cars Right Now.
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