I test drove a ID.4 today (my comparison vs Mach-E)

[vinny2487]

Well, there's your answer. This isn't other Ford cars.

That's... very true lol.

I don't mind the design though I wish they made the dial a little more robust. It feels kind of cheap.

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[andyftw]

What's the size comparison? Isn't the Mach-E slightly bigger in all three directions?

 

[SteelMach]

My neighbor was all set to buy the ID4 until he saw my car. He has driven the ID4 twice and keeps coming back to the MachE for one reason, power. There is no comparison according to him. He wishes the MachE had a retractable sunshade for pano (it should at this price point) but other than that he is liked the MachE more.

The ID.4 launching with RWD only definitely leaves the power side of the equation wanting. Comparing like to like my RWD Mach-E to the ID.4 RWD it wasn't a noticeable downgrade around town, but the ID.4 really feels like it falls off at higher speeds in comparison. I'd say RWD-to-RWD the ID.4 and Mach-E would feel equally punchy off the line, but after that it'd feel a touch slower.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Well if you've ever driven vehicle with a column mounted shifter, it's the same thing. Going from drive to reverse you can overshoot reverse and right into Park. Like wise, you can pull it out of park and stop in 1st and think it's drive if you don't look. Really hasn't been an issue for us, seems to require a little driver attention just like our other Column or console mounted shifter.

I forget if I've said this on here before but when my gf test drove her C-Max she overshot D into L and then was trying to figure out why the car wasn't accelerating and decelerating the way she expected. I happened to notice and just said "um press down on the brake" and moved it into D and then she was happy and now she doesn't overshoot D any more

in my first car - a K-Car - I used to have trouble negotiating D vs N a lot with the shifter (although I bet that was as much Chrysler Kwality as it was me )

so yeah it happens.

 

[Sergeant Gearhead]

I've seen a few pictures of the ID.4's blocky shifter before, and I think that the Mach-E's rotary dial is probably more intuitive than the VW's. Not that this is a deal-breaker for me, because I could easily get used to the VW's shifter no problem. I would miss out on that front trunk, however...

 

[Marcel]

SR RWD MME vs 1st ID4

MME real world 250 miles....

ID4 real world 230...



Both preferred the MME for driving, practical the ID4

I know what I prefer?

 

[silverelan]

My local VW dealer got their demo ID.4 in this past week and I swung by for a test drive.

Honestly, it was only the RWD version and the acceleration was sufficient. I remember taking the Mach E for a test drive and being disappointed after having recently driven the MY. All three are faster than most gas cars. The MY has the push you back in your seat like you're on an amusement park ride feel. The Mach E is still fun, but not quite at the MY level. And the ID4 tails the pack, but it's not too shabby.

I wanted to share a few observations...

Better on the ID4:

• electronically retractable shade for the glass roof
• every "button" is a haptic button. They weren't as bad as I feared, but I just want real buttons. I'm very happy with the Mach E implementation.
• I liked the climate control screen where you can push a button with a goal action -- warm my feet, etc.

Better on the Mach E:

• The ID4 screen felt dated
• The ID4 screen froze up on my drive. I couldn't get back to the home screen, none of the on screen or haptic buttons below the screen worked, and voice assistant stopped working.
• It has this terrible design with only two window up/down buttons. They are either in front mode or in back mode. This is the dummest thing on the car.
• The ID4 has no 1PD. B is a poor substitute and won't bring the car to a stop.
• There is no hold, so you can't take your foot off the pedals at a stop.
• The car will actually roll back if you're on even a slight hill. If it had hold, this wouldn't be a problem. I expect this when I'm driving a clutch, but it shouldn't be happening in a. $40-50k BEV.
• In the ID4 cruise control, setting the following distance uses a very confusing graphic. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem after day 1.
• No frunk on the ID4.
• It was only 65ºF and the sun felt hot through the windshield. Looking forward to the metallic heat block layer on the ME windshield.

Good on both:

• They're both very quiet. Quieter than the MY.

When you floor the go pedal, there's some sort of switch. I'm not sure what's up with that. Is that so you know you hit max acceleration?

The demo car was a first edition with the white steering wheel. That just seems dumb. The dealer had a plastic cover to keep it clean (a la a hotel's disposable plastic shower cap).

Who else has tested the ID4? What were your thoughts? What lessons could Ford learn?

I had the ID4 for a 90 minutes test drive this morning. Overall, I was very impressed.

Plusses:
Solidly built and drives fantastic. The turning radius is amazingly tight. The 20" wheels and suspension were compliant on busted up Seattle streets and stable on the interstate with lots of grip, especially around corners (235 and 255 staggered width). Loved the retractable shade. The seats are better than the Mach-E's. Better and more usable cargo space with a ski pass thru. VW looks like they're prepping for a roof box already (Bjørn Nyland did a demo walk-around)

Negatives:
As others have said, not enough power beyond 30mph. Infotainment system was not great. No frunk. It's invisible on the street with no one noticing it.

Other things:
The VW dealer installed two DCFCs at their store and the sales people were excited and knowledgeable about the car. Three years of unlimited EA charging is a nice perk plus the nominally quicker charging than the MME is another positive attribute for the ID4.

I think VW is gonna sell a bazillion of them.

Today's tester

Size comparison to my Outback

Kiddo loves the skyroof

Two 24kW ABB DCFC stations.

Nice view of Puget Sound and the snowcapped Olympic Mountains.

 

[SteelMach]

I think VW is gonna sell a bazillion of them.


Two 24kW ABB DCFC stations.

Agreed all around - there's pros and cons to each, but I also think VW is gonna sell "a bazillion of them" - they're the perfect Escape alternative, RAV4 alternative, CR-V alternative... and those sell by the millions combined in the US. Floor an ID.4 off the line vs a 1.5L Escape, the ID.4 will feel like a rocket ship. Sure, it's slow compared to Mach-E, but look how many more people buy Camrys than Mustangs.

Those dealer DCFCs are SUPER EXCITING to me. I wish more dealers would do that, in less populated areas in particular.

 

[trutolife27]

I had the ID4 for a 90 minutes test drive this morning. Overall, I was very impressed.

Plusses:
Solidly built and drives fantastic. The turning radius is amazingly tight. The 20" wheels and suspension were compliant on busted up Seattle streets and stable on the interstate with lots of grip, especially around corners (235 and 255 staggered width). Loved the retractable shade. The seats are better than the Mach-E's. Better and more usable cargo space with a ski pass thru. VW looks like they're prepping for a roof box already (Bjørn Nyland did a demo walk-around)

Negatives:
As others have said, not enough power beyond 30mph. Infotainment system was not great. No frunk. It's invisible on the street with no one noticing it.

Other things:
The VW dealer installed two DCFCs at their store and the sales people were excited and knowledgeable about the car. Three years of unlimited EA charging is a nice perk plus the nominally quicker charging than the MME is another positive attribute for the ID4.

I think VW is gonna sell a bazillion of them.

Today's tester

Size comparison to my Outback

Kiddo loves the skyroof

Two 24kW ABB DCFC stations.

Nice view of Puget Sound and the snowcapped Olympic Mountains.

I didn't care for the seats, I like the mache better but I did like the side support of the ID4. The armrest in the ID4 are horrible. The taller and bigger you are the less your ability to even use them. Mache has more front and rear legroom.

Turning id4 yes, comfort on bumps id4 yes.
It's a good all-around BEV nothing the best but nothing the worst. VW will sell a lot of these ID4.

 

[silverelan]

I didn't care for the seats, I like the mache better but I did like the side support of the ID4. The armrest in the ID4 are horrible. The taller and bigger you are the less your ability to even use them. Mache has more front and rear legroom.

Turning id4 yes, comfort on bumps id4 yes.
It's a good all-around BEV nothing the best but nothing the worst. VW will sell a lot of these ID4.

I think Subaru has a problem. If I wanted a straight up replacement for my Outback, the ID4 is exactly what I would get.

 

[trutolife27]

I think Subaru has a problem. If I wanted a straight up replacement for my Outback, the ID4 is exactly what I would get.

it's gonna sell. like kyle out of specs said. it's not your flashy bev it just gets the job done. Your minivan of bev. Or as Alex said the mom's soccer Bev. it's a solid BEV. I just see so many points where they went very cheap to keep cost down.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

this seems to be the minority opinion on this. the common opinion across the board seems to be that the ID.4 feels cheap, which is fine, because it is, relatively speaking.

The doors on my Mach-E are the finest sounding closing doors I've ever driven, and I've rented BMWs, VWs, Volvos, and Audis, all in the past three years. (when you travel 40+ weeks a year, you rent a lot of cars).

but that's fine, you're allowed to have your own beliefs on this.

 

[americanflannel]

this seems to be the minority opinion on this. the common opinion across the board seems to be that the ID.4 feels cheap, which is fine, because it is, relatively speaking.

The doors on my Mach-E are the finest sounding closing doors I've ever driven, and I've rented BMWs, VWs, Volvos, and Audis, all in the past three years. (when you travel 40+ weeks a year, you rent a lot of cars).

but that's fine, you're allowed to have your own beliefs on this.

I've actually tripped getting out of the mustang twice.
The door wells are deeper than my kia- my mind still sees red hood and thinks it's in the kia I traded. But it got me looking at the door in general, the door extends way down below the lip to get in and out. I don't think I have seen a car like that before.

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