Can Volkswagen's most popular electric car still stand out against its advancing rivals?
The Volkswagen ID 4’s days are numbered: it’s about to be redefined and rechristened the ID Tiguan, in line with Volkswagen’s updated EV naming strategy which has also recently brought us the ID Polo. Yet it’s probably the least deserving car of a reset in Wolfsburg’s electric line-up.It appeared in the UK in early 2021 and quickly became not just the best-selling EV of the Volkswagen brand but also the entire Volkswagen Group. Some 182,000 examples of it (and its ID 5 coupé-SUV twin) were sold in 2024. With dimensions just inside those of the Volvo XC60 in every direction, it taps richly into the current vogue for mid-sized ‘crossover’ not-quite-SUVs. Which means the car is well-positioned to be popular but also means, by default, that it has plenty of competition.The ID 4’s rivals have become stronger and more diverse by the month, launching from all directions (Kia and Hyundai in Korea; Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall in Europe; Xpeng, BYD, MG and Chery in China; and Tesla in the US), all with increasingly competitive products. But Volkswagen has also bolstered the ID 4 model line-up, adding larger batteries and several motor options to broaden its appeal; enhancing the car’s equipment level and value offering as it has aged; and lately bolstering its performance and range.Volkswagen ID 4 range at a glanceThe ID 4 offers a choice of three batteries in the UK – and the smallest one grew the most as part of the car’s 2026-model-year revision.The entry-level grade (Pure) now gets 58kWh of usable battery capacity, up about 10% on where it was originally; the mid-level, single motor grade (Pro) gets a 79kWh pack (up about 3%); and all dual-motor models (4Motion and GTX) use a 77kWh pack.Official range has increased on most derivatives but most meaningfully on Pure models (up from 222 to 265 miles), while power is up slightly on both Pure and Pro 4Motion models.The longest-range versions remains the single-motor, rear-driven Pro Essential, at 351 miles.The range-topping Volkswagen ID 4 GTX sports SUV is covered in its own separate review.VersionpowerID 4 Pure187bhpID 4 Pro282bhpID 4 Pro 4Motion296bhpID 4 GTX 4Motion335bhp
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