ID4 - what are they like?
Discussion
Wife got one 2yrs ago as a company car. We weren't specifically looking for an EV for environmental purposes or anything (you could go down a whole rabbit hole when looking at the fossil fuels consumed to make EV batteries) but she'd had a F30 330D for a few years and was time for a change - the low % BIK on an electric company car was appealing, free chargers in work, tyres & maintenance all included, and a new car on the drive - so it just seemed like a financial no-brainer. Had initially wanted the Audi Q4 but it disappeared off her company car list and when we realised the ID4 was the same MEB platform, she looked at it.
I drive it a fair bit as I work for the same firm so am on the company insurance. Plus if we're on a family day out she always asks me to drive anyway.
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
I drive it a fair bit as I work for the same firm so am on the company insurance. Plus if we're on a family day out she always asks me to drive anyway.
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
carguy45 said:
Wife got one 2yrs ago as a company car. We weren't specifically looking for an EV for environmental purposes or anything (you could go down a whole rabbit hole when looking at the fossil fuels consumed to make EV batteries) but she'd had a F30 330D for a few years and was time for a change - the low % BIK on an electric company car was appealing, free chargers in work, tyres & maintenance all included, and a new car on the drive - so it just seemed like a financial no-brainer. Had initially wanted the Audi Q4 but it disappeared off her company car list and when we realised the ID4 was the same MEB platform, she looked at it.
I drive it a fair bit as I work for the same firm so am on the company insurance. Plus if we're on a family day out she always asks me to drive anyway.
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
perfect - thanks for the review I drive it a fair bit as I work for the same firm so am on the company insurance. Plus if we're on a family day out she always asks me to drive anyway.
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
The pre '24 models have recurring complaints of SW and no backlights on the touch controls below the screen but more pragmatic people realise that they get used to the lack of lighting over time, or use the steering wheel controls, or voice.
The SW on the pre 23's has been updated to 3.7 and that seems to of sorted out the bulk of the issues but most cars have their SW foibles, the ID4 isn't immune, even my 24 plate on the later hardware with 4.2 SW has a couple of small bugs.
The pre 24's came in 2 battery sizes (52 and 77) and I think three power outputs, 150, 170 and 204hp (ish) - I test drove the 170 ish one and seemed pokey enough but between me ordering company car (Aug 23) and delivery (Mar 24) they refined the range and updated the motor, so ended up with the 286hp.
Appreciate its the newer version but I love it, rides nice, comfortable, very smooth, quick, decent leg room in the rear, good size boot etc
The SW on the pre 23's has been updated to 3.7 and that seems to of sorted out the bulk of the issues but most cars have their SW foibles, the ID4 isn't immune, even my 24 plate on the later hardware with 4.2 SW has a couple of small bugs.
The pre 24's came in 2 battery sizes (52 and 77) and I think three power outputs, 150, 170 and 204hp (ish) - I test drove the 170 ish one and seemed pokey enough but between me ordering company car (Aug 23) and delivery (Mar 24) they refined the range and updated the motor, so ended up with the 286hp.
Appreciate its the newer version but I love it, rides nice, comfortable, very smooth, quick, decent leg room in the rear, good size boot etc
carguy45 said:
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
I've had an ID3 for a year but had a ID4 for a week whilst it was in the garage. Can echo all of the above, think it's a very fair review and would agree with all of it. The early reviews of software issues have all been resolved over time with updates. I don't use the VW interface which is nt great, I just always use CarPlay.Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
carguy45 said:
Things I like - smooth, comfortable, lots of equipment, been faultlessly reliable for us after 24k miles (give or take), loads of space in the back for passengers, nippy round town and a-roads/b-roads. Good visibility all round.
Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
I've had an ID3 for a year but had a ID4 for a week whilst it was in the garage. Can echo all of the above, think it's a very fair review and would agree with all of it. The early reviews of software issues have all been resolved over time with updates. I don't use the VW interface which is nt great, I just always use CarPlay.Things I don't like - mostly tech related - usual VW complaints of haptic sensors and too much reliance on touchscreen, which can make it frustrating to find certain controls when driving. Range is never quite what it should be but that seems to be an industry-wide EV issue. Although the car has been reliable, I think the overall build quality is not what it once was for VWs - just little things, noticed rear bootlid lightbar slightly misfitted, some obvious seam welds in places that aren't hidden, etc.I can be OCD about these things, my wife didn't notice any of them.
Would I recommend one? Overall, yes. Not a hugely exciting car, but I have my M4 for that. For my wife's purposes, she loves it.
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