The electric vehicle ID.4, which represents Volkswagen, stood out for its spacious interior and various advanced features. Its relatively affordable price among imported electric vehicles is also an advantage. In August, the vehicle price was discounted by about 20% (13.86 million won), leading to a monthly sales volume of 900 units, doubling compared to the previous month.
The ID.4 is Volkswagen's first all-electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) and was launched in the domestic market in September 2022. Last year, Volkswagen's global electric vehicle sales recorded 771,100 units, an increase of 34.7% compared to the previous year. Among these, the most sold electric vehicle models were the ID.4 and ID.5, with the sales volume of the two models (223,100 units) accounting for nearly 30% of total sales. The test vehicle was the 2023 model ID.4 Pro trim.
The exterior of the ID.4 is a mid-size to large SUV with a clean-cut appearance. The minimalist decorations typical of electric vehicles, combined with soft curves and volume, create a neat impression. The interior space is also relatively tidy, but the unique gear lever position was somewhat unfamiliar. Usually, the gear lever is located at the center of the vehicle, but in the ID.4, it is attached behind the steering wheel, operating by rotating back and forth. It was not easy to get used to this when frequently manipulating the gear lever, such as during parking.
The glass roof (a large glass panel mounted on the vehicle's ceiling) makes the interior appear spacious. Thanks to a wheelbase of 2,765 mm (the distance between the center of the front wheels and the center of the rear wheels), both the first and second rows have ample space, and the glass roof greatly enhances the visibility for the second row. The trunk capacity is 543 liters (L) as standard and can be increased to 1,575 L when the rear seats are folded down, making it adequate for recreational activities.
Various advanced features for the convenience and safety of the driver are also impressive. There is a start button below the steering wheel, but it starts when the brake pedal is pressed, and when exiting, placing the gear lever in park (P) turns off the engine. Initially, I struggled to understand the principle of the automatic door locking (proximity sensor) function, which prevented me from opening the door from inside for a while. The ID.4 can be set to automatically lock the doors through the vehicle display when opening and closing the doors, when the key is nearby or has moved away, or when driving or arriving at a destination.
As expected from an electric vehicle, there is almost no noise while driving, and the driving feel is as smooth as that of an internal combustion engine vehicle. The driving range on a single charge is a combined 421 km (451 km urban, 384 km highway), which is relatively long among similar electric vehicles. The certified energy consumption efficiency is 4.9 km/kWh (5.3 km/kWh urban, 4.5 km/kWh highway), and if the charging cost is calculated at about 300 won per kWh, it can travel 1,633 km for 100,000 won.
According to Volkswagen, the ID.4 has efficient battery performance and receives the highest subsidy of 4.92 million won among imported electric vehicles. The selling price is 54.9 million won for the Pro Light and 59.9 million won for the Pro. With the national subsidies plus additional subsidies from local governments, it can be purchased starting at just over 40 million won.