2021 Volkswagen ID.4 1st Edition

The new Volkswagen ID.4 compact crossover—VW’s first dedicated EV available in the U.S.—is surprisingly easy to live with. On the road, it delivers enough battery range (about 250 miles) for a few days of normal driving. Its selective regenerative braking and 2 charging options—Level 2 and the faster Level 3—are definite pluses when refilling it with electrons. Inside, the sleek passenger cabin is both quiet and spacious, although the materials quality could use some upgrading. But there’s plenty of room (especially legroom) for 4 adults 64 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats folded. A full suite of advanced safety features (VW’s IQ.Drive) is standard; automatic adaptive LED headlights are a useful option. Unfortunately, some of the ID.4’s controls are overly complicated, including an infotainment system that’s difficult to use and an instrument cluster that displays information unintuitively. The gear selector, a knob next to the gauge cluster, also takes some getting used to. Ultimately, though, the ID.4 is an EV that delivers good value and makes going green relatively painless