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Volkswagen ID.4 Compared to Tesla Model Y, Seems to Fall Short

Volkswagen and Tesla are two companies that rocked the American car market to its core. VW did it with the Beetle about 70 years ago, while Tesla's electric cars are responsible for making internal combustion engines look obsolete right now.
Volkswagen ID.4 Compared to Tesla Model Y, Seems to Fall Short 5 photos
Photo: The Fast Lane Car/YouTube screenshot
Volkswagen ID.4 Compared to Tesla Model Y, Seems to Fall ShortVolkswagen ID.4 Compared to Tesla Model Y, Seems to Fall ShortVolkswagen ID.4 Compared to Tesla Model Y, Seems to Fall Short
As you probably know, the ID.4 is currently launched as Volkswagen's first all-electric car in America. Like the Beetle, it's rear-engined and designed to be semi-affordable, though we wouldn't go as far as to call it cheap.

To be fair, a Tesla is out of Volkswagen's league, being way more powerful. For this review, TFL lined up their own EV, which cost about $65,000. But a Model Y Standard Range was roughly $43,200 if you could get one, while an ID.4 costs $42,000 with the destination charge.

The Standard Range got discontinued about a month ago, with Elon Musk saying its reach was "unacceptably low." For the record, they're about the same at 250 miles (402 km) per full charge. While we're talking about specs, the ID.4 is obviously going to be slower, especially when you compare it to a Model Y Long Range with the Performance Pack. Sadly, there's no drag race here, but knowing TFL, they'll make it happen eventually.

The presumption here is that while Tesla is a pioneer, Volkswagen knows how to make consumer cars with door handles that won't repetitively stop working. However, the ID.4 actually has a very Tesla-like interior with a white dash and upholstery as well as a glass roof. There aren't many buttons, and the exterior design is also unconventional.

TFL briefly mentions that the ID.4 rides a little better, but they only briefly talk about the most crucial differences: range and charging. The Model Y is supposed to last for over 300 miles (483 km), but the Volkswagen uses roughly the same sized battery with only one, less powerful motor. It's possible that it actually exceeds the claimed range, but it's at a disadvantage on paper.

Also, the Tesla Superchargers are a very convenient way to travel the country in your EV. Volkswagen is supposed to compete using the Electrify America network, which they funded $2 billion as a penalty after the diesel scandal. However, in another review, we've seen that the charging locations often don't work well or aren't shown in the ID.4's infotainment.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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