On sale since 2021, the ID.4 is Volkswagen's best-selling electric-vehicle (EV) model in the United States and worldwide. The VW Group sells other ID models in other markets, but the ID.4 is currently the only all-electric model VW sells here. For 2023, VW updates the splashy EV as the automaker moves toward a carbon-neutral future.
Despite the ID.4 being a recent entrant to the EV space, VW made some notable changes for the 2023 model year. These include:
- Smaller battery pack, with a correspondingly lower price of entry
- Minor exterior design updates
- Completely new list of exterior paint options (all previous colors are no longer available)
- Interior updates, including new color options and a new center console designed for U.S. drivers
- Updated navigation system that offers route planning with charging stops, if needed, and filters to find a particular speed of fast charger
- Fast-charging capability is now 170 kW, up from the previous maximum of 135 kW
- Active parking assistance system now features a memory function
The smaller, 62-kWh battery pack available in the 2023 VW ID.4 powers the new Standard trim level. The previous 82-kWh battery is still available in the Pro trim. Volkswagen says a total of eight variants will be available, with just two using the smaller pack: the Standard and the ID.4 S. The Pro trim lineup includes six options: Pro, AWD Pro, Pro S, AWD Pro S, Pro S Plus and AWD Pro S Plus.
Previously, JD Power reviewed the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. This review focuses on the ID. 4's updates for 2023 and how they potentially impact its overall appeal to consumers.
Photo: Sebastian Blanco
The Volkswagen ID.4 competes in the Compact SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2022 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 51 percent of new Compact SUV buyers are male (vs. 62 percent for the industry), and the median age of a new Compact SUV buyer is 57 years (vs. 54).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated the Compact SUV segment in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
- Exterior styling
- Driving feel
- Feeling of safety
- Getting in and out
- Interior design
- Setting up and starting
- Driving comfort
- Powertrain
- Infotainment
- Fuel economy
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes an ID.4 AWD Pro S equipped with the following options:
- All-wheel drive (AWD)
- 82-kWh battery
- Aurora Red Metallic exterior paint
The test vehicle's price came to $52,985, including the $1,295 destination charge.
Smaller Battery Pack Offers Sprightlier Drive, Larger Pack Meets Range Promise - Find the best Volkswagen deals!
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Photo: Sebastian Blanco
Although I drove the AWD Pro trim ID.4 with the 82-kWh battery pack almost exclusively, I was able to take a prototype of the Standard model with the 62-kWh pack for a short, 10-minute test drive. The new pack is 256 pounds lighter—enough to feel different from the driver's seat. I attribute some of that to the fact that the Standard pack only comes with rear-wheel drive (RWD), while our Pro tester had AWD. The suspension also felt lighter, and the combination makes the Standard pack the one to choose for slightly more engaged driving if its estimated 209-mile range meets your needs.
Driving two versions of the ID.4 back-to-back revealed noticeable differences. But they are minor enough that drivers who value reducing range anxiety over a hint of sportiness that I would encourage getting a Pro model if you can afford it. The 62-kWh model will start at $38,790, while the ID.4 with the larger battery pack costs $5,000 more ($43,790). Both prices include the $1,295 destination charge.
Unsurprisingly, the benefit of the larger pack is more range. Following a day cruising 189 miles of hills and valleys between Nashville and Chattanooga, TN, the fully charged pack with which we started had a 22-percent charge remaining. The driver information display indicated 62 miles of range remaining. That almost precisely matched the EPA's 255-mile rating for the AWD Pro, resulting in an average energy economy of 3.5 miles per kWh. This is especially impressive, considering we kept the ID.4 in Sport mode more often. The EPA rates the RWD Pro, which was unavailable to test, at 275 miles.
Dedicated ID.4 fans will note minor revisions VW made to the front and rear bumpers of the car. The front gets new gloss-black accents, while VW slightly revised the rear bumper to improve aerodynamics. The 2023 model's new wheels will be easier to notice at a distance, but you'll be able to instantly identify all 2023 VW ID.4s compared to earlier editions based on paint color.
The seven available exterior color options are all new for the 2023 ID.4. They include four standard hues and three extra-cost ($395) options: Arctic Blue Metallic, Aurora Red Metallic, and Deep Black Pearl. While the red ID.4 stands out beautifully, the best-looking one is the (no-extra-cost) Deep Black pearlescent, especially in bright sun. An available rear light-up logo joins the front light-up logo on the previous version, accenting the red LED bar across the back.
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Photo: Sebastian Blanco
Before the update, the ID.4 didn't have substantial armrests for front-seat occupants. With the new 2023 model, VW replaces the two thin armrests with a new center console designed specifically for North American drivers. It features one large, solid armrest between the front seats, two convenient cupholders, a larger storage bin, and a new clip that can hold a smartphone against the vertically angled Qi wireless charging pad. This ingenious solution keeps a phone where it's supposed to be, even when the road gets twisty.
VW also made the previously optional 12-inch infotainment screen standard, replacing the discontinued 10-inch screen. Despite the increased screen size, a series of touch-sensitive buttons beneath it remains impossible to use easily.
Other interior changes include new color options called Galaxy (black and gray leatherette) and Cosmic (gray and blue leatherette). Rear-seat passengers can now take advantage of the ID.4's three-zone climate controls and rear heated seats.
Infotainment Updates: Charging Stations, Better Automated Parking - Find the best Volkswagen deals!
New driver-assistance functions in the 2023 ID.4 include a 360-degree surround-view camera, available on the top trim. VW also added cyclist detection, joining pedestrian detection for the forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking system. The ID.4 can now also conduct driver-initiated lane changes. When you're in Travel Assist mode (advanced adaptive cruise control) and activate the left turn signal, the ID.4 can overtake the car you're following when the system determines it is safe. In real-world testing, the feature was easy to use and worked well when conditions were favorable.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the ID.4's intelligent Park Assist Plus feature, which failed to identify well-painted parking lines in multiple parking lots during our test. When it did see the lines, the system worked great, able to parallel park itself or pull in or back out without driver intervention. Until VW updates the sensors or software to make spotting a space easier, the frustration of driving past multiple empty parking spaces is just too much. It's easier to park the car manually.
A new Memory Park function might help people who regularly use the same parking space. Once you save the spot in the car's memory, you can trigger the automated parking experience from up to 50 feet away. The vehicle will then know to find its way home.
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Photo: Sebastian Blanco
There's little question that the 2023 ID.4 offers more value and features than the outgoing model. Frustrating quirks in the user interface and self-parking tech take away some of the futuristic vibes, but those problems existed before the update. Hopefully, VW will address them through an over-the-air update or, at the latest, in the 2024 model.
For now, the option of a smaller battery at a lower price point will mean more people can afford the ID.4. The new ID.4 continues the tradition of blending value with some high-tech features. Sometimes, though, you'll have to park it yourself.
Sebastian Blanco has covered the auto industry for over 15 years. His reviews and articles have appeared in Car and Driver, The New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets.
