![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/03\/23\/PDTN\/7955bd7a-85be-4579-8d33-10bc72a216d2-vwID4_fr3-4-train.jpg?crop=2932,1787,x568,y292&width=660&height=403&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\nUnlike when the Bug hit U.S. shores over a half century ago, however, VW already has a practical ute in showrooms: the gas-powered VW Tiguan.<\/p>\n
A weekend with the ID.4 shows Tiggy has met its match in some ways: handling, torque, novelty. But not practicality.<\/p>\n
Like the Beetle, my ID.4 tester makes a pleasant first impression. Targeted at the market\u2019s biggest volume segment, it is stylish, uncluttered. Detouring from its right-angled Tiguan peer, the grille-less ID is sculpted like a sand dune. Wrapped headlights flow into rising shoulder lines\u00a0punctuated by a horizontal LED taillamp. Crouched under a narrow greenhouse on big, 20-inch wheels, my 1st Edition-trimmed model may not inspire a cute \u201cBug\u201d nickname \u2014 but it has presence.<\/p>\n
Slip inside with key in pocket and ID greets you with a Tesla-like, sci-fi vibe. Detecting my tush in seat, the VW\u2019s twin driver\/console screens flickered to life like a spaceship control room. Step on the brake pedal and ID is ready for duty.<\/p>\n That Tiguan across the showroom? Haw, you still have to press an ignition button. Dude, that\u2019s so 15 minutes ago.<\/p>\n But that Tiguan also starts at just $26,440. The ID.4 at $39,995. Oh.<\/p>\n Tesla\u2019s Model Y (and sister Model 3) debuted with shortcomings \u2014 lack of service network, poor build quality \u2014 but price was not one of them. Despite its pricey battery drivetrain, Y is priced right on top of a comparably equipped, all-wheel-drive BMW X3, for example: $52,190 vs. $52,895 for the Bimmer.<\/p>\n Add Tesla\u2019s unique operating system and ferocious acceleration, and customers flocked to the new kid on the block.<\/p>\n Load a Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S trim with comparable features and its $48,195 sticker is more in line with these luxury chariots. A comparable Tiguan SEL \u2014 panoramic roof, adaptive cruise, blind-spot assist, auto wipers, leatherette seats \u2014 will set you back just $35,040. Practical.<\/p>\n Sure, ID.4 will initially benefit from a federal $7,500 tax subsidy (Beetle never needed that) \u2014 a capped credit that Tesla has exhausted by selling over 200,000 EVs. But add the credit and my tester was $37,690 \u2014 still 4 grand north of the comparable Tiggy.<\/p>\n For that premium ID.4 delivers good ol\u2019\u00a0sporty V-dub handling.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve lamented that VW cars\u2019 sporty nature hasn\u2019t translated to its SUVs. Compared to its thrill-ride Golf GTI cousin, Tiggy is uninterested in dancing through the twisties.<\/p>\n ID.4 has inherited Golf\u2019s DNA. Volkswagen takes the inherent, low-center of gravity of ID.4\u2019s electric, MBE \u201cskateboard\u201d chassis and marries it to a rear-drive motor (Tiguan is front-drive) to create a nimble ute.<\/p>\n On a trip to Hell\u2019s devilish roads, ID had a blast despite its 4,665-pound girth (Tiguan weighs 3,757). In Sport mode, the heavy steering felt rooted in tight bends, the RWD chassis rotating confidently. When traffic interrupted my fun, 229 pound-feet of instant electric torque was on hand \u2014 ZOT! \u2014 to squirt past when a broken center line presented itself.<\/p>\n Curious, then, that V-dub holds back other unique EV features that have made rear-wheel-drive Model Ys and Mach Es so appealing. Notably absent, for example, is a frunk (\u201cfront truck\u201d) that never fails to wow EV neophytes. Instead, the front bonnet is crammed with electric hardware despite the aft-located motor.<\/p>\n This lack of extra storage is especially jarring since ID lags Tiggy in cargo space: 64.2 cubic feet vs. 65.7.<\/p>\n Inside, ID is nicely minimalist. Sans driveshaft, the console is a well of storage that includes a wireless charger. Though shy of Tesla\/Mach E\u2019s radical\u00a0tablet approach, the console and steering-column-mounted touchscreens are rich with graphics. A wee shift stalk selects gears. My kids\u2019 smartphone generation will be disappointed by the cheap voice recognition. Fortunately, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto save the day.<\/p>\n But the biggest shortcoming of EVs like ID versus peers like Tiguan is battery range.<\/p>\n As I contemplated my trip to Hell \u2014 50 miles west of my Oakland County home \u2014 range anxiety was instant. In 30-degree March temps, ID had eaten 100 miles of battery range from a full charge in two days of local driving despite only traveling 60 miles. That 60% of predicted range means VW\u2019s advertised 250-mile range is more like 150 in Midwest winters.<\/p>\n With 147 miles of range left and a 100-mile round-trip to Hell ahead (including an Ann Arbor side trip to grab my favorite Zingerman\u2019s Reuben) \u2014 I knew I couldn\u2019t make it. Tiguan never worries me with such thoughts thanks to plentiful petrol infrastructure.<\/p>\n I asked ID\u2019s nav system for charging stations en route and it turned up a long list \u2014 but the only one that made sense was a rare Electrify America super-charging station at the Novi Walmart. Other 240-volt chargers that would take hours to deliver the necessary mileage.<\/p>\n When I arrived at the EA charger, all four stalls were available. But when I plugged in, the charge card reader didn\u2019t work. Worse, the plug wouldn\u2019t disengage to start a new session using ID\u2019s remote app. I called EA\u2019s help line and the problem was fixed after 20 minutes. The good news? VW offers free EA charging for three years.<\/p>\n After another 15 minutes of charging (a 45-minute detour in all) to add 45 miles and I was on my way.<\/p>\n That extra mileage would be crucial in returning me to Oakland County for a 4 p.m.\u00a0tennis match. As I babied ID.4 up Telegraph Road with just 30 miles of charge remaining (the 130-mile trip sucked 175 miles of range), I asked the nav system for charge stations near the courts where I could add some juice.<\/p>\n The system directed me to a Telegraph Road BMW dealer. But the dealership had moved from that location four years ago.<\/p>\n Bottom line, EVs like ID.4 are niche vehicles. Install a 240-volt charger at home for daily commutes. In the EV ecosystem, the compact V-dub compares favorably to $35,000, subcompact EVs like the Chevy Bolt or Hyundai Kona. It\u2019s more affordable than luxe offerings from Tesla and Polestar.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s a long way before it can claim Beetle\u2019s practicality crown. For now, the crown\u2019s still worn by gas-swilling Tiggy.<\/p>\n Vehicle type: All-electric, rear- and all-wheel-drive,\u00a0five-passenger\u00a0compact hatchback\/SUV<\/p>\n Price: $41,190, including $1,195 destination fee\u00a0(about $45,190\u00a0for 1st Edition as tested)<\/p>\n Powerplant:\u00a077 kW lithium-ion battery pack mated to rear electric motor<\/p>\n Power: 201\u00a0horsepower,\u00a0229\u00a0pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n Transmission:\u00a0One-speed direct drive<\/p>\n Performance: 0-60 mph,\u00a07.6 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 100 mph<\/p>\n Weight:\u00a04,665\u202fpounds\u202f(as tested)<\/p>\n Fuel economy: 250-mile range<\/p>\n Report card<\/p>\n Highs: Modern, minimalist interior; settled handling despite girth<\/p>\n Lows:\u00a0Pricey compared to comparable Tiguan gas model;\u00a0sparse charging network<\/p>\n Overall:\u00a03\u202fstars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Volkswagen ID.4 comes with big expectations. \u201cFor us, psychologically, we\u2019re thinking about the ID.4 as our next Beetle,\u201d says vice president of e-mobility at Volkswagen of America, Matthew Renna. VW\u2019s first electric SUV aims to duplicate the defining trait of the German automaker\u2019s most iconic car: practicality. Unlike when the Bug hit U.S. shores […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27081"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27081"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27082,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27081\/revisions\/27082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/03\/23\/PDTN\/7ff50f5f-4f92-4a97-9257-e124c7f47db5-vwID4_console.jpg?width=660&height=372&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2021\/03\/23\/PDTN\/a97d7363-893f-43ed-964b-3d2ffc465067-vwID4_int.jpg?width=660&height=372&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
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<\/p>\n2022\u00a0Volkswagen ID.4<\/strong><\/h3>\n