The Volkswagen ID.4 had a rough year in 2024 in both the U.S. and Europe. But the 2026 version is banking on a bevy of upgrades and improvements to get it back on track.
Borrowing visual cues from the ID.2All concept, the ID.4 gets a cleaner “two-box” silhouette, updated bumpers, refreshed headlights and taillights, a slightly extended wheelbase, new alloy wheels and new paint options.
It also gets a more luxurious feeling inside with soft-touch materials, ambient lighting and a new cockpit-style dashboard that blends into the doors.
After a promising start in the U.S. and Europe in 2023, things tailed off last year with a production halt due to recall issues, weakening demand for BEVs and more competition in the battery-electric-vehicle market in both regions. Sales were down 55% in the U.S. last year to 17,021. Sales were down 40.4% in Germany from 36,353 in 2023 to 21,611 last year, per company reports.
VW is trying to put some turbo in ID.4 sales before the SSP-based architecture redesign takes hold in 2028.
After customer feedback, VW is bringing back tactile knobs and buttons, including a traditional volume knob – replacing the current capacitive sliders. Also, a new, faster infotainment interface with improved UX, alongside VW’s IDA voice assistant powered by ChatGPT, offers, the company says, a smarter, more conversational in-car experience.
A standard 12.9-in. (33-cm) touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, complements an upgraded 5.3 in. (13.5 cm) digital driver display, plus enhanced wireless smartphone charging and four USB ports.
There is also some added performance. Rear-drive models produce 282 hp, while the AWD version delivers 335 hp. The 82-kWh battery powers a RWD range of 291 miles (469 km), while the AWD version will take drivers 263 miles (423 km). The RWD version can add about 178 miles (287 km), the company says, in about 10 minutes of DC fast charging.
The ID.4 is built on VW’s enhanced MEB architecture, retaining the multi-link rear suspension and rear-motor layout – until the SSP replacement comes.
There is a three-zone climate control system with heated and ventilated seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel and high-end Harman Kardon audio with 12 speakers available as an option.
The standard IQ.DRIVE suite includes adaptive cruise control, lane centering with travel assist, collision mitigation, blindspot detection and rear-traffic alerts, plus a 360-degree camera system.
“Customers will see there has been a change, and a much bigger change than expected,” says Kai Grunitz, head of R&D at Volkswagen Group. VW brand chief Thomas Schafer goes even further, saying the new design language of the ID.4 is meant to make VW a “loved brand again.”
These upgrades are more than typical on a midcycle refresh, but the new architecture that will replace the current one has been delayed as VW is shifting from its home-grown system to one developed by Rivian with which it has a significant partnership. Rivian is leading on all of VW Group’s software architecture now.
All the changes and enhancements are meant to keep the BEV, which, together with ID.5, is VW’s top-selling BEV offering in Europe. The plan is to make it the top-selling BEV in the U.S., too.
The competition both in Europe and the U.S. favors the ID.4 if Volkswagen can market it right. Its chief and most obvious competition is the Tesla Model Y. But demand for Teslas in Europe and the U.S. remains very much up in the air after precipitous drops in sales this year, stemming from protests and loss of brand trust by consumers who object to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political activity.
