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Volkswagen ID.4 Black Edition: Comfortable, Capable, and Content to Cruise

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The ID.4 may not be the electric Golf VW once promised, but in Black Edition trim it settles into its role as a refined, roomy, and quietly competent EV SUV.

When Volkswagen rolled out its ID electric lineup, the ambition was nothing short of historic. These were supposed to be the new Beetles and Golfs—cars that would reset the market and define an era. Reality, as it often does, has been more measured. The ID.3 didn’t dethrone the Golf, and the ID.4 hasn’t quite stepped into the Tiguan’s hiking boots. But that doesn’t make the ID.4 a misfire. It just means it found a different lane—and decided to stay comfortably in it.

If the ID.4 were truly forgettable, Ford wouldn’t have used it as the basis for its electric Explorer and Capri. The underlying MEB platform remains one of VW Group’s stronger assets, prioritizing interior space and ride comfort over tire-smoking theatrics. That philosophy is very much alive in the ID.4 Black Edition, the trim level sitting just below the performance-oriented GTX.

The Black Edition starts with the Match trim and adds a dose of visual drama: gloss-black exterior details, blacked-out alloy wheels, and a darker overall vibe that suits the ID.4’s clean, inoffensive shape. More importantly, it bundles in extra equipment and is offered exclusively with the larger 77-kWh battery. Buyers get one major choice: stick with rear-wheel drive or add VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system. Opt for the latter and the price rises to £48,120—still comfortably more than £4,000 shy of the GTX.

Power doesn’t change either way. Both versions deliver 282 horsepower and a healthy 545 Nm of torque, enough to hustle this electric SUV to 62 mph in about 6.6 seconds. That’s brisk rather than thrilling, and it neatly sums up the ID.4’s character. The all-wheel-drive system adds security but rarely feels necessary; even in slippery conditions, the rear-drive car puts its power down without drama. Push harder and the ID.4 defaults to safe, predictable understeer. This isn’t a car that eggs you on—it gently suggests you calm down.

And honestly, that’s fine. The real satisfaction here comes from the powertrain’s smoothness and responsiveness. Off-the-line acceleration is strong, the mid-range punch makes overtaking effortless, and everything happens without noise, fuss, or urgency. It’s competence served chilled.

The suspension tuning follows the same script. At low speeds the ride can feel a touch firm, but it settles nicely as pace increases, delivering a relaxed, well-damped cruise. Yes, there’s noticeable body roll if you start pretending this is a hot hatch, but there’s also plenty of grip and zero sense of impending chaos. The ID.4 never feels out of its depth—it just doesn’t want to play.

Where it really shines is comfort. The Black Edition comes standard with massage seats, configurable through the central touchscreen, which also allows you to adjust seating positions to free up rear legroom. Not that the back seats need much help: the flat floor, generous legroom, and deep cushions make this an easy place to spend time. The panoramic glass roof does wonders for the otherwise dark interior, preventing the all-black theme from feeling cave-like.

Efficiency, too, is quietly impressive. In freezing conditions, the ID.4 returned around 2.8 miles per kWh, and motorway speeds didn’t send the range estimate into freefall. In fact, the predicted range held steady and even ticked upward at times—a refreshing change from EVs that panic as soon as you hit 70 mph.

Charging is one area where the ID.4 shows its age. A peak DC fast-charging rate of 175 kW is no longer class-leading, though it’s hardly disastrous. Plugged into a suitable charger, a 10-to-80 percent top-up still takes about 30 minutes—acceptable, if unremarkable.

The Volkswagen ID.4 Black Edition won’t rewrite automotive history, and it won’t replace the Golf in anyone’s heart. But it doesn’t need to. What it offers instead is space, comfort, respectable performance, and a powertrain that just works. In a segment crowded with EVs trying to be exciting, the ID.4 is refreshingly content being good. And for a lot of buyers, that might be exactly enough.

Source: Volkswagen; Photos: AutoExpress

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Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5: Plugging Into a £1500 Boost

It’s official — the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 have just become a bit more wallet-friendly. Thanks to the UK’s revived Electric Car Grant (ECG), the German brand’s mid-size electric SUVs now qualify for a tidy £1500 discount, nudging prices down to a more tempting £35,495 for the entry-level variant.

That might not sound like much in the world of five-figure EVs, but in car-finance terms, it’s the difference between “hmm, maybe” and “go on then, where do I sign?”.

Volkswagen joins the affordable EV club

The grant applies to Pure Essential, Pure Match, and Pro Essential trims — the more rationally specced ID.4s and ID.5s. That means you can choose between a 168bhp single-motor, rear-drive setup with a 52 kWh battery (good for 221 miles), or a 282bhp twin-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration hooked up to the larger 77 kWh pack, stretching range to a healthier 339 miles.

It’s a pretty compelling mix: proper family-friendly space, decent shove, and the reassurance that you can make it from London to Leeds without playing charging-station roulette.

Volkswagen now has three cars on the ECG roster, joining the ID.3, which slipped under the price threshold earlier this summer and now starts at under £30k. For a brand often accused of letting its EVs hover just above the “sensible money” line, that’s a refreshing change of strategy.

The green light from Westminster

So what’s the catch? Eligibility isn’t just about price tags. The ECG is part of a broader government initiative to promote cleaner motoring, with technical and sustainability criteria baked in — covering everything from component sourcing to manufacturing emissions and shipping.

Out of the 38 electric models currently cleared for the grant, only the Ford Puma Gen-E and E-Tourneo Courier qualify for the higher £3750 level. But even the lower grant tier has been moving metal: the government reckons 20,000 EVs sold last month were ECG-supported.

That’s music to the ears of Keir Mather, the UK’s newly minted Decarbonisation Minister. At just 27, he’s the youngest cabinet minister in two centuries — and now has the unenviable job of steering Britain’s electrified future. His message? Simple. “We want your next car to be electric.”

Charging ahead

To be fair, there are signs it’s working. September saw record-breaking EV sales — more than 70,000 in one month — and the national charging network has just sailed past 83,000 public points, with 100,000 more planned.

So if you’ve been hovering on the fence, waiting for a sign from above (or from Wolfsburg), this might be it. The ID.4 and ID.5 are still unmistakably Volkswagens — solid, sensible, slightly conservative — but now they’re wearing a price tag that looks just a bit more rebellious.

Maybe the electric revolution isn’t coming. Maybe it’s already parked on your driveway — and now it costs £1500 less.

Source: Volkswagen

News

Volkswagen ID.4 was Europe’s best selling EV in January

Although 2024 was full of challenges and uncertainties in the automotive industry, car sales on the old continent grew by 0.8% (10.6 million), compared to 2023. However, the beginning of 2025 did not continue on that path. In January, 1.9% fewer cars (993,068 units) were registered.

If we look at individual brands, Volkswagen is the leader with 112,000 new vehicles sold (+17 percent compared to January 2024), which is an outstanding result because second-place Toyota sold only 69,966 units. It should also be noted that other brands, such as BMW with 59,859 vehicles sold or Skoda with 58,959 registrations, had a successful start to the year. Skoda could even overtake the Bavarian manufacturer by the end of 2025.

Volkswagen’s biggest assets were its ID models, such as the Volkswagen ID.4, which became the best-selling electric car in Europe with a growth of almost 200 percent, leaving behind the Tesla Model Y. As for other models, the Volkswagen ID.7 came in third with a growth of 657 percent, while the KIA EV3 finished in fourth place. Among small electric cars, the Dacia Spring achieved good results, which was seventh, and the new Renault 5 in eighth place.

The biggest loser was Tesla, with only 9,913 units sold, which is 45 percent less than in January 2024. This was mainly due to Elon Musk’s controversial statements and lower demand for the Model Y.

Source: Jato Dynamics