The Volkswagen ID.4 comes into VW’s lineup as the second new electric vehicle to the lineup and is based on the previous ID Crozz show cars. It is the brand’s first electric SUV, and it resides in the compact segment, which allows it to return decent range and power for its size. This is what we know about it.

What Does the Volkswagen ID.4 Look Like?

The Volkswagen ID.4 is a compact SUV that’s based on the ID Crozz concepts, but it honestly looks like a weird blend between the compact Volkswagen T-Cross and the T-Roc. Once could argue that it actually looks a lot more like the T-Roc based on its size and the shape of the belt line, especially the way it elevates over the particularly bulky rear quarter panels. The front end reminds us of a tall Golf without the grille, while the fake vents in the corners and the weird air dam at the bottom give it a more today-ish look. The bulky hood makes one believe that there’s an engine lurking under there, but we’re guessing there’s probably little more than a small storage space and some electric tech.

The rear end of the ID. 4 is, well, awkward. Up top, there is a very short rear windscreen that probably hampers rearward visibility while the bottom is, oddly sunk in, leaving the rear hatch to serve as a weird overhang. The overall look probably has something to do with how bulky the rear quarters are, but VW engineers should have tried a little harder here. That sloping roofline also leads to the awkwardness in the rear as well. Overall, the ID.4 doesn’t look horrible from most angles. In fact, it’s quite attractive in the right light, but the rear end definitely has a plumber’s ass.

Does the Volkswagen ID.4 Have a Nice Interior

Despite the fact that Volkswagen has decided to showcase the ID.4, we have yet to get a good look at the interior. We suspect the interior will mirror that of the ID.3, albeit a little more upscale. We’d expect the display ahead of the steering wheel to be a bit larger and we suspect the infotainment system will be larger with a less obnoxious mounting position. There’s also a good chance the VW could go all in and provide a larger, tablet-like display given the extra height inside thanks to its SUV nature. The ID.4 will have room to seat up to five people, but you wouldn’t want to be stuck in the middle with two adults. Since it’s an EV, don’t expect a lot of extras and it’s not a premium model, so don’t expect any form of rear seat entertainment.

How Fast is the BMW ID.4?

Volkswagen has disclosed very little about the ID.4’s drivetrain outside of the fact that it is all-electric and that it will deliver up to 500 kilometers of range per charge (about 310 miles.) There’s no word on electric motors or battery size, but it rides on the same MEB platform as the ID.3, so there’s a good chance that it features the same driveline. Plus, with the ID.3 offering up to 341 miles of range, it makes sense that this larger SUV would offer a bit less. You can probably expect a single electric motor that’s capable of delivering around 200 horsepower and around 230 pound-feet of torque. At the time of launch, the ID.4 will be available in a rear-wheel-drive configuration only, but VW plans to launch an electric AWD version sometime in the future – the same story we heard about the ID.3. As is the case with the ID.3., we suspect the ID.4 will feature a a top speed of about 100 mph and will be capable of “fast” charging. I wouldn’t expect a 0-60 mph time of less than 7 seconds given the specs we have on hand.

Final Thoughts

At this point, VW is still at least six months away from launching the ID.4, but it does say that “ID.4 starts this year” whatever that’s supposed to mean. It will be produced and sold globally, so this one is coming to China, Europe, and the U.S. (remember, we don’t get the ID.3 because we’re in love with SUVs.) We expect the ID.4 to officially hit the market sometime in the fourth quarter of 2020 as a 2021 model, so we expect to learn a lot more about it over the course of the year. Stay tuned for updates.