2023 Volkswagen ID.4

2023 is the last year before the APP550 motor arrived (MY2024 per Wikipedia), so the volume RWD Pro still runs the original 150 kW (201 hp) rear motor. That is low for a compact EV SUV; the 295 hp AWD is the only stronger option.

The pre-APP550 rear motor makes 229 lb-ft, which is modest for the segment. The AWD's 339 lb-ft is competitive but sits on a pricier, less common configuration.

The 201 hp RWD car is adequate but leisurely, with reported times from the mid-7s to the low-8s. The AWD version is genuinely quick at about 5.4 s, but it isn't the volume configuration.

Delivery is silent, smooth and lag-free, as you would expect from a single-motor EV. Reviewers note the soft throttle map and how quickly the 201 hp car runs out of urgency above about 50 mph, which keeps it below the stronger 2024+ car and the Ioniq 5/EV6.

With a single-speed reduction gear there is nothing to hunt or shift. It is held at the low end of the top band because the car has only D (coast) and B (mild regen up to 0.25 g), with no one-pedal mode and no adjustable regen.

The 2,700 lbs maximum is a little above the Ioniq 5/EV6's 2,300 lbs and below the Model Y's 3,500. It sits low in the 1,000–8,000 lbs SUV band.

Dual-motor AWD is offered only with the 82 kWh battery (AWD Pro, AWD Pro S, Pro S Plus), not on the 62 kWh Standard/S. The system is a simple on-demand front asynchronous motor with no terrain programs beyond a Traction mode.

About 8 inches of ground clearance and a Traction mode on AWD handle gravel and snow. There is no off-road trim, skid protection beyond the battery tray, or locking hardware, so this is pavement-oriented light duty.

The nameplate is EV-only, but 2023 offers the broadest ID.4 lineup: two batteries (62 kWh Standard/S, 82 kWh Pro/Pro S) and RWD or dual-motor AWD. There is still no hybrid or combustion alternative, and no performance variant in the US.

107 MPGe is respectable but mid-pack for an EV SUV. The pre-APP550 motor trails the 2024+ ID.4's 113 MPGe and well-optimised rivals like the Model Y and Ioniq 5 RWD.

City is the ID.4's strongest cycle thanks to regen and no idle loss, but 115 MPGe is only average against the EV-SUV city band.

98 MPGe highway is decent for a tall compact crossover, and the city-to-highway drop is fairly small.

275 miles for the volume Pro is lower-mid band for an EV SUV. The AWD (255 mi) and the new 62 kWh Standard (209 mi) pull the lineup's practical range lower still.

For 2023 VW raised the 82 kWh car's peak from 135 kW to 170 kW, a meaningful gain over 2021–22. On a 400 V architecture it is still well short of the 230+ kW 800 V E-GMP rivals.

VW quotes around 30 minutes for every Pro trim, which is competitive for the peak power involved because the charge curve is flat. It is still roughly 10 minutes behind the 18-minute 800 V benchmark.

This is EPA's own figure and sits near the low end of the energy-cost band. Home charging on a cheap rate beats it; regular public DC charging would not.

No fuel grade to buy, 11 kW onboard AC for overnight Level 2, and an unusually generous launch perk: three years of unlimited 30-minute Electrify America sessions, now with Plug&Charge. Held below the top of the band because the car is CCS-only (no Supercharger access or NACS adapter in 2023) and the free charging expires.

NHTSA rates the 2023 ID.4 five stars overall, with five-star frontal and side results and four stars for rollover — carried over unchanged from the 2021 launch tests of this generation.

The 2023 ID.4 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with Good ratings in every crashworthiness test, including both small-overlap tests, side, roof and head restraints — top-band per the guidance.

IQ.DRIVE is standard on every 2023 ID.4 trim, including the Standard 62 kWh car: AEB with pedestrian monitoring, adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, lane keeping/centering, blind-spot monitor, rear traffic alert and Emergency Assist — none of the core five is trim-locked.

Front Assist earned IIHS's top marks in all three front crash prevention evaluations including nighttime pedestrian, with full avoidance at 12 mph and large speed reductions at higher speeds; held below the very top because it did not fully avoid the higher-speed pedestrian scenarios.

Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are standard on all trims, and rear automatic braking is standard too; the blind-spot system is alert-only without active steering intervention, so it sits at the top-band threshold.

Travel Assist 2.0 lane centering is standard and generally steady on marked highways, with typical wander on faded markings or tight curves; capacitive hands-on detection avoids nuisance torque nags.

Full-speed-range ACC with stop-and-go integrated with lane centering under Travel Assist, plus new-for-2023 driver-initiated assisted lane change on equipped trims — a well-integrated highway assist for the segment.

No hands-free highway driving is offered on the 2023 ID.4; Travel Assist requires continuous hands-on contact with the capacitive steering wheel.

The LED projector lamps on S, Pro S and Pro S Plus rate Good, but the LED reflector lamps on the Standard and Pro trims — the volume Pro included — rate only Acceptable, the classic upper-trim/volume-trim split.

Upright greenhouse and low cowl give good forward and side sightlines, but thick rear pillars and a small back glass limit rearward views; the 360-degree Area View camera is reserved for upper trims, so the volume car relies on the standard rearview camera.

IIHS rates the ID.4's LATCH hardware Good, and the flat rear floor, wide bench and large rear door openings make installing seats easy; only two positions have full LATCH hardware, with the center seat tether-only.

The 2023 ID.4 is a two-row, five-passenger compact SUV on every trim, from the new 62 kWh Standard to the Pro S Plus. No third row or six-seat layout is offered in the US.

Front headroom is generous for a compact SUV because the roofline stays flat over the front seats. The framework rule uses the solid-roof figure, which is slightly kinder than the glass-roofed Pro S that most buyers took.

Front legroom is the ID.4's weakest interior measurement. It trails the Ioniq 5 (41.7 in) and EV6 (42.4 in) because the dash is pushed rearward over the high battery floor.

Second-row headroom is above the compact-SUV midpoint despite the battery floor, because the roof does not taper hard over the rear bench. The glass-roof trims give up about 0.7 in.

The 108.9-in wheelbase gives adult-usable rear legroom, though it is nearly two inches short of the Ioniq 5 (39.4 in) and EV6 (39.0 in), and the bench neither slides nor reclines.

There is no third row on any 2023 ID.4. It scores in the bottom band, as the item rule requires for two-row SUVs.

About 30 cu ft behind the rear seats beats the Ioniq 5 (27.2) and EV6 (24.4), but it scores low against a band built for the whole SUV segment. There is no front trunk to add to it.

With the seats folded it holds more than the Ioniq 5 (59.3) and EV6 (50.2), but it is still modest for an SUV in absolute terms.

Storage is competent rather than clever. The car has a flat floor, deep door bins, a two-level center console, an adjustable cargo floor with underfloor stowage and a pass-through. There is no frunk, so the charging cable has to live in the cargo bay, and there is no 120V outlet.

From the S / Pro S up, the front seats are 12-way power units with memory and a 4-way massage lumbar, and reviewers find them comfortable over long drives. The rear bench is well shaped, but the battery floor leaves taller adults sitting somewhat knees-up.

Ride comfort is the ID.4's signature strength. The suspension soaks up broken pavement well, though the Pro S's 20-inch wheels make sharp impacts busier than on the 19s.

There is no powertrain noise and wind noise is well controlled. Tire roar on coarse pavement is more noticeable than in the Ioniq 5, especially on the 20-inch wheels.

Heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate are standard, and remote preconditioning works through the app. The heated steering wheel arrives at S / Pro S, along with the massage lumbar. Heated rear seats are reserved for the Pro S Plus, and ventilated seats are not offered.

The 2023 lineup added the 62 kWh Standard RWD as a new entry point, which lowered the ID.4's starting price. Supply of the Standard was thin, and it was eligible for the then-available $7,500 federal credit, which this price excludes.

In the US the 82 kWh Pro/Pro S was the volume configuration, and the Pro S with heat pump, panoramic roof and premium interior is the typically equipped car. That places it in the high-$40Ks before the federal credit.

With no oil changes, scheduled service is minimal. The 2023 ID.4 nonetheless had a record of 12V-battery, infotainment software and door-handle (recall/stop-sale) dealer visits, and VW labor rates are higher than those of Korean and Tesla EV peers. That puts it a little above the $3,900–$4,700 class estimates for its rivals.

The ID.4 is among the fastest-depreciating SUVs in the US. The 2023 car's value was hit by the 2023–2024 EV price war and by the federal credit, which effectively reset its transaction price, so it retains below the floor of the SUV band.

VW's New Vehicle Limited Warranty is a year longer than the 3/36 industry norm but shorter than Hyundai/Kia's 5/60.

The 8-year/100,000-mile high-voltage battery coverage matches the industry norm. VW offers no extended EV drivetrain term comparable to Hyundai/Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile coverage.

The perks are strong for 2023. Owners get 3 years of free 30-minute Electrify America DC fast-charging sessions (Plug&Charge was enabled for MY2023 in early 2024), Carefree Maintenance for the first two scheduled services, and roadside assistance for the warranty term. That beats Ford's and Tesla's offerings and roughly matches Hyundai's charging-credit bundle.

$48,790 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (37% retained, or about $18,052) leaves about $30,738 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,800 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $35,538 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2023 ID.4 less reliable than the average new car, with a reliability score of about 29/100. The main trouble areas are the battery and charging system, electrical faults and infotainment software. The 2023 model year has turned up on used-car 'avoid' lists for the same reasons.

Volkswagen has sat in the bottom third of Consumer Reports brand rankings and below the industry average in J.D. Power VDS for several years. Electronics and infotainment drive most of the complaints, and the ID. family makes that worse.

Fourteen NHTSA campaigns cover MY2023, more than any other ID.4 year in this dataset. Several are serious: a high-voltage battery overheating/fire risk, misaligned battery-cell electrodes, door handles that can open while driving, a loose passenger airbag inflator, and blank instrument and rear-camera displays. Many of the campaigns are also specific to 2023 production, such as the motor sealing ring, the 12V cable rubbing the steering, and the door-handle build defect.

MY2023 still used the original 201-hp APP310 rear motor with the 82 kWh (77 kWh usable) pack, and a 62 kWh Standard pack was added that year. Traction motors rarely fail outright, but this year carries a high-voltage battery fire-risk recall, cell-electrode defects and a motor sealing-ring recall. CR also names battery and charging as the main trouble area, and 12V no-start faults are common. That puts it below the mid band.

This is the pre-refresh cabin: hard plastics on the doors and lower dash, unlit capacitive temperature and volume sliders, and the slower 10-/12-inch infotainment. Reviewers called it cheap for the price next to the Ioniq 5 and EV6. The 2024 update improved the screen and controls, but those changes are not in this year.

MY2023 was the first year of US production at Chattanooga, and several 2023-only build-quality recalls point to launch-year problems: door handles, a misrouted 12V cable, an improperly assembled motor seal, and chassis bolts. Panel gaps themselves draw few complaints.

Volkswagen's roughly 600–650 US dealers cover metro areas adequately but are thinner in rural areas than Toyota or Chevrolet. EV competence varies by dealer, and owners reported long waits for recall parts.

ID.4-specific parts (HV modules, drive unit, door handles, head unit) are effectively dealer-only, with little aftermarket support, and out-of-warranty high-voltage repairs are costly. Routine EV maintenance is cheap, which partly offsets this.

For 2023 VW made the 12-inch center display standard across the US ID.4 lineup, replacing the 10-inch unit that 2021–22 base cars used. The 12.9-inch screen did not arrive until the MY2024 update.

The 2023 car runs the pre-update ID. Software (3.1 from the factory, 3.2 over the air). It was criticized for lag, deep menus and capacitive touch sliders for temperature and volume that are not lit at night. VW's own fix was the 2024 hardware and software update.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (App-Connect) are standard on every 2023 trim, including the base Standard.

Built-in navigation is standard on the 12-inch system, and the 'Hello ID.' natural-language voice control can run climate and navigation. Under the 3.x software both were slow and inconsistent, and most owners default to phone projection.

The base system is adequate. The volume Pro S adds the Harman Kardon premium system, a real but modest upgrade.

The only cluster is the column-mounted 5.3-inch ID. Cockpit, which is digital but small and barely configurable. That is an outlier in a class where 10–12-inch reconfigurable clusters are common.

The ID.4 can take over-the-air vehicle software updates, and the 3.2 release reached 2023 US cars. Rollout was slow and patchy, and the update introduced new bugs; several fixes still needed dealer visits or TSB reflashes.

The VW app (Car-Net) offers remote lock/unlock, climate preconditioning, vehicle locate, charge scheduling and state-of-charge monitoring. There is no phone-as-key, and owners report frequent connectivity drop-outs and refresh lag.

Every port is USB-C, front and rear, and wireless phone charging is standard. There is no 120V household outlet and no vehicle-to-load, which the Ioniq 5 and EV6 both offer.

The ID.4 has no start button; it wakes when the driver sits down with the key, and remote climate works through the app. Proximity entry and the hands-free power liftgate come with S / Pro S. There is no phone-as-key.

The rear camera and park-distance sensors cover most of the range. The Area View 360-degree camera is limited to the range-topping Pro S Plus, so the volume Pro S makes do with the rear camera.

No head-up display is offered on the US 2023 ID.4, not even on the Pro S Plus. The augmented-reality HUD sold in Europe never came to the US.

The flat rear floor, wide bench and tall door openings make buckling kids in easy, and 30.3 cu ft behind the bench takes a full-size stroller. It is held back by 37.6 in of rear legroom, a bench that neither slides nor reclines, and only two full LATCH positions.

IQ.DRIVE is standard on every 2023 trim, including the cheapest Standard, and the 2023 ID.4 is both an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a five-star NHTSA car. The only gaps are the Acceptable-rated reflector headlights on the Standard and Pro and the absence of any hands-free assist.

The compliant ride, quiet cabin and good luggage space with the seats up make it a comfortable four-up tourer. Rear amenities are thin: heated rear seats only on the Pro S Plus, no sunshades and no entertainment. The 275-mile range and 170 kW charging also add stops to a family day.

Smooth, silent torque, a soft ride and standard stop-and-go Travel Assist make it low-effort in traffic. There is no one-pedal mode, only D and B, and the laggy 3.x infotainment with unlit touch sliders turns simple tasks such as adjusting the temperature into a distraction.

At 107 MPGe combined and about $700 a year in electricity at EPA's 15,000 miles, it is very cheap per mile, with no oil changes and little brake wear. It is a little behind the more efficient 2024+ car and the Ioniq 5, and VW out-of-warranty repairs cost more than the EV norm.

The rear-drive car turns in about 33.5 ft, tighter than almost any compact SUV, and the footprint is manageable. Rear three-quarter visibility is restricted, and the 360-degree camera is limited to the Pro S Plus.

The AWD car is rated to tow 2,700 lbs with the factory hitch, but the volume RWD Pro S is rated lower. With 64.2 cu ft of maximum cargo, no bed and no frunk, it suits light errands, not real work.

MY2023 is the weakest ID.4 year for durability. Consumer Reports rates its reliability well below average, it is covered by 14 NHTSA campaigns, and it had launch-year build issues from the new Chattanooga plant. There is no work trim or hard-wearing interior.

There is no 120V outlet and no V2L, so it cannot power tools from its pack. Beyond an available factory hitch, cargo tie-downs and underfloor storage, there are no work-focused provisions.

Comfortable seats, a good ride and standard Travel Assist make the miles easy. Range and charging set the trip time, though: 275 miles for the Pro RWD (255 AWD), a 98 MPGe highway rating and a 170 kW peak on 400 V put it well behind the Ioniq 5 and EV6. Three years of free Electrify America sessions help with cost.

About 8 in of ground clearance and an available AWD Traction mode handle forest roads and snow, and the AWD can tow a small camper. AWD requires the 82 kWh Pro trims. There is no off-road trim or underbody hardware, and no V2L for camping.

The 30.3 / 64.2 cu ft hold is the largest among the mainstream compact EVs, with an adjustable load floor, underfloor storage and a factory hitch available for racks. There is no frunk, so cables and dirty gear share the cabin.

The suspension is tuned for comfort. Cornering is secure and predictable with early understeer and noticeable roll, and reviewers call the handling 'floaty'. The low battery mass keeps it from feeling nervous, but it is less agile than the E-GMP rivals and the Mach-E.

The steering is light, accurate and easy at parking speeds, but it is heavily filtered and gives almost no road feedback.

Braking is adequate, but the pedal is soft and the car uses rear drum brakes. The regen choice is binary: D coasts and B gives strong lift-off regen but never brings the car to a stop. Instrumented 70–0 stops for the ID.4 are long for the class.

Delivery is silent, linear and free of shifts. The 2023 car still uses the original 201-hp rear motor, though, with a deliberately soft throttle map that runs out of urgency at highway speeds, so the volume RWD car feels leisurely rather than punchy.

There is no combustion noise or vibration, and the motor emits only a faint whine under load. Tire roar is a cabin-quietness matter and is scored in cat4.

With no engine ahead of the front axle, the rear-drive ID.4 turns tighter than nearly any compact SUV. That clamps the item at the top of the 34–42 ft band.

The seating position is high and commanding, with a flat floor and easy step-in. The 2023 controls are the ID.4's weak point: capacitive steering-wheel pads, unlit haptic sliders for temperature and volume, a rotary shifter pod on the cluster, and two window switches plus a REAR toggle for four windows. Thick rear pillars also limit the view over the shoulder.

Rear drive and the tiny turning circle make it pleasant in town. The 201-hp RWD car is leisurely (about 7.7 s to 60), with numb steering and a comfort-first chassis, so it feels like an appliance next to the EV6, Ioniq 5 and Mach-E. The 295-hp AWD is livelier but is not the volume car.

Every 2023 ID.4 comes with a 12-inch touchscreen (Pro/S and up), a digital cockpit, IQ.DRIVE driver assistance (Travel Assist, adaptive cruise, lane keeping), wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and heated front seats on most trims. The Pro S adds the heat pump, panoramic roof and power liftgate. That is competitive with the Ioniq 5 and Mach-E, but the heat pump is not standard below the S trims.

The volume Pro S RWD costs $48,790 before a $7,500 federal credit that 2023 US-built (Chattanooga) cars qualified for, which gave a strong effective price for 275 miles of range and a roomy cabin. Against that, the 201 hp RWD car is slow, the infotainment is frustrating, and rivals such as the Ioniq 5 charge faster for similar money.

2023 was the broadest ID.4 year. It offered two batteries (62 kWh Standard/S, 82 kWh Pro/Pro S), RWD or dual-motor AWD, and trims running from Standard through Pro S Plus, spanning roughly $38.8K to $55K. The 62 kWh pack was dropped after this year.

Calendar 2023 was the ID.4's US record at 37,789 units, up 84% after Chattanooga production ramped. That made it one of the better-selling non-Tesla EVs, though it was still far behind the Model Y and modest next to the gas Tiguan.

VW is a familiar mainstream brand, but it carries no EV halo in the US to match Tesla, Hyundai or Kia. The ID.4's software problems and weak residuals have also dented owner perception.

Buyers got real help. US assembly made the 2023 ID.4 eligible for the $7,500 federal credit (point-of-sale from 2024 on remaining stock), VW stacked dealer cash and low-APR or lease offers during the 2023 EV price war, and Electrify America charging was bundled in.

The 2023 car is the third model year of the 2021-launched generation and the last before the MY2024 update, which brought the 282 hp APP550 motor and a new 12.9-inch infotainment system. A 2023 buyer therefore gets superseded hardware, with a substantial update arriving the following year.

It was well received for comfort, space and ride, and it earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2023 (it was also the 2021 World Car of the Year). It routinely finished behind the Ioniq 5, EV6 and Model Y in comparison tests and never made Car and Driver's 10Best.