Between the first and second world wars, a small, oddly shaped automobile emerged from Germany designed by Ferdinand Porsche. It was dubbed “The People’s Car.” Simple and utilitarian, the Beetle paved the way for Volkswagen’s next model, the Type 2—more commonly known as the Bus—and the two cars spread steadily across the realm offering cheap, simple transportation to the masses. As the automotive industry transitions to electrification today, Volkswagen hopes to keep the old Hippie Bus and Punch Buggy spirit alive with a cute new EV called the ID.Buzz and Volkswagen ID.4, an electric crossover.
Volkswagen’s nifty little battery-powered commuter first introduced in 2020 and undoubtedly intended, at least partially, to atone for the “Dieselgate” emissions-cheating fiasco. Now, the Volkswagen ID.4 receives a series of updates for the 2023 model year specifically targeting American consumers with a range of new colors inside and out, as well as new battery packs offering both more and less range.
VW describes the new ID.4 as “Made in America, for Americans, by Americans” in an effort to call out the old sales enticement of nationalistic pride. Perhaps more importantly, an expanded assembly plant in Chattanooga, TN, should also allow American ID.4 buyers to qualify for federal tax rebates—though the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act still requires clarification from the Treasury Department before this critical detail can be confirmed with certainty.
On the streets of nearby Nashville, Volkswagen recently fielded a fleet of ID.4s in AWD Pro S spec for select media to experience the model year updates. The new AWD Pro S bears a sticker price of $51,295 (before any credits) and a claimed all-electric range of 255 miles from an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. While that MSRP might seem high, a smaller 62-kWh battery option also joins the lineup for 2023 with a more competitive starting price of $37,495 to go along with a reduced range estimate of 209 miles. Both batteries offer improved 10-80 percent charge times for 2023: 29 minutes for the larger pack and 30 for the new 62-kWh model.
Putting any electric car into context involves the requisite pricing, range, and charge-time stats, but every EV is fast off the line, so more importantly, a day in the hills around Nashville revealed the ID.4’s excellent chassis tuning and driving dynamics. The low center of gravity pairs with impressive throttle modulation and copious sound deadening, which combine to produce a smooth and quiet ride interrupted only by moderate tire hum on rougher road surfaces.
Volkswagen lists the ID.4’s all-wheel-drive variants at 295 horsepower and, rest assured, punching the accelerator pedal unleashes that typical EV jerk, so 60 miles an hour arrives surprisingly quickly for this commuter car. Past cruising speeds, acceleration tapers off quickly and anyone driving the ID.4 will quickly find themselves checking the remaining range estimate—in the real world, judiciously avoiding too many journalistic stabs at the pedals resulted in an 86-mile drive using 102 miles of range.
Selecting among Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Traction drive modes adjusts throttle input, steering response, and power delivery between the four wheels, but otherwise, the fixed suspension keeps weight transfer perfectly predictable for a small crossover that nonetheless weighs a bit shy of 5,000 pounds.
The ID.4 aims to serve as a practical daily driver, since Volkswagen clearly prioritized interior space from the get-go, opting for improved rear seat leg and headroom and a spacious rear trunk by deleting a potential front trunk. Clean tech features fit into the mix, too, notably a standard 12-inch touchscreen that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity (though newcomers using the native tech will likely flip between various screens and the physical buttons on the dash and steering wheel that complement their digital counterparts).
On the exterior, model year 2023 cars receive new gloss black front bumper details and an illuminated rear Volkswagen logo. Otherwise, buyers face the choice of eight new paint colors and four interior colors for the eight trim levels. VW dictates the rest—the ID.4 essentially cannot be optioned specifically for wheel size and design, tire choice, or even heated massaging seats.
As the day in Tennessee wrapped up, VW also threw in a quick sample drive of the smaller 62-kWh ID.4 prototype. Available in rear drive only (and therefore, with just 201 horsepower), the entry-level ID.4 loses some of the pep that makes the 295-hp AWD models more fun. But at the lower price point, VW hopes city folks with good charging options will prize the ID.4’s excellent, if simple, interior design and standard tech package over maxed-out range stats, especially in comparison to competitors like the Toyota bZ4X or Hyundai Ioniq 5—though the similarly Spartan Hyundai Kona EV seems like a more apt comparison.
As a final goodie, VW showed off a concept ID.4 built for the Tennessee Valley Authority with smaller 18-inch wheels, knobby all-terrain tires, and a roof rack. A planned run of 1,200 units will help phase out the TVA’s reliance on gas-powered trucks for linemen maintaining the state’s power grid.
A similar package tailored for the off-roading market seems less than likely, though, especially given recently announced plans to revamp the International Scout nameplate as an all-electric 4×4. In the meantime, the ID.4 will simply have to serve as VW’s electric car for the people, at least until a highly anticipated next-gen Beetle joins the expanding retro-futuristic EV lineup.
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