Volkswagen held an event in China to show off some of its latest models, including the Vilorian minivan and Tacqua compact crossover, but the highlight of the lineup there was the ID 4 prototype. Undoubtedly, VW plans to enter the Chinese market with the ID 4 compact as well, but since it needs to make a big splash in the states, you’d think that prototype would have been shown here, where the brand has been withholding its new ID lineup.

Volkswagen ID 4 Teasers – Just a Prototype For Now – But Looks Like the Atlas Cross Sport

If you happen to recall correctly, this is the very same prototype that was shown off during the debut of the ID 3, but if you don’t remember, that’s okay – it was hidden inside a glass room with lots of smoke. We were still able to see it, for the most part, but making out all the finer details just wasn’t possible. This Chinese event, however, has given us our first clear look at the ID 4 and it’s not so much the I.D. Crozz or ID Roomz we expected it to be.

In fact, it’s little more than a slightly reworked Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport! I kid you not – just take a look at the slider image below:

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Granted, the ID 4 could, in fact, be just a pinch smaller, but it really doesn’t look like it from the materials and information we have right now. The silhouette is damn near identical, while the front end takes more of a toned-down approach in that it doesn’t really have an upper grille between the headlights. There appears to be a small opening there, but it’s really not. The odd part to note here is the big, aggressive air dam that’s partially uncovered. What it’s there for is beyond us. It looks like a weird blend of ID.3 and Mk. 8 Golf DNA. Our guess in terms of functionality is that the center is open to help keep the battery pack cool.

As for the rear end, it’s a dead ringer for the Atlas Cross Sport. It even has the same general hatch design that folds over the C-pillars ever so slightly. The angle of the rear glass seems the same as well. Of course, this ID 4 is electric, so it won’t feature the aggressive rear fascia with exhaust outlets (thank whomever you pray to for that one!), so the lower portion of the rear is styled a bit differently. The taillights are also different and run the full width, but that’s hardly enough to really differentiate the two models. We’re really curious to see how this thing looks and compares in the metal.



We’re not sure when the ID 4 will make its debut, let alone launch, so don’t go holding your breath quite yet. If it debuts in 2020, we’ll probably see it hit the market in 2021, but it’ll probably only be in certain areas, given the lack of charging infrastructure. For now, all we know is that it will be produced in China as well – probably why it was showcased there, I suppose – but VW could produce it elsewhere as well to avoid harsh tariffs or import costs. If it’s anything like the ID 3, and it probably will be since it’s built on the same architecture, expect around 200 horsepower 230 pound-feet of torque, and between 300 and 350 miles per charge, with the former being the more accurate expectation. It’ll feature the same 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty (160,000 km in most parts of the world) and should be good for a top speed of just 99 mph.