The Volkswagen ID.4 has received a significant update for 2023. This all-electric “people’s SUV” offers significantly improved DC fast charging performance for the latest model year. Depending on configuration, the ID.4 should now charge appreciably quicker than rival EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, front-wheel-drive Toyota bZ4X and Volvo XC40 Recharge, all of which top out at around 150 kilowatts.
The best last year’s ID.4 could muster is a DC fast charging speed of 135 kW, which is at best satisfactory, even if it’s 10 kW faster than this vehicle could do the year prior. For 2023, the ID.4 now tops out at 140 kW with the smaller, 62-kilowatt-hour battery or an impressive 170 kW in models fitted with the optional 82-kWh pack. These changes are a significant — and welcome — improvement to the ID.4 SUV.
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According to the automaker, the updated charging speed should allow Pro models (read: variants fitted with the 82-kWh battery) to DC fast charge from 10 to 80% in around 30 minutes. For at-home, Level 2 “refueling,” the ID.4 features an 11-kW onboard charger that can fully replenish the smaller batter in around 6 hours and 15 minutes. Naturally, the larger pack requires a bit longer, about 7 hours and 30 minutes.
Helping drivers go the distance, this updated ID.4 once again comes with unlimited 30-minute Electrify America charging sessions for the first three years of ownership. Plug-and-charge capability is also now supported by this Volkswagen on EA’s network, which, by 2026 is expected to have more than 1,800 stations and 10,000 ultrafast chargers across the U.S. and Canada.
Aside from increased DC fast charging speeds, the ID.4 is also receiving a few other enhancements for 2023. Assembly of the vehicle is now localized at VW’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Additionally, that new 62-kWh battery pack gives customers a lower-cost way to get their foot in the EV door, yet it still provides a decent 209 miles of range on a charge. Rear-wheel-drive Pro models are estimated to deliver 275 miles of range, while variants fitted with four-corner traction should be able to go 255 miles when the battery is full. These figures fall short of the 300 miles we typically like to see, but 275 is pretty close to that threshold.
Another upgrade for 2023 that drivers are sure to appreciate is the infotainment display. A 12-inch touch screen is now standard across the model range. Last year, lower-end versions of the ID.4 were fitted with a still-sizable-though-not-quite-as-impressive 10-inch panel. Additional stitching on the dashboard, upgraded materials throughout and new interior colors further richen this SUV’s generally pleasant cabin.
Like practically every modern vehicle, the ID.4 offers a dizzying array of driver-assistance technologies and a couple fresh additions. Blind spot monitoring, automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and lane-keeping assist are all on the menu. But new for 2023 is lane-change assist functionality and an automatic parking feature with memory. As its name suggests, that latter item can automatically park the ID.4 in an open space and even take over self-initiated parking maneuvers if the driver decides they’re unable to complete the operation. Beyond that, the memory feature allows this VW to store up to five parking maneuvers by recording the last 164 feet (50 meters) of driving. This could be super helpful if the carport or garage space you park in every day is particularly tight. The ID.4 can remember precisely how to park and then do it for you automatically.
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The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 should start around $38,790 including $1,295 in destination fees. The top-shelf ID.4 AWD Pro S Plus kicks off at just about 55 grand.
