Love it or hate it, the Volkswagen ID.4 has become a fixture in the electric car industry. Sure, it may not be as stylish as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or carry the same prestige as the Tesla Model Y, but it’s been a known quantity for some time. Since its launch in 2021, Volkswagen has sold quite a few of the Tennessee-made compact electric crossovers.
And Volkswagen is not immune to the terrible depreciation that is affecting the entire electric car market. This is undoubtedly annoying for electric car buyers who bought new cars, but they are not the subject of this article. This is for people like me, the bargain hunters who want to get as much for their money as possible. Right now, used examples of the VW ID.4 are really, really cheap.
Check it out here: This “electric Volkswagen” is for sale in Ohio for $19,000. Ignoring the bad spelling and not-so-great pictures, we see that it’s a 2021 1st Edition model with 66,000 miles. The owner says it comes with free DC fast charging from Electrify America (though it might expire in a few weeks) and appears to be in generally good condition. If we add the $4,000 used electric vehicle tax credit, that price would drop to $15,000 before taxes or fees. (Technically, you have to buy from a dealer to get the tax credit, but a brokerage service may be able to broker a private sale so the buyer gets the IRA used car tax credit.)
It’s not just private sellers, either. Here’s another ID.4, this time a mid-trim Pro S RWD model. It has just 45,000 miles on it, and the dealer is asking just $20,998. Just take a look at Autotrader or Facebook Marketplace in your area. I bet there are more than a few cheap ID.4 EVs to choose from. But is it worth your time?
Maybe. The Volkswagen ID.4 is certainly not without its sins in the market. It has been criticized in Europe, China and North America for its poor software interface and sometimes frustrating controls. It has other trouble spots, too. Some have complained about drive motor issues on early models. Plus, the faulty infotainment is a big reason Consumer Reports rated the ID.4 as “less reliable than average.”
Some would disagree. YouTube channel EV Help Hub recently posted an update after owning his 2021 ID.4 1st Edition for three years. He still has the same issues with the software, but mechanically the car has been generally good. In 50,000 miles of driving, he has only spent $1,500 on maintenance. Most of his costs were due to wear and tear on the stock tires.
There are a lot of good things about the ID.4, though. All early ID.4s came with the same 82 kWh battery and were either RWD (201 hp) or AWD (295 hp). It can travel about 260 miles on a full charge (RWD), assuming no major performance degradation. And unlike the smaller EVs common in this price range, the ID.4’s spacious interior offers plenty of room. Car seats, strollers, and large dogs won’t fit as well in here as they would in, say, a Tesla Model 3 or Chevy Bolt EV.
A used Volkswagen ID.4 could be a good option for budget-conscious buyers looking for a car with plenty of space. Just double check that you like the interface.
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