PROS PHEV drivetrain enables limited electric running at speeds up to 135km/h Excellent blend of everyday comfort, refinement and performance 3500kg towing capacity It shares its drivetrain with the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid
CONS PHEV drivetrain adds handsomely to the weight Li-ion battery robs 70L of boot space Lacks the traditional hardened performance focus for which Volkswagen R models are renowned
“A curious mix of speed and efficiency with a big dollop of comfort. It's just not especially fun ”
PROS Comfy, plush, quick and a company car bargain
CONS Not as nimble as a Cayenne
The VW Touareg R is comfortable, well-equipped and effortless to drive, but not sharp or engaging enough to be considered a true sports SUV. That leaves it in somewhat of a no man’s land. Put simply, those looking for a fast yet relatively frugal sports SUV would be better served by the similarly priced Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid, while those wanting a luxurious and well-rounded plug-in hybrid luxury SUV would be better off with the BMW X5 xDrive45e.
PROS Well-equipped Spacious inside for up to five people Very quiet in electric mode
CONS Cheap-feeling interior Fussy infotainment system Not very exciting to drive
Not only is the ID.4 a brand new nameplate for the Volkswagen brand, it's also the first in a series of all-electric model which will combine to create the ID subbrand.The ID.4 is a practical electric alternative to gas-powered SUVs but lacks the excitement you might expect from an EV.
PROS Roomy cabin, smooth ride, decent driving range.
CONS Lacks driving verve, fussy infotainment interface, anonymous styling.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is all-new all-electric SUV,about as much interior space as VW's Tiguan, an estimated range for rear-wheel-drive models of 250 miles and Kicks off the first generation of the ID.4 for 2021.
Pros Lots of helpful safety and technology features come standard Spacious interior with lots of small-item storage Impressive real-world range and electrical efficiency
Cons Some controls can be difficult to operate Low-quality cabin plastics cheapen the experience
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 gives families the right formula for saying farewell to tailpipe emissions, but the cabin tech could use some smoothing over.
PROS Good passenger and cargo space Quiet, smooth ride Lots of features for the money Free road-trip charging for three years
CONS Laggy infotainment Clumsy capacitive controls Grabby brakes
