We obtained the possibility to drive the brand new 2024 ID.4 and located a formidable quantity of adjustments from final mannequin yr – no less than on the 82kWh model.
The 2024 ID.4 is only a new mannequin yr, however with the quantity of adjustments that VW has made, it looks like a mid-cycle refresh. We don’t normally go to drive occasions for particular person mannequin yr enhancements, however after driving this one, it positively had sufficient adjustments to make the drive worthwhile.
That mentioned – all of those adjustments are ONLY on the larger battery 82kWh model. The 62kWh base mannequin ID.4 is precisely the identical as final yr’s mannequin, although has acquired a worth bump from final yr, which began 2023 at a worth of $37,495, then obtained a $1,500 worth hike mid-year, and has been bumped additional in 2024 as much as $39,735 earlier than vacation spot charges.
The VW ID.4 does at the moment qualify for the total $7,500 US federal EV tax credit score – the one automobile made by a overseas automaker to qualify, as a result of native manufacturing in Chattanooga, Tennessee – and the credit score is now accessible upfront on the level of sale. This makes the 62kWh model fairly enticing at a ~$32k base worth after credit score.
However since we’re speaking concerning the 82kWh model, we must always speak about that base worth as an alternative. The 2024 with the adjustments we noticed begins at $44,875, which remains to be in step with the entry worth of most of the different EVs out in the present day (Ioniq 5 $42k, Mannequin Y $44k, and so on.). And once more, the 82kWh ID.4 does additionally qualify for the total federal tax credit score, bringing the value right down to ~$38k.
So, what are all these massive adjustments?
A greater rear motor means extra energy and extra effectivity
Amongst different issues, the 82kWh ID.4 is extra highly effective and extra environment friendly, as a result of an improved rear motor. The entrance motor stays the identical, so RWD fashions will acquire extra enchancment than AWD fashions.
The RWD is now 282hp with 402 lb-ft of torque, whereas the AWD is 335hp with 99lb-ft within the entrance and 402lb-ft within the rear.
This brings RWD 0-60 instances to five.9 seconds, down from 7.7, and AWD 0-60 is at 4.9 seconds, down from 5.7.
However not solely does it have extra energy, it’s additionally extra environment friendly – a uncommon feat. Extra effectivity implies that the identical measurement battery can go farther, so the 2024 RWD ID.4 now has 291 miles of EPA-estimated vary, up from 275, and the AWD model has 263 miles, up from 255.
As for the drive expertise of the ID.4, we drove the brand new RWD model on a foggy and chilly day on the Angeles Crest Freeway and it felt completely… acceptable. The ID.4 is targeted on being extra of an everyman’s automobile, not a sportscar. So it delivered a snug drive, with the facility required for snug driving duties.
It dealt with properly on the twisty highway we took it on, although the tires did appear to be working exhausting. Like most EVs, the ID.4 exhibited little or no physique roll round corners as a result of a low middle of gravity from the battery positioned low within the automobile.
Energy was as a lot as a standard driver would wish, and energy supply is {smooth} reasonably than punchy. I do are inclined to favor a extra punchy energy supply, and actually dislike when automakers construct a delay into throttle response, however the ID.4 doesn’t really feel laggy (in contrast to the Blazer EV or Fisker Ocean that I’ve pushed just lately).
Like different VW Group EVs (together with Audi, Porsche and so on.), the ID.4 will not be actually able to one-pedal driving, no less than to not the diploma of EVs with stronger regen like Tesla, Leaf and Bolt.
Placing the automobile in “B” mode does allow some quantity of regenerative braking, which we have been capable of get to decelerate the automobile right down to 5mph even whereas happening a hill. Nonetheless, the regen was nonetheless fairly mild, and I discovered myself reaching for the brake pedal when getting into flowing canyon corners, whereas in different EVs I might merely let off the accelerator to get the braking I needed.
I stay satisfied that VW wants to extend regenerative braking power on its EVs – and in speaking to VW representatives on the occasion, it appears like they’ve been listening to the identical elsewhere and should lastly be contemplating doing so.
I wouldn’t contemplate both of those points significantly galling (properly, possibly the regen one, as a result of I’ve been one-pedal driving for 15 years now), however they’re points that might simply be fastened by permitting clients to pick out completely different drive modes based mostly on their preferences.
And the ID.4 does have drive modes (ECO, consolation, sport, and “customized” the place you possibly can combine and match), however we felt little or no distinction between these modes. I want to see them differentiate extra between the modes – choices for considerably heavier steering , punchier throttle, stronger regen, and so on.
The largest change I may discover is that these completely different modes do change the colour of the UI, so, I assume you possibly can decide your drive mode based mostly on whether or not you want crimson, blue, or a-slightly-different-blue as your UI accent coloration.
Now that we’re speaking concerning the UI, the 2024 mannequin has a considerably improved person interface, which we have been fairly impressed with.
Massive UI adjustments vastly enhance person expertise
I’m a troublesome buyer relating to any form of digital person interface. I’ve mentioned many instances that almost all automotive UIs are horrible, except for the EV startups. And most automakers appeared to have given up on making usable infotainment programs, as an alternative ceding that work to Apple or Google with CarPlay and Android Auto. The ID.4 does include each programs, and in case you like these programs, you possibly can go forward and hold utilizing them.
However VW made fairly just a few adjustments to its base person interface, and these are welcome. The display is now 12.9 inches as an alternative of 12 inches, although a lot of the new house is taken up by a persistent local weather management show, giving entry to fan pace controls and cut up temperature controls for driver and passenger. It additionally permits operation of the ventilated seats, that are new for the 2024 mannequin.
Temperature and quantity controls are additionally accessible with a bodily contact bar beneath the show. This contact bar is now illuminated within the 2024 mannequin, as within the earlier mannequin it was exhausting to see at evening.
VW up to date its EV route planner for the 2024 mannequin, which may now embrace as much as 10 charging stops on a route, and takes under consideration each Electrify America stations and others (although no NACS but, however we count on that’s coming quickly™).
To make use of it, you simply enter a vacation spot and the automobile will plan your cost stops for you, telling you the place to cease, for a way lengthy, will mechanically precondition the battery to optimize charging instances, and can replace reside to point out you what number of free chargers there are on the cease (although that is in tiny font, in darkish gray on a lightweight gray background – extra visibility could be higher on this UI characteristic).
Whereas we didn’t get to check quick charging (which is as much as 175kW on the 2024 mannequin, up from 170kW earlier than), the route planning perform labored extraordinarily shortly, planning out a protracted multi-stop route in solely a pair seconds – even faster than Tesla’s system does it.
And you’ll customise the settings, telling your automobile to make sure you don’t go below a sure proportion whereas driving or that you’ve got no less than a specific amount of vary at your vacation spot (e.g. in case you’re touring to a spot you gained’t have in a single day charging at). One UI display tells you an estimate of how briskly you’d cost in case you charged proper now, so whereas we don’t know the precise cost curve of the automobile simply but, you will get a way of it by taking a look at this display.
One other related charging-related change is that the ID.4 only in the near past (lastly) obtained plug & cost. This was rolled out to 2023 fashions on Electrify America stations simply final month, however the 2024 mannequin will be capable of use Plug & Cost on non-EA stations as properly. Plug & Cost is the title of a characteristic that means that you can simply plug right into a DC cost station and stroll away with out having to open any apps or swipe any playing cards or something – an identical expertise to utilizing a Tesla Supercharger.
UI controls have been moderately responsive basically, partially as a result of up to date processing pace and reminiscence for the infotainment system (although it’s nonetheless not buttery-smooth as you’d count on from an iPad, which frankly is the bar that each one automakers ought to aspire to), although the structure of sub-menus was generally complicated and exhausting to seek out issues in. This may in all probability go away with some expertise, however we did skip over just a few of the sub menus we have been in search of as a result of being named with generic-sounding headings like “primary features.”
The software program enhancements on this automobile are notable, provided that VW has had some issue with EV software program timelines prior to now. Its Cariad software program unit, created in 2020 to enhance EV software program points and ship over-the-air updates to autos (principally, to make VW’s software program extra Tesla-like), has had issues getting up to the mark, to the purpose the place the unit’s difficulties reportedly have been a big contributor to former CEO Herbert Diess’ departure. In October, the corporate tapped some EV startup veterans to attempt to repair these issues.
And another small bodily adjustments have been made, like a slight relocation of the PRND degree for higher visibility, and shifting the hazard button downward barely, as a result of beforehand it was simple to by chance press it when reaching for the touchscreen (as identified by Electrek‘s very personal Michelle Lewis, who owns an ID.4 herself).
A ChatGPT-enabled voice assistant in your ID.4
One characteristic that we discovered to be fairly cool was the brand new ChatGPT-enabled voice assistant perform. VW says it’s the “first quantity producer to make this modern expertise an ordinary characteristic in autos from the compact phase upwards,” although we’ve seen a beta of one thing related from Mercedes.
That is an extension of VW’s “IDA” (get it? it seems to be like “ID.4”) voice assistant, who may be referred to as up by urgent a steering wheel button or saying “hey IDA.” It permits management over a formidable set of auto features, which you’ll be able to see a partial record of by digging via the IDA menus. All of that is theoretically accessible via pure language search, so that you don’t must say particular catchphrases, however you possibly can simply speak to your automobile and he or she’ll work out what you’re in search of.
In observe, although we didn’t use it extensively, it did moderately properly at understanding our that means, although it wasn’t 100% correct. There have been positively instances that we needed to restate or rephrase our inquiries to get a great reply out of the voice assistant, however that’s one thing we’ve all sadly come to count on out of these kinds of programs. By way of voice recognition it was fast and fairly correct, and the wide selection of issues that it might do was higher than different voice assistant programs we’ve seen in vehicles.
However possibly the best side of the IDA system is that you just don’t must name it IDA. You may the truth is name it something you need, by altering the “wake phrase” in software program. Behold!
(to VW: I’m sorry, your voice assistant is definitely fairly good and didn’t deserve the abusive title, I’m only a little one)
Actually, it is a characteristic that I simply love. It’s such a easy factor to have the ability to change the wake phrase, nevertheless it makes a lot sense, particularly in an automotive context.
On the one hand it allows dumb jokes like mine above, however alternatively it’s a real enchancment (e.g. if somebody in your house is known as Ciri, or in case you ever speak “seriously” about something, it may be complicated to have an Apple machine round), and it dovetails fairly properly with the already-existing societal development of individuals naming their vehicles. Now you possibly can truly title your automobile one thing, and it’ll reply to that title!
If nothing else, it’s an incredible crowd pleaser, and it labored inside moments the primary time we tried it. Any VW vendor who desires to promote a automobile, simply sit the shopper down inside and present them a demo of this one characteristic and also you’ll certainly shock and delight them.
Conclusion and availability
Regardless of the tendency of VW Group EVs to make some “secure” selections (like no one-pedal driving), in step with their considerably conventional stance so far as automakers go, I discovered myself saying “oh, that’s cool” a variety of instances throughout our fast couple hours with the automobile, largely associated to the varied UI enhancements made. They appear to have accomplished a stable job right here.
The truth is, there’s so many adjustments that I even requested VW if it could be applicable to name this a mid-cycle refresh, significantly provided that the automobile is ~3 years previous now. They mentioned no, as a result of normally these contain some form of change to the outside sheet steel of the automobile (the one exterior adjustments are wheels – 20in on the AWD entry degree, and 21in on the AWD/RWD S Plus trim), however that the 2024 is certainly a “sturdy” mannequin yr replace.
And, as soon as once more, all of those adjustments are solely on the costlier 82kWh model, not the bottom mannequin 62kWh model. This can be a bit disappointing, as a result of VW did tout the 62kWh’s enticing entry worth in its presentation to us, although all the new options are gated behind a $5,140 improve to a bigger battery which many purchasers simply don’t want.
However, possibly these adjustments will migrate down the mannequin vary when the true mid-cycle refresh comes, maybe in one other yr or two. We will hope, anyway.
Regardless, massive upgrades right here. In case you have been contemplating getting an ID.4 already, you may be even happier on the worth proposition as soon as the 2024s hit dealerships, which occurs in March.
In case you’d like, you need to use our hyperlinks to contact your native sellers concerning the 2024 VW ID.4, and get your self in line for once they’re delivered on this coming month.
