(Bloomberg) -- โWe are building EVs for the millions, not millionaires.โ
That's how Mark Gillies, the senior manager for product communications at Volkswagen, described the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 on a videoย call recently. After all, last year the VWย brand sold 5.3 million vehicles worldwide. That's more than Audi, BMW, and Porsche combined.
After driving the ID.4 for a weekend around Los Angeles, I'm not so sure millionaires won't like it, too. The first electric SUV from VWย will hitย the market this spring with futuristic good looks, high-tech driving features, and 250 miles of battery range. While it will never be mistaken for a six-figure electric supercar, with its spacious, airy cabin and satisfactory performance, the ID.4 holds its own.
The Goldilocks of Electric SUVs
Electric vehicles aren't exactly proliferating in the U.S. They make up just 2% of the units being sold nationwide. And while plenty of companies (Porsche, Audi, General Motors) are making big promises about delivering myriad electrified vehicles within the next decade, it can feelย hypothetical and philosophical (and political) at this point.
Still, that doesn't mean American consumers aren't curious about them. As I was driving an ID.4 up California'sย Highway 101 toward Pasadenaย on a Sunday, it earned multiple thumbs-up from cars passing byโa rare occurrence for a Volkswagen SUV, non-electric versions of which are ubiquitous in L.A. When I met my indefatigable realtor several times over the course of the weekend, she, a longtime California resident, asked what I thought of it and professedย a desire to own one.
We've alreadyย seen a slew of higher-priced electric vehicles, including the Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X, Audi e-tron, Porsche Taycan, and a few budget-minded ones such asย the oblong, awkward-looking Chevrolet Bolt, Kia Niro, and Nissan Leaf. But the VW ID.4 bridges the gap between affordable electric mobility and thoughtfulโeven elegantโcomponents and design.
I tested the $43,995 โFirst Editionโ variant for four days. This isย a special-trimย line that comes with larger 20-inch wheels, enhanced โfuelโ economy, black badgingโand a completely sold-out order book, among other things. (The entry-level โProโ model will debutย later this year,ย startingย at $39,995; โPro Sโ models will start at $44,495 and add styling elements, additional creature comforts, and conveniences.)
All ID.4 models currently offer only rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive models will debut later this yearโas will a less-expensive base model.
Space, Light, Heat
The first things I noticed about the vehicle were its lights: Large LED projector headlights and an LED stripe across their top (daytime running lights) gave it an intenseย but friendlyย mein. The diamond-patterned headlights were framed by illuminated rings flattened at the bottom.
I drove an ID.4 in Blue Dusk Metallicโsixย exterior colors, including glacier white and mythos black, are available. If you're not crazy about two-tone elements on your SUV,ย look elsewhere for an electric rig: Most variants of the ID.4 include a standard black roof and rear spoiler with C-pillars, roof line, roof rails, and other body accents in bright silver.
The 1st Edition model I drove added unique badging, black mirror caps, and a tow hitch capable of pulling 2,200 pounds. It looks different enough on the road to make close observers take a second lookโthey can tell this is no Tiguanโbut it blends in sufficiently to avert embarrassing commotions at the grocery store or while waiting in line to get vaccine.
Inside the five-seat crossover felt economic but well-made. Most notable was the 10-inch touch infotainment display in the middle of the dash panel, which angled slightly towardย me; the traditional gearshift was replaced by a large rocker switch on the right. There was also a floating dashboard panelโfloating because it was not connected to the center consoleโwith a long center console running between the front seats.
An optional panoramic roof stretched across the ceiling; the electric sunshade saved my New York-pale skin from L.A.'s glaring sun. The rear bench seat is durable enough to withstandย a German Shepherdย but comfortable enough for a nap (don't askย how I know) and includes two USB ports and an illuminated wireless cellphone charging pad.
Storage space in the rear exceeds 64 cubic feet of cargo volume with the seats down,ย more thanย 10 cubic feet than an Audi A5 offers.
I especially liked several innovative features that come standard and make this VW feel like a premium SUV: heated steering wheel, heated front seats, heated side mirrors and washer nozzles, andโon all-wheel-drive modelsโa heated windshield to keep it from steaming up. The ID.4 also has an electric resistance heater designed to reach the desired temperature faster than traditional heaters from gas-powered vehicles, which blow cold air until the engine has warmed. Thisย would come in handierย in New York than in L.A., but I liked knowing it was there.
Slow Drive, Fast Charge
Sitting in the driver's seat reminded me of being in the VW Jettas and Golfs that the wealthier kids had at my high school.ย VW has made its most progressive vehicle feel reassuringly familiar.
With a rear-mounted motor that gets 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, the ID.4 won't win any drag racesโzero toย 62 mph takes 8.5 seconds, and top speed is staggeringly slow at less than 100 mph.
The four drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Custom) proved effective for saving battery range though not for somehow magically boosting this beast into anything approaching โfast.โ Still, it drives smoothly enough, offers good 360-degree visibility, and will saveย fuel money. The Environmental Protection Agencyย estimates itsย economy at 104 MPGe for city driving and 89 MPGe for highway driving. The combined city and highway driving figure isย 97 MPGe.
I do think, byย the way, ย that consumers mulling the realties of owning an electric vehicleย needย some reassuranceย regardingย range anxietyโstill the biggest reasonย they won't take the plunge.
The ID.4 does have nearly 250 miles of charge, even under aggressive highway driving, and it charges to 80% on a 125-kW DC fast charger in just 38 minutes. But while the average VW owner drives less than 59 miles a day, according to Gillies, there are still days when you want to drive to see grandma after a year of social distancing, and you're not going to want to have to sit in some parking lot waiting for your car to charge on the way home.
For many, that makes the ID.4 an excellent second family car for urban commuting and regular use. As for those long-trip days, it's stillย best to take another car.
ยฉ2021 Bloomberg L.P.
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