VW ID.4 review (UK): price, range, charging, verdict

The VW ID.4 is a five-seat electric family SUV that costs from £36,995 in November 2026, with WLTP range of 265 to 351 miles depending on the battery, and the version to buy is the 79 kWh Pro Essential, which costs the same as the entry car but goes 86 miles further. UK testers find it comfortable, roomy and easy to live with, but not the sharpest to drive or the quickest to charge. EV Compared has not driven the ID.4; this review rests on Volkswagen’s published figures, the government’s grant list and the UK reviews named below.

Verdict: who should buy the VW ID.4 and who should not

Buy a VW ID.4 if you want a spacious, comfortable electric SUV for family driving, can charge at home, and are happy to choose the Pro Essential. At £36,995 it pairs the 79 kWh battery and 351 miles of WLTP range with a 210 kW rear electric motor, and it qualifies for the £1,500 Electric Car Grant, which brings it to £35,495. On a 6.5p/kWh overnight tariff each mile costs about 1.5p on our sums.

Do not buy one if you want an engaging drive: Auto Express found the steering slow, light and short of feel, with noticeable body roll. It is also the wrong car if you dislike touch-sensitive controls, which Electrifying still calls a weak point, or if you cover long motorway trips and want the fastest rapid charging in the class. And skip the dearer trims: a Pro Match costs £7,975 more than the Pro Essential with a shorter official range, and loses the grant.

If you are weighing it against the rest of the range, our guide to every Volkswagen electric car sets the ID.4 alongside the brand’s other electric hatchbacks, SUVs and vans.

How much is the VW ID.4, and which trim should you choose?

The VW ID.4 costs from £36,995 in November 2026, and there are six trims: Pure Essential, Pro Essential, Pure Match, Pro Match, Pro Match 4MOTION and GTX Edition. Pure means the smaller 58 kWh battery; Pro means the 77 kWh or 79 kWh battery. Electrifying adds that Pro Black Edition versions cost £2,000 more than the equivalent Match.

Version	List price (November 2026)	Battery (usable)	Range (WLTP)	Power	Drive	Electric Car Grant
Pure Essential 58kWh	£36,995	58 kWh	265 miles	140 kW	Rear	£1,500 (Band 2)
Pro Essential 79kWh	£36,995	79 kWh	351 miles	210 kW	Rear	£1,500 (Band 2)
Pure Match 58kWh	£39,590	58 kWh	265 miles	140 kW	Rear	Listed by Volkswagen (Band 2)
Pro Match 79kWh	£44,970	79 kWh	347 miles	210 kW	Rear	None
Pro Match 4MOTION 77kWh 299PS	£46,690	77 kWh	341 miles	220 kW	Four-wheel	None
GTX Edition 4MOTION 77kWh	£52,900	77 kWh	326 miles	250 kW	Four-wheel	None

The two Essential cars costing the same is not a typo. Electrifying flags the Pro Essential’s £36,995 price as an oddity, and Auto Express judged the Pure Match poor value because the Pro Essential offers a bigger battery and a more powerful motor for less money. On EV Compared’s list price per mile of range figure, the Pro Essential costs £105 for each mile of WLTP range against £140 for the Pure Essential, £130 for the Pro Match and £162 for the GTX Edition.

Volkswagen updated the ID.4 in spring 2026, EV Fleet World reported on 23 April 2026. The entry battery grew from 52 kWh to 58 kWh, lifting range from 222 to 265 miles and power from 170 to 190 PS at no extra cost, and the Pro 4MOTION went from 286 to 299 PS. Every trim gained physical buttons on the steering wheel, vehicle-to-load and bidirectional charging through optional adapters, faster 15W phone charging and an updated infotainment system. The Pure Essential now rides on 19-inch steel wheels, the Pure Match adds an electric tailgate as standard, and a more efficient heat pump is an option.

You may still see earlier versions listed on Volkswagen’s site and on Carwow: the Pure Essential 52kWh at £36,995 and the Pure Match 52kWh at £39,590, both with 222 miles of WLTP range and 125 kW, the Pro Match 4MOTION 77kWh 286PS at £46,120 with 326 miles, and the GTX Edition 79kWh at £52,245 with 322 miles. For every version and its equipment, see our VW ID.4 price, specs and trims guide.

Does the VW ID.4 get the Electric Car Grant?

Yes: the ID.4 is in Band 2 of the government’s Electric Car Grant, worth up to £1,500, on the GOV.UK list of eligible cars. The scheme only covers cars priced at or under £37,000, so the two £36,995 Essential versions qualify and drop to £35,495.

Volkswagen’s own grant page, correct at 13 August 2026, also lists the Pure Match versions as eligible, on condition that the final purchase price including options and retailer discounts is under £42,000. It excludes the Pro Match, Pro Black Edition, Pro Match 4MOTION, Pro Black Edition 4MOTION and GTX Edition. Applications for the scheme close on 31 March 2030.

How far does the VW ID.4 go on a charge?

The ID.4 has an official WLTP range of 265 miles with the 58 kWh battery and up to 351 miles with the 79 kWh battery in the Pro Essential. The four-wheel-drive Pro Match 4MOTION is rated at 341 miles and the GTX Edition at 326 miles.

Version	Battery (usable)	Range (WLTP)	Miles per kWh (EV Compared)
Pure Essential and Pure Match	58 kWh	265 miles	4.57
Pro Essential	79 kWh	351 miles	4.44
Pro Match	79 kWh	347 miles	4.39
Pro Match 4MOTION 299PS	77 kWh	341 miles	4.43
GTX Edition	77 kWh	326 miles	4.23

We work out efficiency by dividing the WLTP range by the usable battery capacity and ignore charging losses, as set out in our methodology.

Real-world range is lower than the official figure, as on every electric car. Electrifying’s testers averaged 3.2 miles per kWh in a GTX on a mixed-driving test, which is 246 miles from a full battery against 326 miles official. Auto Express’s Dean Gibson saw about 2.8 miles per kWh from a Pro Black Edition 4MOTION in freezing weather, though the predicted range held steady on the motorway. Car and Driving notes that the Eco setting and regenerative braking help you get the most from each charge. For winter and motorway estimates by version, read our VW ID.4 real-world range and charging times.

How long does the VW ID.4 take to charge?

On a 7 kW home wallbox, a full charge takes about 8.3 hours for the 58 kWh battery, 11.0 hours for the 77 kWh battery and 11.3 hours for the 79 kWh battery, on our sums. Every ID.4 can take 11 kW on AC, which helps only with a three-phase supply or on 11 kW public posts.

On a DC rapid charger, the 58 kWh ID.4 peaks at 105 kW and goes from 10 to 80% in 26 minutes, which adds about 71 miles of WLTP range in 10 minutes on our sums. Electrifying quotes up to 165 kW and 29 minutes for 10 to 80% on the 77 kWh and 79 kWh cars, and 185 kW and 27 minutes for the GTX. Auto Express quotes 175 kW and 28 minutes for the Pro Black Edition 4MOTION, and Dean Gibson called that “behind the class best these days”.

Where you charge	Price per kWh	Full charge, 58 kWh	Cost per mile, 58 kWh	Full charge, 79 kWh Pro Essential	Cost per mile, Pro Essential
Home, Intelligent Octopus Go off-peak	6.5p	£3.77	1.4p	£5.13	1.5p
Home, standard tariff at the Ofgem price cap	26.32p	£15.27	5.8p	£20.79	5.9p
Public rapid charger, Zapmap October 2026 average	82p	£47.56	17.9p	£64.78	18.5p

These EV Compared figures use the usable battery and WLTP range of each version. The off-peak rate is Intelligent Octopus Go’s 6.5p/kWh, the standard rate is Ofgem’s 26.32p/kWh average for 1 October to 31 December 2026, and the rapid rate is Zapmap’s October 2026 average of 82p/kWh. Over 8,000 miles, a Pro Essential costs about £117 to charge at home off-peak, £474 on a standard tariff and £1,476 on public rapid chargers.

Those home figures depend on a wallbox and a smart tariff. Best Chargers covers choosing and installing a home charger in detail.

What does the VW ID.4 cost to run?

The ID.4 is cheap to run if you charge at home, and only the GTX Edition pays the road tax supplement. Here are the main costs in November 2026.

Road tax. An electric car registered from 1 April 2025 pays £10 in its first year and the £200 standard rate after that, according to GOV.UK. The £440 expensive car supplement applies to electric cars with a list price over £50,000, so the £52,900 GTX Edition pays £640 a year from its second tax payment, for five years. Every other ID.4 version is listed below £50,000.

Company car tax. Every ID.4 sits in the 4% benefit-in-kind band for 2026 to 2027, the rate for 0 g/km cars, according to GOV.UK.

Charging. At home on a 6.5p/kWh tariff, every version costs between 1.4p and 1.6p a mile on our sums, and 8,000 miles costs between £114 and £128 in electricity.

Warranty. The car is covered for 3 years or 60,000 miles, which Electrifying calls “a little on the stingy side”.

If you are thinking of a second-hand car to cut the purchase price, our used VW ID.4 buying guide covers prices, battery health and the recall checks below.

How big is the VW ID.4, and how practical is it?

The ID.4 is a mid-size family SUV, 4,584 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,631 mm tall, with five seats. Auto Express and Car and Driving quote a 543-litre boot with the rear seats up, while Electrifying quotes 533 litres, and with the seats folded Electrifying gives 1,565 litres and Car and Driving 1,575 litres.

Auto Express found a low loading lip and room under the boot floor for two charging cables, though the rear seats do not slide or fold flat. Its testers praised the generous headroom and rear space, and Dean Gibson found “plenty of space” in the back thanks to the flat floor.

Car and Driving praised the 10.2-metre turning circle, which makes the ID.4 easy to manoeuvre in town, and the near 50:50 front and rear weight distribution. If you tow, choose a 4MOTION or GTX Edition: since the spring update, the four-wheel-drive versions are rated to pull 1,800 kg braked.

Is the VW ID.4 safe, and has it been recalled?

The ID.4 holds a five-star Euro NCAP rating, which Euro NCAP’s 2025 re-assessment confirmed, according to Volkswagen. Driver assistance includes Traffic Assist, which gained a Front Cross function to help protect pedestrians and cyclists in the spring 2026 update, EV Fleet World reports.

Volkswagen UK has opened safety recall campaigns 93MV and 93MF for cars from the VW ID.3 hatchback, ID.4 and ID.7 ranges fitted with high-voltage batteries from one supplier made between 2022 and 2025. Volkswagen says that above 80% charge “overheating may occur, posing a fire risk”, so it is temporarily limiting affected cars to 80%, in most cases remotely. Dealers check each car, which takes about an hour, and replace battery modules or update software free of charge, after which the original range is restored. DC rapid charging is still allowed.

Our report on the VW battery recall and the 80% charge cap explains what the cap means in miles. Before buying any ID.4, new or used, enter its registration in DVSA’s recall checker on GOV.UK to see whether a safety recall is outstanding.

What the testers say

UK reviewers agree that the ID.4 is a comfortable, practical and easy family electric car, and that it falls short of the best on driving involvement, interior controls and charging speed. Here is what four published reviews from three UK publications found; none of these findings are EV Compared’s own.

Electrifying (May 2026). Vicky Parrott called the ID.4 “a true all-rounder” that does “a great job of being a fuss-free mode of transport”, and said the car you buy today “is usefully improved over the one you would have received at launch”. She stopped short of calling it “quite class leading”, described the lack of buttons as “improved but still an issue”, and advised skipping the faster versions and four-wheel drive, since a big battery in a lower trim covers most needs. With a decent finance deal, she concluded, it is “a resoundingly likeable, well-rounded electric SUV”.

Auto Express, 4 out of 5 (January 2026). Dean Gibson found the Pro Black Edition a “comfortable all-rounder that’s pretty easy to get along with”. He praised the ride, the massage seats, the strong acceleration and the rear space, but said the comfort “comes at the expense of driving fun”, that “body roll is noticeable at higher cornering speeds” and that four-wheel drive is “hardly ever called upon”.

Auto Express, 3 out of 5 (August 2025). Steve Walker found the Pure Match strong on practicality and comfortable on long journeys, but called the steering “slow, light and lacking in feel” and the steering wheel buttons “too easy to accidentally press”. His verdict was that “buyers would be far better spending their money on the cheaper Pro Essential model”.

Car and Driving (2026). Car and Driving’s review of the updated car calls the ID.4 “practical, decent to drive and reasonable value”, with four-wheel drive available as an option. It scores the ID.4 80% for comfort and 70% each for performance, handling and space, and says the rear-drive layout gives it the “recipe for a decently sporting EV”, which it delivers “in some ways”.

How does the VW ID.4 compare with its rivals?

At its £36,995 starting price, the ID.4 Pro Essential has the longest WLTP range and the biggest usable battery of the cars in the table below, while the BMW iX1 and iX2 charge faster than the 58 kWh ID.4 and the Ford Capri has the biggest boot.

Model and version	List price (Nov 2026)	Battery	Range (WLTP)	Peak DC charging	Boot
Leapmotor C10 69.9 kWh	£36,500	69.9 kWh (gross)	263 miles	84 kW	485 litres
Ford Capri Style 58kWh RWD	£36,985	58 kWh	286 miles	105 kW	572 litres
Volkswagen ID.4 Pure Essential 58kWh	£36,995	58 kWh	265 miles	105 kW	not listed
Volkswagen ID.4 Pro Essential 79kWh	£36,995	79 kWh	351 miles	not listed	not listed
Volkswagen ID.5 Pro Essential 77kWh	£36,995	77 kWh	345 miles	not listed	not listed
Jeep Compass Electric Altitude 74kWh FWD	£36,999	74 kWh	285 miles	not listed	550 litres
BMW iX1 eDrive20 Sport	£37,065	65 kWh	321 miles	130 kW	490 litres
BMW iX2 eDrive20 Sport	£37,065	65.2 kWh	319 miles	130 kW	525 litres

On our list price per mile of range figure, the ID.4 Pro Essential costs £105 for each mile of WLTP range, the lowest of any car in the table, against £107 for the ID.5, £115 for the BMW iX1, £116 for the iX2, £129 for the Ford Capri, £130 for the Jeep Compass Electric and £139 for the Leapmotor C10 electric SUV.

Volkswagen ID.5. The coupe-styled ID.5 Pro Essential costs the same £36,995 with a 77 kWh battery and 345 miles of WLTP range, and it is also in Band 2 for the grant. It is 4,599 mm long and 1,618 mm tall against the ID.4’s 4,584 mm and 1,631 mm. Choose it for the sloping roofline; choose the ID.4 for its taller body.

Ford Capri. The Capri Style costs £10 less than the ID.4 Essential versions, goes 286 miles from its 58 kWh battery, charges at up to 105 kW with a 26-minute 10 to 80% time, and has a 572-litre boot. It is more efficient than the 58 kWh ID.4 on our sums, at 1.3p a mile at home against 1.4p, but the Pro Essential goes 65 miles further for £10 more.

BMW iX1 and iX2. Both cost £37,065, go 321 and 319 miles, and charge at up to 130 kW with a 29-minute 10 to 80% time. Both are in Band 1 of the grant, worth up to £3,750. They are front-wheel drive, rated to tow 750 kg and shorter than the ID.4.

Jeep Compass Electric. The front-wheel-drive Compass Altitude costs £36,999, goes 285 miles from a 74 kWh battery and has a 550-litre boot, but at 3.85 miles per kWh on our sums it is less efficient than every car here except the Leapmotor.

Leapmotor C10. The C10 is the cheapest car in the table at £36,500, but its 263-mile range and 84 kW charging trail the ID.4 Pro Essential, and it does not qualify for the government grant.

Is the ID.4 being replaced, and should you wait?

Yes, the ID.4 is in its final run: Electrifying reports that the electric ID.Tiguan “replaces both the ID.4 and ID.5” and will sit alongside the combustion-engined Tiguan. Volkswagen has not released UK prices for the ID.Tiguan, so there is no confirmed figure to compare with the ID.4’s £36,995.

Our report on the ID.Tiguan that replaces the ID.4 covers its forecast range and timing. If you need a car now, the ID.4 Pro Essential is a known quantity with the grant applied; if you can wait, the replacement may change the picture, but nothing about its UK price or grant eligibility is confirmed.

Should you buy a VW ID.4?

Yes, if you want a comfortable, roomy electric family SUV, charge at home, and buy the Pro Essential. For £35,495 after the £1,500 grant it brings a 79 kWh battery, 351 miles of WLTP range and running costs of about 1.5p a mile on an overnight tariff, and on our sums it offers more range per pound of list price than any rival in the table above. The four-wheel-drive versions also make sense if you tow, with a 1,800 kg limit.

No, if you want a car that is fun on a twisting road, if touch-sensitive controls annoy you, or if you would be paying £44,970 or more for a Match, 4MOTION or GTX Edition version: those trims lose the grant, and both Electrifying and Auto Express steer buyers towards a big battery in a cheaper trim. Buyers who want faster charging at a similar price should look at the BMW iX1, and those who want the most boot for the money at the Ford Capri. EV Compared has not driven the ID.4; this verdict rests on Volkswagen’s figures, the GOV.UK grant list and the UK reviews above.