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Anyone thinking about an VW ID.4 Instead?

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that’s your anecdotal information; mine, from four years in a GTI and multiple Honda and Mazda rentals, is that CarPlay worked flawlessly, including using voice for navigation, music, making phone calls, and sending and receiving texts. My MY…more hit and and miss. But I went into it with eyes open about the lack of CarPlay (and SiriusXM), as trades I was willing to make for a reasonably mature BEV.
We use CarPlay all the time in the Mach-E and have not experienced any issues. Love the fact that it is the wireless CarPlay.
 
Here's the funny part... ID.4 and Mach-E owners think the Teslas look hideous except the S, ID.4 owners hate the Mach-e's appearance, and Mach-E owners think the ID.4 looks generic and bland. This is why we have choice!

While I didn't entirely enjoy my ID.4 ownership experience (the driving was enjoyable - not the rest), the Kings Red Gradient Pro is a sweet color combo. I think it's one of the best looking EVs in this color.

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It has a modern sleek SUV appeal to me. I really like how it looks and how it drives. What I didn't like is the whole reliability of it.

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Yes, top trim with Gradient looks nice. I ultimately canceled my iD.4 Pro S AWD with Gradient (in blue) reservation and decided to move forward with my Model Y LR-AWD (also blue) reservation (Model Y reserved first). A few things that bugged me, your second photo is of the coveted GTX that the US does not get (along with iD.3) it also has the better taillights that the US does not get (or does not currently get). I realize different markets will have different options but those two things bugged me, I also dreaded the dealership experience.

We get our Model Y on Christmas Eve!
 
Yes, top trim with Gradient looks nice. I ultimately canceled my iD.4 Pro S AWD with Gradient (in blue) reservation and decided to move forward with my Model Y LR-AWD (also blue) reservation (Model Y reserved first). A few things that bugged me, your second photo is of the coveted GTX that the US does not get (along with iD.3) it also has the better taillights that the US does not get (or does not currently get). I realize different markets will have different options but those two things bugged me, I also dreaded the dealership experience.

We get our Model Y on Christmas Eve!

Congrats!

The Model Y is definitely the better car + EV although not perfect.

VW dealers are less shark-like than Toyota or Ford ones. There's simply less demand for their cars and VW has pushed for MSRP obedience.
 
Besides the fact that the mustang Mach-E looks like a mustang that got stung by a bee, that and the iD.4 don’t look that bad. The Aztek looked out of place when it was released, but Walter White made it cool. Those are prpbably hard to find nowadays because of him. BMW’s i3? Nothing will make that one attractive.
 
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After owning an ID.4 and Mach-E... I can laugh at people who claim Apple CarPlay is some benefit. It's a buggy crappy mess. I only use CarPlay for Spotify. It's not fully integrated into either car. On a Tesla, you can say "Play song on Spotify" or "Navigate home" and it works almost 100% of the time. The other two cars.. no.
Thought your name looked familiar. You will remember me from the VWID forums.. I was looking for help recently purchasing any in-stock ID.4. Nice to meet you again. As you may have guessed.. I own a Model Y. My wife owns the ID.4.

FWIW I think CarPlay is heads & shoulders above Tesla's infotainment system. And I consider it be one the biggest issues with the Model Y as Tesla's infotainment system is severely lacking streaming options. I can stream from a 100 different apps and at great bitrates with CarPlay, especially wired. With Tesla's system Im stuck with a few choices.. Spotify being the only one worth mentioning. Tesla's in-car nav is also disappointing.. thankfully it finally just got a little improvement with the addition of waypoints aka "add a stop" over the past few weeks. I still greatly prefer Waze for showing me where cops & speed cameras are.. and ABRP is still far and beyond the best routing app for driving long distance in an EV.. it will get you there significantly faster than Tesla's charging recommendations as you spend a lot less time charging. If im driving further than 300miles its guaranteed Im using both Waze & ABRP to get there.

As for anyone else.. if you have any questions ID.4 vs Model Y. I'll be glad to answer them. Only have about 200 miles on the ID.4 so still getting used to things. The price point on the ID.4 is amazing for $32.5K (after $7,500 rebate) you get 250miles of real world range, 82KWH battery, 0-80% charging time in exactly 38mins at an EA 150KW charger, 3 years of free charging at any EA charger and all the other traditional features that's missing off the cheapest Model Y sold which is now $59K for the LR. You know things like CarPlay, Android Auto, real blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts with automatic braking. Want AWD and 0-60 in 5.4 seconds.. its an extra $3,700.

Price is the name of the game here. Is the Model Y LR better.. Yep!
Does the Model Y LR cost $22,500 more than the ID.4 (including $7500 tax credit).. Yep!

You drive both back to back. You will seriously question is the Model Y is really worth $22,500 more.. than you will ever question is the ID.4 ugly, slow or lacking technology. The ID.4 is an extremely competitive & competent SUV styled EV.. and VW is selling them as fast as they can make them.
 
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Thought your name looked familiar. You will remember me from the VWID forums.. I was looking for help recently purchasing any in-stock ID.4. Nice to meet you again. As you may have guessed.. I own a Model Y. My wife owns the ID.4.

FWIW I think CarPlay is heads & shoulders above Tesla's infotainment system. And I consider it be one the biggest issues with the Model Y as Tesla's infotainment system is severely lacking streaming options. I can stream from a 100 different apps and at great bitrates with CarPlay, especially wired. With Tesla's system Im stuck with a few choices.. Spotify being the only one worth mentioning. Tesla's in-car nav is also disappointing.. thankfully it finally just got a little improvement with the addition of waypoints aka "add a stop" over the past few weeks. I still greatly prefer Waze for showing me where cops & speed cameras are.. and ABRP is still far and beyond the best routing app for driving long distance in an EV.. it will get you there significantly faster than Tesla's charging recommendations as you spend a lot less time charging. If im driving further than 300miles its guaranteed Im using both Waze & ABRP to get there.

As for anyone else.. if you have any questions ID.4 vs Model Y. I'll be glad to answer them. Only have about 200 miles on the ID.4 so still getting used to things. The price point on the ID.4 is amazing for $32.5K (after $7,500 rebate) you get 250miles of real world range, 82KWH battery, 0-80% charging time in exactly 38mins at an EA 150KW charger, 3 years of free charging at any EA charger and all the other traditional features that's missing off the cheapest Model Y sold which is now $59K for the LR. You know things like CarPlay, Android Auto, real blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts with automatic braking. Want AWD and 0-60 in 5.4 seconds.. its an extra $3,700.

Price is the name of the game here. Is the Model Y LR better.. Yep!
Does the Model Y LR cost $22,500 more than the ID.4 (including $7500 tax credit).. Yep!

You drive both back to back. You will seriously question is the Model Y is really worth $22,500 more.. than you will ever question is the ID.4 ugly, slow or lacking technology. The ID.4 is an extremely competitive & competent SUV styled EV.. and VW is selling them as fast as they can make them.

I loved CarPlay initially too. Then the litany of bugs start appearing…. That happen on both the ID.4 and Mach-E like not always connecting when starting up the car, disconnecting randomly while driving (started using wired CarPlay instead), audio fighting between the two causing dead silence. The built in navigation system and infotainment is quite usable on the Mach-E which is not true of the ID.4 - where you absolutely need CarPlay or Android Auto.

FYI ARBP isn’t that accurate because it doesn’t take into account elevation changes nor temps. The built in systems of the Mach-E and Model Y provide much more accurate estimates. Both of those will also route you to chargers as necessary.

If you drive with your spouse and that person can enter navigation addresses or change songs…. that’s great. I find the Tesla built in voice control (triggered by the right wheel joystick) works as well as Google or Siri. With CarPlay I was hunting for the mic button on the screen all the time. I also still have nightmares about the non backlit ID.4 buttons…. Why???

I still prefer the Mach-E over the Model Y and ID.4… it’s no surprise it is EV of the year. It simply drives better, is more fun, and has all the features of both EVs including hands free BlueCruise (autopilot with nagging) which I just tried for the first time this weekend. The 360 camera, blind spot monitoring, and cross traffic monitor is just gravy on top of an excellent EV.
 
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We have a MYP and an ID4. My thoughts, in no particular order:
  • ID4 is built far, far better than the MY. It has that nice EU-built Touareg/Golf R solidity to it.
  • ID4 is slow. At speed it is slow enough to feel a little dicey doing highway maneuvers.
  • ID4 is substantially cheaper--with Fed tax credit and CA point of sale rebates, you can get one in the mid-low 30s. And they are on dealer lots right now.
  • ID4 gets better than EPA-rated range. MYP gets quite a bit worse.
  • MYP has a lot more storage space with the frunk and deep trunk bin.
  • ID4 is quieter and more comfortable.
  • ID4 front light bar setup looks great at night. It also has a neat hidden light bar across the whole dash that indicates things like upcoming Nav turns and charging status.
  • ID4 radar cruise is more reliable than Tesla AP. But the lane-keep assist defaults to on every time you start the car, and is really intrusive.
  • ID4 has 3 years free charging on EA.
  • ID4 pedestrian warning is weirdly loud at around 20mph, nearly as loud as the MY backup noise.
  • Every time I get in the ID4 I miss having a driver centered display in the MY. The binnacle is really nice to have.
  • The capacitive touch buttons in the ID4 are appalling. I've never driven a car with such frustrating controls--even doing something like rolling down the rear windows involves poking at capacitive buttons and cursing. This would have been a deal-breaker for me but my SO does not mind it.
  • Wireless Carplay is a killer feature and seems to work well on the ID4. The non-Carplay aspects of the ID4 UI are basically beta. Laggy and broken (for example, scheduled charging just straight up doesn't work).
Basically where I come down is both cars excel at particular things, but I don't consider either to be an excellent all-around car. Their respective shortcomings are just too severe. But a lot of the biggest problems on the ID4 are software-based, and there supposedly will be an OTA update system--we'll see if VW can execute. A lot of the Telsa problems OTOH are with the physical design and assembly.
 
But the lane-keep assist defaults to on every time you start the car, and is really intrusive.

This drove me nuts. The local road outside my HOA would confuse the ID.4 LKA system three times in a short 1500 foot stretch. There was a video of somebody demonstrating how LKA on the ID.4 gets confused. The only way to permanently disable this is to use an OBD-II dongle and do some "programming"
ID4 radar cruise is more reliable than Tesla AP. But the lane-keep assist defaults to on every time you start the car, and is really intrusive.

That's not saying much because Tesla has messed up AP recently. BlueCruise is better than both the Tesla AP system and ID.4 TACC.

I expect most cars to move to OpenPilot that can't afford to develop their own SuperCruise or BlueCruise or FSD. i.e comma – introducing comma three

and there supposedly will be an OTA update system--we'll see if VW can execute. A lot of the Telsa problems OTOH are with the physical design and assembly.

Basically where I come down is both cars excel at particular things, but I don't consider either to be an excellent all-around car.

OTA has been promised for 8+ months now. Nothing. I received 3 OTA updates in my first three weeks of Model Y ownership and with the Mach-E there have been one OTA at least pushed out (mine was a November build and had latest software already).

The biggest problem with the ID.4 has been it's electrical reliability. I encountered a full shutdown in my first week of ownership. I could post a dozen threads on the forums but I won't - these two encompass the two most common problems.


I'm fully expecting a VW recall on the ID.4 over the above.
Basically where I come down is both cars excel at particular things, but I don't consider either to be an excellent all-around car.

Fully agree. That's why I ended up with a Mach-E :)
 
Just to chime in on the CarPlay issue - I used CarPlay in my 2018 VW Golf R for over 3 years and only had issues a handful of times. It was perfectly usable and I prefer it to the system in my MYP. The Tesla system is fine but I prefer to use the apps on my iPhone from the head unit. Streaming via Bluetooth is ok but not great.
 
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Just to chime in on the CarPlay issue - I used CarPlay in my 2018 VW Golf R for over 3 years and only had issues a handful of times. It was perfectly usable and I prefer it to the system in my MYP. The Tesla system is fine but I prefer to use the apps on my iPhone from the head unit. Streaming via Bluetooth is ok but not great.

I don't needed the extended functionality of CarPlay apps so I prefer the built-in systems.

The same argument could be made about built-in LKA/ACC vs. Open Pilot. Folks here seem to be happy with the stock ID.4 LKA/TACC system which is just tolerable to me (my new baseline is BlueCruise). They could upgrade to a "CarPlay for Autopilot" like OpenPilot but don't.

 
We have a MYP and an ID4. My thoughts, in no particular order:
  • ID4 is built far, far better than the MY. It has that nice EU-built Touareg/Golf R solidity to it.
  • ID4 is slow. At speed it is slow enough to feel a little dicey doing highway maneuvers.
  • ID4 is substantially cheaper--with Fed tax credit and CA point of sale rebates, you can get one in the mid-low 30s. And they are on dealer lots right now.
  • ID4 gets better than EPA-rated range. MYP gets quite a bit worse.
  • MYP has a lot more storage space with the frunk and deep trunk bin.
  • ID4 is quieter and more comfortable.
  • ID4 front light bar setup looks great at night. It also has a neat hidden light bar across the whole dash that indicates things like upcoming Nav turns and charging status.
  • ID4 radar cruise is more reliable than Tesla AP. But the lane-keep assist defaults to on every time you start the car, and is really intrusive.
  • ID4 has 3 years free charging on EA.
  • ID4 pedestrian warning is weirdly loud at around 20mph, nearly as loud as the MY backup noise.
  • Every time I get in the ID4 I miss having a driver centered display in the MY. The binnacle is really nice to have.
  • The capacitive touch buttons in the ID4 are appalling. I've never driven a car with such frustrating controls--even doing something like rolling down the rear windows involves poking at capacitive buttons and cursing. This would have been a deal-breaker for me but my SO does not mind it.
  • Wireless Carplay is a killer feature and seems to work well on the ID4. The non-Carplay aspects of the ID4 UI are basically beta. Laggy and broken (for example, scheduled charging just straight up doesn't work).
Basically where I come down is both cars excel at particular things, but I don't consider either to be an excellent all-around car. Their respective shortcomings are just too severe. But a lot of the biggest problems on the ID4 are software-based, and there supposedly will be an OTA update system--we'll see if VW can execute. A lot of the Telsa problems OTOH are with the physical design and assembly.
Nice review! When we were shopping to replace our Nissan Leaf for better range, battery management, safety, and storage, I narrowed the choices down to three, Tesla Model YLR, Mustang MachE, and ID4. We test drove all 3. That immediately eliminated the Mach E for several reasons. The ID4 was a close second and my wife decided based on trunk size to haul grandbaby stroller and rear seat space for the grandkids. Range was enough to do travel for the week and only charge at home for cheap. The Leaf was free but she had to fight for the one charger on the way home each trip. I let her decide and she picked the Y. The free EA charging was also available but it is often broke down, besides she just wanted to charge overnight anyway at the home charging doesn't break the bank. She liked the glass roof cover of the ID4 but I installed Xpel heat shield in the Y so problem solved. She used Apple Car Play in her other cars but I discovered we could add it easily along with driver's instrument display for about $500. However after a week of ownership she said she liked the Tesla UI much better so we didn't add the $500 display with ACP.
Personally, I don't like the rough ride of the MY as I am used to the comfort of the Model S. She doesn't mind it. For her the choice was easy but I would have been just as happy with the VW for local driving although that regen braking was goofy in the VW. Like the Leaf, you had to engage it with each. drive which was annoying.
 
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Personally, I don't like the rough ride of the MY as I am used to the comfort of the Model S. She doesn't mind it. For her the choice was easy but I would have been just as happy with the VW for local driving although that regen braking was goofy in the VW. Like the Leaf, you had to engage it with each. drive which was annoying.
1) It's sad when the ID.4 is considered the most comfortable EV SUV ride because the Model Y and Mach-E are pretty harsh in comparison. EV6 I hear is as bad.

2) Are you sure you were B mode? It's not full one pedal driving but a close approximation.

Personally, I don't think EVs are right for everybody. I'm seriously considering buying a RAV4 Prime (42 mile range on EV, 500-600 on gas) and using the EV as a second "fun" car (so maybe a M3P?). Tesla Supercharger is network is great but there are many "dead spots" in Florida that I would not want to wander to in a Model Y.
 
Congrats!

The Model Y is definitely the better car + EV although not perfect.

VW dealers are less shark-like than Toyota or Ford ones. There's simply less demand for their cars and VW has pushed for MSRP obedience.

I guess our local VW dealer is different then. I set up and appointment to drive a RWD iD.4 a few months back, then decided to wait on the AWD model. The Dealer HOUNDED me for about a month after that, at one point saying something to the effect of "If the iD.4 doesn't fit your lifestyle, we would love to assist you in purchasing something else." I'm not interested in anything else VW offers in the US at this time.
 
Tesla Supercharger is network is great but there are many "dead spots" in Florida that I would not want to wander to in a Model Y.
It is true that with limited charging compared to ICE you have to buy the car you believe will satisfy your personal requirements. Most people buy on looks. I'm not one of them. I went with the Model S LR+ and the only location in Florida where I would need to be careful is the Florida Keys with only 4 Superchargers for a 320mile round trip. But with Tesla planning to triple the SC in the next year, this problem may go away. My other trouble area is south east Utah and New Mexico. I have trips planned and will need to resort to my Chademo adapter for that trip or pay a fortune at a camp ground to charge L2.

2) Are you sure you were B mode? It's not full one pedal driving but a close approximation.
Yes, and is why I said it is goofy without going into details. My wife took 5 minutes learning the Leaf Regen braking one pedal and likes the Y's version even better.
 
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