ID Parade

Twin test

Volkswagen ID.3 Max Pro Performance 58kWh 204PS

Volkswagen ID.4 Family Pro Performance 77kWh 204PS

Volkswagen ID.3 Max Pro Performance 58kWh 204PS

THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION IS happening, but which manufacturers are in the game? Tesla of course is leading the way, and the Korean duo of Hyundai and Kia now offer multiple EVs in their range. But Volkswagen has made probably the biggest and most deliberate play in the EV market, setting up a separate sub-brand called ID and designing a very distinct range of electric cars around it.

Indeed, when VW revealed the ID concept, it talked of the lead-off car, the ID.3, as being the third milestone car in VW history after the Beetle and the Golf.

Since then, of course, the world has been through a turbulent time, and a combination of Covid and supply chain issues surrounding electronic components have meant the ID launch has been slower than hoped.

But nevertheless, the ID.3 is here and on sale, as is its slightly larger sibling, the ID.4. And both cars are gaining traction within the private hire fleets. Addison Lee has chosen the ID.4 as its mainstream Galaxy/Sharan replacement, and has ordered several thousand of the car – it currently has in excess of 400 on strength.

London rival Green Tomato Cars has chosen the smaller ID.3 as its mainstay, and the company believes it will become as recognisable in time as the hybrid Toyota Prius, the use of which as a PHV was pioneered by Green Tomato Cars.

So what are the key differences between the ID.3 and ID.4? And which of the two cars is better for private hire or taxi use?

Firstly, the two cars share a platform, called MEB. It’s VW’s modular electric platform, allowing different body styles and shapes to be built on to the same basic running gear. By 2029, the VW Group aims to sell 20 million vehicles built on this new platform.

There are far fewer moving parts in an EV compared to an internal combustion-engined car, so the basic ID structure is simpler, with batteries below a flat floor, with the electric motor driving the rear wheels, hence the taller stance of many EVs.

As well as the basic underpinings, there are a lot of common components too. Stepping out of an ID.3 and into an ID.4 is not a culture shock – much of the interior is familiar, including the digital displays. And indeed, the ride and handling isn’t markedly different either.

For all their similarities, the cars occupy different spots within the VW line-up. Under the ID brand, there are no electrified versions of traditional VW models – no electric Golf, for example. Instead, ID.3 occupies the place in the range where the Golf would sit – a five-seater family hatchback.

It feels like a larger car than even the latest Golf, but that’s partially due to the taler stance and bigger wheels, which the battery pack dictates.

ID.4 is a bigger vehicle. Despite sharing the same wheelbase, it’s longer, at 4,584mm as opposed to the ID.3’s 4,251mm, with much more rear overhang, which translates into a bigger and more practical boot. The styling is different too, with some SUV touches, including plastic cladding on the lower parts of the body.

ID3

ID4

Essentially it’s a “crossover” with no equivalent in the ICE range. In terms of price and size, it’s perhaps comparable to a Tiguan, but it’s very different in terms of styling.

Both cars look distinctively “EV-ish”, with no radiator grilles. ID.3 looks more minimal, with a sloping front featuring an illuminated Volkswagen badge in the middle of a narrow trim line which on some models also incorporates a full-width light bar.

ID.3 certainly looks unmistakeably like an EV, but ID.4 is a little more conventional, with less of a one-box body and a more upright front end. Like the ID.3, it doesn’t have a grille, but shorter A-pillars give it a longer bonnet, with low-mounted cooling vents below the badge. The cars have a clear family identity, but are designed to appeal to different audiences.

From the driver’s seat, the cars certainly feel and look very similar. The influence of Tesla on minimal interiors for EVs is clear – there’s not a lot in the way of switchgear. A central touch-screen incorporates satnav, infotainment system and climate controls. It’s a little fiddly to use, though steering wheel buttons are more user-friendly.

The small digital driver panel is clear and well laid-out, displaying details of range and satnav instruictions. To the right of this is attached the drive selector, a simple forward-reversepark setup that is operational without taking your hands off the steering wheel, and moves the “gearshift” well away from the centre console, which instead includes lots of cupholders and storage space.

Despite the familiar features being in roughly the same place, the interiors are actually quite different, with different dash and door panels, different vents and some items, such as the warning lights panel, in a different place.

In the rear, the ID.4. feels the more spacious car. There’s more legroom, and both cars have plenty of headroom even for tall passengers. The cars are comfortable with two in the back, but are big enough to accommodate three.

The biggest advantage of the ID.4 over the ID.3 is the boot space. The ID.4 has 543 litres whereas the ID.3 has just 385 litres. In practical terms, it means our two standard test cases can only just be squeezed in to the ID.3. and the boot floor is not long enough to put the case inside lengthwise – as you can see from the photos. That’s not a problem with the ID.4.

So if you’re likely to use the car for airport runs and travel business where your passengers have luggage, we’d definitley go ID.4. As an urban taxi, the lower price of the ID.3 swings the deal in its favour.

Our ID.4 had a higher trim level, including twotone leather seats, bringing the price up to a shade under £47,000. Indeed, a whole range of trim options are available on both models. ID.3 trims include – on paper - Life, Style, Family, Max, Tour, Business and Tech. Perhaps more importantly, there is a range of electric drivetrains too, with different power outputs and, crucially, range, including Pro, Pro Performance, Pure Performance and Pro S.

But availability is rather hit or miss at the moment. Our test car had Max trim and Pro powertrain, which brings the price under £39,000 and offers a decent 258 miles of range between charges via a 58kWh battery. The electric motor offers 204PS, so it’s no slouch, without feeling overpowered.

ID.4 trims are the same, apart from a rangetopping sporty GTX model. Our test car had Family trim and Pro Performance trim, which offers a bigger 77kWh battery and gives greater range of 314 miles – a useful premium over Pro and something we’d recommend.

There’s an even smaller 45kWh battery under the Pure engine level, but with only 217 miles of range (213 miles on ID.4), this is really aimed at the second-car private market. We’d recommend the biggest battery you can afford.

It’s worth taking a good look at the trim packs to see what might be useful. The entry level Life trim is petty good, with a 10in infotainment screen and air conditioning, as well as steel wheels rather than alloys – which might save you some money in wheel repairs on a hard-worked PHV.

The various packs add features such as keyless entry, dual-zone air conditioning and panoramic sunroofs, as well as alloys in varying sizes.

On the road, the cars feel exactly how you’d expect an electric VW to feel. Quiet, well screwedtogether with no rattles and squeaks. The heavy battery means the ride can be a little bumpy over sleeping policemen, but flat cornering and a stable feel on motorways comes with the territory.

Both cars offer a slightly taller stance with a good road view. The ID.4 does feel like it has a little more presence, but the general drive performance is very similar. You can use the steering wheel paddles to intensify the regenerative braking and increase your range, but at the expense of smoothness.

verdict

There’s much to like about vw’s initial ev offerings. they’re roomy, practical, have good range and you can expect they will be reliable. On the downside, they’re not cheap – extras took our test cars up to £43,185 for the ID.3 and a whopping £56,620 on the ID.4. The ID.3 and ID.4 share a lot of componentry – mechanically, they’re pretty much the same, with different bodies. They’re pleasant to drive without being over-quirky (or over-fast). The ID.4 is more expensive, but it’s bigger, especially in the rear and the boot, which matters greatly in our world.

Given that a lot of vehicles are acquired on lease or lease-purchase, the price differential between the two cars should be minimised to a few pounds per month – and that favours the ID.4.

Your problem may be availability. Car supply is in turmoil at the moment – not just microchips, but also items such as wiring looms, which were sourced in large numbers from war-torn Ukraine. So it may be a case of seeing what’s available and taking it, especially if you’re London-based and want to avoid the C-charge.

Whichever car you choose, we’d recommend you spend a little more on the bigger battery pack. Avoid the 45kWh pack, and aim for the biggest 77kWh one, though the middle-ground 58kWh is probably good enough if you can access an overnight charge easily enough – which we know is a problem for drivers living in flats or terraced houses without a drive.

More manufacturers are entering the market with cars in this basic sector – Renault and Nissan, for example. And VW Group brands Skoda (Enyaq) and Cupra (Born) have launched cars that use the same basic platform and powertrains as the ID models.

Hopefully by 2023, supplies will be more normal again, and your buying decisions will be informed by more than a desperate search for a car!