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2023 Volkswagen ID4 AWD First Drive: Are We Happy, Now?

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7S POWER

VW has made exclusive changes to the U.S. market 2023 ID4 EV SUV, which is now assembled in Tennessee.

Justin Westbrook | Writer, MT. Manufacturer | Photographer
Oct 12, 2022

The 2023 Volkswagen ID4 all-electric SUV is now assembled in Chattanooga, Tenn., just in time for the federal government's landmark
Inflation Reduction Act that requires localized material sourcing and production for EVs to qualify for new incentives.

The U.S. ID4 didn't just change its address, it also comes with a slew of feature and capability updates that the European and Chinese
markets won't get. It now comes with more powertrain options, new colors, an updated interior, light-up VW logos, as well as an all-new
entry-level model at a lower price point.

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What's New With The U.S.-Built ID4?
The major update to the ID4 lineup for the U.S. in 2023 is the newly-introduced, smaller 62 kWh (58 kWh usable) battery pack size, which is available on the RWD Standard and RWD S models. The single rear motor powertrain setup maintains 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque,
the compromise comes with range, which falls to 209 miles—a drop of around 40 miles, depending on trim, compared to the 82-kWh battery offering. The new model lowers the entry point for the ID4 model range, which now starts at $38,790 before incentives.

The ID4 Standard features minimal badging, a metal panel roof instead of glass, it lacks an illuminated front light bar and LED projector
headlights, and it swaps the otherwise standard 20-inch wheels for 19s. The biggest cosmetic change beyond the paint and wheels in
the ID4 updates is the new rear VW badge, which lights up red now on all but the base models.

Change Is Good
Considering the upgrades to the 2023 ID4 are mostly either cosmetic or have minimal impact on performance, our driving impressions aren't
much different from the previous ID4s we've tested. That's to say, the ID4 offers a very comfortable and smooth ride, with adequate acceleration and tight handling, in a comfortable package with tons of standard features.

It's safe to say the ID4's dual-motor AWD system is meant more for navigating gravel, snow, and fire roads, or whatever the vehicle's
clearance limits would allow. Certainly nothing hardcore (unless you're in VW's Baja race-prepped ID4s we drove a couple years ago).

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We took an ID4 AWD Pro S on a day trip from Nashville to Chattanooga on both highways and curvy and hilly back roads with no charging
between stops. I managed to go 229 miles out of the advertised 255 miles the AWD Pro S model offers on a single charge, arriving at my
destination with 0 percent charge and 0 miles of range remaining. I had actually driven a handful of miles after I hit zero, and came away
impressed that the car didn't strand me on the side of the road. (For context, another AWD Pro S on the same journey arrived with 27 percent
and 90 miles remaining.)

Considering I'd only switched from "D" driving mode to "B" near the end of my trip, which offers increased energy regeneration to charge
the battery, it's likely I could have preserved more range and gone further had I operated in "B" entirely. I'm also sure the sustained highway
speeds also ultimately zapped away a few miles I could have used. In theory, the ID4's "plug-and-play" relationship with Electrify America
stations, which lets you pull up, plug the car in and automatically start charging if your account is set up, would have made it very easy to
stop for a charge.

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Inside, the standard 12-inch touchscreen display is bright and easy to reach from the driver's seat, offering physical buttons for the main
menu categories and haptic touch buttons for temperature and volume control. The new center console setup now offers more storage
space and a phone charging pad, and the previous year's cloth seats have been upgraded to standard new mélange fabric and leatherette,
and offer plenty of support and comfort for at least 200 miles of sitting. The newly introduced "Galaxy" interior color on S, Pro S, and
AWD Pro S would be the one to get, bringing in blue accents on top of a white steering wheel and white seats.

The estimated 6-second run to 60 mph for the ID4 AWD Pro models could be considered slow for a modern AWD EV; however, the more
relaxed power delivery is progressive and actually comfortable. Passing another vehicle at high speed, however, resulted in
less-than-desirable acceleration, so only pass if you know you have the room.

Some Gripes Persist
The ID4 comes with four drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and a configurable custom mode. Each slightly tweaks the throttle mapping
of the electric motors and the steering heft. However, the differences between each mode are hardly distinct enough to make a significant alteration to most day-to-day driving. You're not missing out on much if you drive it exclusively in Eco to save on range. All-wheel drive
ID4s come with a tow hitch equipped and are rated to tow 2,700 pounds.

Despite some interior updates, the dashboard and infotainment setup carry over for 2023, as do our gripes with the system. The haptic
piano-black controls for the volume and temperature settings would be better and easier to use for the driver as real buttons. Some touch
points on the foot-wide screen, like the heated seat activation, only appear on the left side, far away from where a passenger can reach it.

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Our test car really struggled with Apple CarPlay on two occasions, forcing me to make the computer "forget" my device in the car's system
to launch at all, and the second instance we had to hard-reset the car by powering it off, taking the key out, walking away and coming back.
VW's engineers believed it was likely an issue with the most recent version of CarPlay, but they would say that, wouldn't they?

Comfort Over Gimmicks
The ID4 is a tricky one to write about, mostly because it does such a good job at being a regular Volkswagen SUV that also just happens
to be a decent EV. There's no real moonshot here; VW is focused on delivering a comfortable and practical package, and there aren't any
gimmicks. It may not have anything that particularly stands out, but the comfortable ride and extensive powertrain options makes the ID4
still worth considering against the likes of the Nissan Ariya, Tesla Model Y, and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

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2023 VW ID4 EV Specifications
PRICE	37,495 (ID4 RWD Standard) $42,495 (ID4 RWD S) $42,495 (ID4 RWD Pro) $47,495 (ID4 RWD Pro S) $49,945 (ID4 RWD Pro S Plus) $46,295 (ID4 AWD Pro) $51,295 (ID4 AWD Pro S) (as tested) $53,745 (ID4 AWD Pro S Plus) $1,295 (destination)
VEHICLE LAYOUT	5-pass, 5-door EV SUV RWD: rear single permanent magnet synchronous motor AWD: front asynchronous motor, rear single permanent magnet synchronous motor Single-speed auto gearbox per powered axle
BATTERY	62 kWh (58 kWh net): Standard RWD, S RWD 82 kWh (77 kWh net): Pro RWD, Pro S RWD, Pro AWD, Pro S AWD
MOTOR TYPE	RWD: rear single permanent magnet synchronous AC motor AWD: front asynchronous motor, rear single permanent magnet synchronous motor
POWER (SAE NET)	RWD: 201 hp; AWD: 295 hp
TORQUE (SAE NET)	RWD: 229 lb-ft; AWD: 339 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION	One single-speed transmission per powered axle
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	4,317 - 4,877 lbs
WHEELBASE	108.9 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	180.5 x 72.9 x 64.5 in
0-60 MPH	RWD: 7.4 sec (MT test) AWD: 6.0 sec (mfr est)
EPA FUEL ECON	Standard RWD, S RWD, Pro RWD, Pro S RWD: 115 cty, 98 hwy, 107 comb. mpg (est) Pro AWD, Pro S AWD: 104 cty, 93 hwy, 99 comb. mpg (est)
EPA RANGE, COMB	Standard RWD: 209 miles S RWD: 209 miles Pro RWD: 275 miles Pro S RWD: 275 miles Pro AWD: 255 miles Pro S AWD: 255 miles
ON SALE	On sale now

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