Volkswagen Hopes More Power Will Make More People Want The 2024 ID.4

Photo: Volkswagen

The Volkswagen ID.4 hasn’t received the most positive reaction from reviewers, but unlike the Vinfast VF8, it’s not because it’s a bad car. It’s because it’s a very middle-of-the-road EV that struggles to stand out in any meaningful way. How does it look? Fine. What’s its range? Fine. How’s it drive? Fine. For 2024, though, the ID.4 gets more power and some new tech that should at least make the EV a little more interesting.

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Yes, a new motor now gives the rear-wheel-drive ID.4 282 horsepower, up from 201 hp in the 2023 version. Upgrading to the all-wheel-drive version takes that figure to 330 hp, up from 295 hp. But unfortunately for anyone who is interested in the ID.4 Standard (all none of you), these new motors are only offered on ID.4s with the 82-kWh battery pack. But hey, the big-battery ID.4 is the one most people buy anyway, so we suspect most buyers won’t even notice.

Allegedly, the new motors will also increase range, but official EPA numbers aren’t yet available. Currently, the rear-drive ID.4 Pro has a range of 275 miles, while the all-wheel-drive version drops down to 255 miles. It would be nice if Volkswagen’s engineers could get the single-motor ID.4 past the 300-mile mark, but we’re not getting our hopes up. After all, it’s just a new motor, but then again, you never know.

While adding an extra 81 hp to the single-motor ID.4 is a pretty big deal (assuming the price doesn’t skyrocket after the refresh), the rest of the changes for the 2024 model year are much smaller. According to the release, big-battery ID.4s “receive an enhanced 12.9-inch display with backlit sliders, as well a new and more intuitive climate control interface and a revised infotainment menu. Also, the car receives a new shifter position and a revised steering wheel layout.” Exciting! We all love a revised infotainment menu.