The coming Volkswagen ID.4 is going to be a great new battery-electric offering. However, it has some issues now that VW needs to fix. Don't jump the gun and get one that is half-baked.
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The Volkswagen ID.4 will be a big deal for the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market in the US. We have not tested one yet, which is unusual. Most manufacturers send us new production or pre-production EVs early in the launch. Coupled with what we have read about the model's launch timing, it seems like VW is a bit overwhelmed right now. If you were planning to be an early adopter, we would suggest stepping back and letting VW sort out its gremlins.
Related Story: ID.4 Will Be Only Offered In Limited Volumes In the US For 2021
Rather than repeat what we know, the above video will tell you the tale. The ID.4 is not yet fully compatible with Electrify America, VW's own charger network. Its interface with the network is needlessly overcomplicated and seems a bit glitchy. This will all be worked out eventually. But why be an owner during that time?
The ID.4 is also a competitor to the Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Toyota RAV4 Prime, depending on how your needs and wants list takes shape. Watch the video. It explains the entire situation better than we can do.
Watch for more positive updates on this important vehicle in the weeks and months ahead. We look forward to testing the ID.4 ourselves and telling you good things about it.
John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin
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That review video is horrible
That review video is horrible and the guy is clearly a Tesla fanboy.
The ID4 has some glitchy software, but there has already been an update to address it in just the last day or two.
As far as the charging "issue". You can just use a freaking credit card if you don't want to to fuss with the app. The car is completely compatible with the network.
Do you own an ID.4 in the US?
Do you own an ID.4 in the US? My local dealers in Mass haven't seen any yet.
I wouldn't call him a Tesla
I wouldn't call him a Tesla fanboy, but his values aren't the same as mine. We only need local charging and the styling is cuter than hell, so my wife is gaga over it. We have a deposit in. I have faith in the software updates too.
Had Thanksgiving dinner with
Had Thanksgiving dinner with my future DNL's mother in Durham. Her new ID4 has been in the shop more than on the road. Main panel failed and after weeks delay to get the part the replacement was also bad. Part availability is anybody's guess. At least VW has given her a permanent loaner. For the rest of us it was a funny story shared over turkey, but she isn't too happy. I see why VW has delayed rollout. Completely new designs = unexpected problems made worse by chip shortages.
I call my id4 the id4beta.
I call my id4 the id4beta. This is the first new car that I have had to return to the dealer twice within the first few weeks. The issue that I, and many others have, is a recurrent "Unable to load connection status" message that sits on the screen at start up. The inability to connect to the internet is very intermittent but lasts for days at a time. My dealer actually stated that id4 owners are beta testers. It is a shame that VW are apparently unaware of the issue (unlike most id3 and id4 owners) and cant just admit that there is an issue and hint at when there will be a fix. Over the air updates not so helpful of course when you are not connected. Apart from that, it is a competent, OK vehicle.