I bought a Volkswagen ID.4 about a week ago, as my wife's primary driver. It's an interesting take on the i3.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is rear wheel drive (there's an AWD version coming this summer). As such, it lacks the torque steer that turned me off from buying a Kia eNiro. It also shares a similar, almost identical turning circle. The ID.4 is two feet longer than the i3, but the wheelbase is only 8 inches longer. The big 20" wheels on the ID.4 very much remind me of the 19" turbine wheels on my i3. Thankfully VW spec'd standard sized tires.
Like the i3, it's got about 200 HP. But it also has 1200 or so more pounds, and a softer ride, which is good for comfort, but it wallows like a spritely hippopotamus when maneuvering. Not awful, but not sport-oriented, more mini van-esq. It's no back road carver, but then again, neither is my i3. It's definitely energetic to drive, and super smooth and quiet in the cabin (which, like the i3, feels airy and spacious).
Like the i3, it has a sunshade. Ok, that and a big-assed glass roof. But I mention it because we also looked at the Polestar2, and it has a similar all-glass roof, but no shade, same as Tesla, same as Mach-e. That sun shade is practical and was a big consideration. And since I mentioned Polestar, the ID.4 also has a flat floor, for comfortable 3-across seating in the back, no "transmission tunnel" battery storage compartment, which was kind of lame.
Like the i3, the ID.4 has a small driver-centered display mounted to the steering column, and a larger main center display. Unlike the i3, VW's implementation is touch screen, has an excellent wireless Android Auto execution that's sort of "window in window" so other car functions are still available. VW styled their drive selector very much like the i3, except that there are two drive modes based on if you want no or a little regenerative braking on pedal lift-off (and if more regen is desired, the brake pedal provides "blended braking" where max regen is achieved and mixed with hydraulic braking as necessary). So, yeah... getting a bit of hate on that decision, kind of like the i3 does.
Like the i3, there is a windshield mounted camera tasked with ACC, pedestrian and collision detection, and speed limit sign reading. Unlike the i3, the ACC is enhanced with radar hidden IN the bumper facia (literally invisible from the exterior!) and let me say, Volkswagen did this right. It's incredibly smooth, approaches traffic ahead while gradually tapering off speed, doesn't freak out if a car cuts the gap ahead, and bonus, does a good job steering the car on the highway if activated, no TJA / Quidzel silliness.
Like the i3, it has a battery. About 87 kWh useable vs. the 28 kWh in my i3. And for that, it gets about 250 miles vs. my 130 miles. The ID.4 isn't the most efficient EV, looking at about 3 mi/kWh but we're still feeling it out. On my 16A L2 charger that pumps 10% into my i3 per hour, the ID.4 only recuperates 4.5%. I need to get busy installing my 40A EVSE.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is a similar hatchback design with a cargo cover that hangs on strings and lifts with the tailgate. But in this case, it's a motorized liftgate with a kick sensor.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is not a wagon nor a sedan. And that's noteworthy to me only because my previous 5 cars have all been wagons, and my wife's previous six cars have all been 4-door sedans. So these two cars represent a break from tradition with both of us.
There you have it. I mean, there's more, but that's all the i3-related stuff I can think of.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is rear wheel drive (there's an AWD version coming this summer). As such, it lacks the torque steer that turned me off from buying a Kia eNiro. It also shares a similar, almost identical turning circle. The ID.4 is two feet longer than the i3, but the wheelbase is only 8 inches longer. The big 20" wheels on the ID.4 very much remind me of the 19" turbine wheels on my i3. Thankfully VW spec'd standard sized tires.
Like the i3, it's got about 200 HP. But it also has 1200 or so more pounds, and a softer ride, which is good for comfort, but it wallows like a spritely hippopotamus when maneuvering. Not awful, but not sport-oriented, more mini van-esq. It's no back road carver, but then again, neither is my i3. It's definitely energetic to drive, and super smooth and quiet in the cabin (which, like the i3, feels airy and spacious).
Like the i3, it has a sunshade. Ok, that and a big-assed glass roof. But I mention it because we also looked at the Polestar2, and it has a similar all-glass roof, but no shade, same as Tesla, same as Mach-e. That sun shade is practical and was a big consideration. And since I mentioned Polestar, the ID.4 also has a flat floor, for comfortable 3-across seating in the back, no "transmission tunnel" battery storage compartment, which was kind of lame.
Like the i3, the ID.4 has a small driver-centered display mounted to the steering column, and a larger main center display. Unlike the i3, VW's implementation is touch screen, has an excellent wireless Android Auto execution that's sort of "window in window" so other car functions are still available. VW styled their drive selector very much like the i3, except that there are two drive modes based on if you want no or a little regenerative braking on pedal lift-off (and if more regen is desired, the brake pedal provides "blended braking" where max regen is achieved and mixed with hydraulic braking as necessary). So, yeah... getting a bit of hate on that decision, kind of like the i3 does.
Like the i3, there is a windshield mounted camera tasked with ACC, pedestrian and collision detection, and speed limit sign reading. Unlike the i3, the ACC is enhanced with radar hidden IN the bumper facia (literally invisible from the exterior!) and let me say, Volkswagen did this right. It's incredibly smooth, approaches traffic ahead while gradually tapering off speed, doesn't freak out if a car cuts the gap ahead, and bonus, does a good job steering the car on the highway if activated, no TJA / Quidzel silliness.
Like the i3, it has a battery. About 87 kWh useable vs. the 28 kWh in my i3. And for that, it gets about 250 miles vs. my 130 miles. The ID.4 isn't the most efficient EV, looking at about 3 mi/kWh but we're still feeling it out. On my 16A L2 charger that pumps 10% into my i3 per hour, the ID.4 only recuperates 4.5%. I need to get busy installing my 40A EVSE.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is a similar hatchback design with a cargo cover that hangs on strings and lifts with the tailgate. But in this case, it's a motorized liftgate with a kick sensor.
Like the i3, the ID.4 is not a wagon nor a sedan. And that's noteworthy to me only because my previous 5 cars have all been wagons, and my wife's previous six cars have all been 4-door sedans. So these two cars represent a break from tradition with both of us.
There you have it. I mean, there's more, but that's all the i3-related stuff I can think of.
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