The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro will be Volkswagen's first fully electric offering in Singapore and takes the form of an electric SUV that will usher in a whole host of electric vehicles in the coming years. Sharing the same rear wheel drive platform as the Skoda Enyaq, the ID.4 Pro will go up against popular electric SUVs such as the BMW iX3 and the Hyundai Ioniq. The car has an electric range of up to 460km on a full charge and features clever storage design through its centre console, along with other features such as a panoramic glass roof, instrument cluster directly mounted on the steering column, regenerative braking, adaptive cruise control, as well as plenty of space for rear passengers.
Uniquely Proportioned
It's probably no secret that the design of the new Volkswagen ID.4 takes a little bit of getting used to. Designed in line with the new styling language of VW's upcoming all electric ID range, the ID.4 is a uniquely proportioned car that is bulbous at first glance, and much rounder than its closest petrol powered counterpart - the Tiguan. It takes a little while, but the car begins to rub off on you after a couple of days when you begin to associate the roundedness of the vehicle with a sort of abundance or bountifulness. It's hard to see the distinct features on our livery covered test car, but the ID.4 looks very premium once seen in its standard paint job.
While not traditional beautiful like the Skoda Enyaq, a car that it shares its platform and its drivetrain with, the ID.4 is a rather imposing car, and definitely catches the eye in a crowded carpark. With its prominent face, a beautiful rear light bar, and large 21 inch wheels, the ID.4 feels like the more premium car, by virtue of its more differentiated design. If you consider how modern EVs today are beginning to sport more drastic design features, it is a good thing that the ID.4 is quite uniquely styled - a sign that it's design should continue to feel relevant over the course of the next few years.
Well Built Interior
This uniquely designed exterior is met with an extremely well built interior - a hallmark of all VW cars in my opinion. As with most VW cars, the interior isn't overly done, and there are subtle hints of utilitarianism, but in the ID range of cars, VW have indeed designed a new interior, which really does elevate the interior and set it apart from VW's current crop of cars. There is a clean, futuristic vibe to the cabin that is accentuated by the newly applied toggle shifter up where the driver's instrument display is, giving the impression that you are operating a spaceship rather than a car.
In the improvements made to the ID.4 that have elevated the look and feel of the interior, it is nice to know that the VW design DNA is still very much intact in the cabin - somehow, you instantly know you're in a VW without having to give it conscious thought. It could be the clean and uncluttered design, it could be the beauty in its simplicity, or it could just be the awesome ergonomics - All of which are traits that I feel have become synonymous with VW interiors over the past few years. Space utilisation is also great, and rear passengers have a generous amount of legroom to stretch out and enjoy the ride. In place of a traditional centre console armrest, the driver gets a dedicated armrest in the ID.4, which I think is great, and works really well on longer journeys - making the driver's seat in the ID.4 one of the best i've sat in this year.
Direct & Driver Oriented
While built on the same platform and with the same drivetrain as the Skoda Enyaq, the ID.4 actually drives quite differently. Steering is generally much more direct, and the car feels sharper in its response to driver inputs, making the ID.4 a much more driver oriented car to operate than the Enyaq. Perhaps due to the larger wheels, road feel is also more pronounced, and the driver gets a clearer sense of what is going on beneath. This however, does come at a small price to overall comfort, as the Enyaq is objectively the more comfortable family car.
Armed with 201 bhp and 310Nm of torque, the ID.4 is powerful off the line for such a large car, and feels extremely brisk and light on its feet around town. 0-100km/h is achieved in a respectable 8.5 seconds, and the usage of the 77 kWh battery seems to be well balanced between power delivery and the ID.4's claimed range of up to 460km on a single charge. This configuration makes the ID.4 a vehicle that is easy to operate around town and in start stop traffic, while provisioning enough range for a longer distance family road trip up to Malaysia and beyond.
Who will it Appeal to?
Though indicative pricing has not been released, it does seem that the Id.4's key internal market would be Tiguan owners who wish to go electric while keeping to an SUV format. The interior space is actually larger than the Tiguan in my opinion, and would definitely satisfy that particular demographic. That said, comparisons between the Enyaq and the ID.4 will definitely find its way to the forefront. Between the two, consumers who prefer sharper and more direct handling should opt for the ID.4, while consumers who prioritise comfort would do better with the Enyaq.
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