Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
By Ian Strachan.
Going fully electric may be the responsible thing to do in the headlong charge for net zero. But that doesn’t mean you have to forego the fun of driving.
Zero emissions don’t have to mean zero excitement. And that’s where Volkswagen’s ID.4 GTX comes in. It’s fully electric, with all-wheel drive powered by two electric motors. But it develops 299PS, has a top speed of 112 mph and will propel you from 0 to 60 mph in around six seconds.
Of course if you take full advantage of the ID.4 GTX’s impressive performance, you won’t get the published range of 307 miles on a single charge. Being heavy-footed has a range penalty. But you’ll still get sufficient range for most journeys and this car has a DC rapid charge time of just 36 minutes – assuming you can find a charging station.
The ID.4 is VW’s first full-electric SUV, adding to the brand’s extensive range of hybrid and conventional SUVs. It fits into the crowded compact SUV sector but still gives you a good level of practicality on top of its sporty performance.
The ID.4 GTX is a good looker from all angles. My test car came in a striking Kings Red metallic with contrast black roof (£860 extra) and black badging. It’s undoubtedly a welcome addition to the fast growing SUV sector, with plenty of space, good specification and excellent all-round visibility.
The interior of the ID.4 GTX is modern and well laid out. You get pleasant trim and seat materials, integrated armrests in the front, heated, leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, ambient lighting with colour options and plenty of storage spaces.
Specification on the ID.4 GTX is good, with two-zone electronic air conditioning, all-round airbags, 12-inch colour touch-screen navigation system with DAB six-speaker radio plus Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity and voice control, USB port, adaptive cruise control, head-up display and a range of safety technology including lane keeping aid, distance monitoring and park assist.
You also get 20 inch alloy wheels, (although my test car came with optional 21-inch black wheels with anti-theft bolts at £1,000) all round electric windows and door mirrors, fatigue detection, automatic windscreen wipers, heated windscreen washers, front and rear parking sensors with camera, high-beam assist and smartphone charger.
Apart from metallic paint and 21-inch alloys my test car was also fitted with a swivelling towbar at £890.
Handling on the GTX, with its all-wheel drive is sure-footed and involving, with lowered sports suspension and progressive steering. My test car had a pleasant single-speed automatic gearbox.
If the ID.4 GTX is your first experience of a fully electric vehicle you’ll be hooked for life. It’s not cheap, at £52,865 on the road, but residuals are good and the smugness comes free.
