Ot - vw id.4?

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by pasadena

Mach E is the only ev that lost recommendation from Consumer Reports so take that as you will.
ID4 has been a huge hit. The ID line seems to be improving and VW seems very focused on it.
Tesla is at least two generations ahead in technology and engineering.

I don't follow consumer reports, just been going by what I have heard from some people that own them and some long time reviews.

The id.4 I remember Jason Camisas review which was pretty bad, its not that it drove bad but a bunch of other stuff like ux, ect.

I wonder if it has the same capacitive buttons the new golfs have which are so bad, capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, volume button that you have to slide your finger over and over again to use, ect


oh yeah I just looked, it has the same terrible interface as the new golfs, that alone is a big no thank you for me.

[pasadena]

ID4 drove really nice to me. RWD felt plenty spry. The infotainment itself was fairly easy to use, to me. The buttons and windows are a mess. It's unfortunate such highly used points are where they failed. Just basic simple buttons would have made it a non-issue.

otoh, the door handles work great. Considering it's impossible to open the Hyundai/Kia without using two hands, that says something.
(Only the high trim level Hyundai/Kia have motorized, presenting handles.)

No idea why people would badly review the ID4. It's a good overall pkg and for an ev, good value.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by pasadena

otoh, the door handles work great.

When something this fundamental needs to be stated to overcome some bad points, my spidey sense starts tingling.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by superbowlpats

i'm waiting for the audi q4.

+1

[David Kirk]

Thank you all for the feedback and info. It’s interesting to hear other’s impressions. For our use an EV is perfect. It’s main use would be to drive into town (5-10 miles), drive to the ski area (40 miles round trip) and throwing a bike in the back of to get further from home for gravel rides (10-15 miles). We’d never need to tow with it and roads trips wouldn’t be a big thing for this new car. It would be parked inside in the relative warmth right next to its charger.

At this point we have boiled our EV choices down to 3. It had been 4 but then we drove the Kia Niro and while it was “fine” it was underwhelming in the overall quality department. It listed for $42K and aside from it being an EV it felt like a car that should sell for the mid-upper 20’s…and on top of that there was a dealer “market adjustment” of $20K. So in the end you’d need to spend $62K for a car that feels like it should be $27K.

The three that are still on the list are -

- VW ID.4
- Kia EV 6
- Hyundai Ionic 5


VW - We drove the ID.4 today and it was snowy and cold and the summer tires sucked hard in the snow. The car steamed up big time with Karin and I up front and the sales guy in the back and it took way too long to figure out how to turn on the defroster. Even the sales guy who was the “ID.4 specialist” had a hard time talking us through the defrost controls. OTOH the dealer is 10 minutes away which is a huge plus.

Kia - We were able to sit in an EV6 but not drive it because the one the dealer had was sold. It felt good inside and I fit well (I’m 6’4” so that’s not always a given). The closest Kia dealer is a solid 2 hour drive from home so warrantee work could be a real hassle. The same dealer that was selling the Niro had the EV 6 bumped up by $20K just cause they think they can.

Hyundai - Going just by the numbers I’m currently leaning toward the Ionic 5. It looks like it would be the easiest to get a bike or skis/boards in the back of and I like the way it looks more than the other two. The downside is that the dealer is also 2 hours away.


With the demand being so much less than supply we will be just shopping over the winter and if something pops up in the mean time that’s fine….if not our current car is awesome (Golf Sportwagon TDi) and the only reason to part with it is to go electric. So we can take our time.

Has anyone here spent time in more than one of the three cars I’m looking at so that they can draw real world comparisons?

dave

[pasadena]

Nothing is perfect. For some, it may not be an issue. For others little things can be dealbreakers.

Originally Posted by reuben

When something this fundamental needs to be stated to overcome some bad points, my spidey sense starts tingling.

[p nut]

Whatever you decide to get, I’d check out dealers in Boise. I’m in Utah and while shopping for a new car for the wife earlier this year, all dealers here had significant “market adjustment” pricing. Boise had the best deals by far. Easy to fly in and drive back.

[Hakkalugi]

David, going from sequential Sportwagens to the ID.4 (2015 TDI and 2017 TSI), the ID.4 is hardly different. I’ve been pleased and it was a good purchase. Like the Golf, it’s Bomber in the snow with good rubber, has essentially same ergonomics in the cabin, and basically same interfaces. The defrost issue is easy, hit the button that turns on the windshield heat and you’re clear very quickly, faster than forced air. You’ll end up using the windshield, seat, and steering heaters instead of cabin heat above 60 and be fine even below 0 outside.

It’s a good car in the Rockies and is as good as Golfs in fit & finish. I’m driving mine upwards of 2,000 miles per month in Colorado and it’s been a nice step forward from Sportwagens. It seems to hold more gear than the Golf, has a similar road feel (but 0 sway in turns), and is very quiet, even with snow tires. The goofy window controls and unlit volume buttons are annoying for a couple of weeks, then you get accustomed to them and it’s not an issue. What becomes noticeable is if you drive in B mode a lot and then use another car and find suddenly you need a brake pedal. And, if you need to creep down a nasty icy road, they are very predictable and solid. My driveway, as a max of 22%, has not been a problem even with packed ice.

If you’ve been happy with the Sportwagen, you’ll be happy with the ID.4. It has some quirks, but so do the Golfs, and if you’re already a VW driver they are not surprising. Interior volume is better than the Golfs and I can put more gear inside. With a hitch-mount rack I’ve had no need for crossbars on the roof. The only thing I miss from the Golfs is the drawer under the driver’s seat, but I got over that quickly enough. It’s a good bike hauler and even holds an EZUp inside with all the bike gear.

[Brian Smith]

Out of the Hyundai group products, the one slightly more appealing to me that you don't mention is the GV60. That said, as you mention, the market adjustments are a thing, and to me they'd be game changing. I trust that you can/have read various forums and such concerning actual day to day ownership/usage concerns of the ID.4 vs. others.

Also related to overall value for money however, and my chief thought in replying to your message, is that depending on how your business finances work, your tax planning, and the usage of the vehicle, the AWD ID.4 may offer you a Section 179 deduction, which could be substantially value-affecting. I have no idea what dealer negotiations might be sensitive to, but perhaps a sales force preferring a sale in the month of December might be influenced by the possibility of an alternative purchase that would entitle you to a near-immediate tax benefit that their non-qualifying alternative would not avail you.

All of THAT said, my impressions of what you value in a vehicle are rather contradictory to ANYTHING that moves on 4 wheels and weighs over 6,001 lbs.
These may not be the droids you're looking for...nor the alternatives you may actually be prepared to consider.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by reuben

When something this fundamental needs to be stated to overcome some bad points, my spidey sense starts tingling.

Well...VW (Audi, actually) has a pretty poor history with door handles. Those that have been driving Audis for a long time will know.

[pasadena]

Will confirm

Originally Posted by C40_guy

Well...VW (Audi, actually) has a pretty poor history with door handles. Those that have been driving Audis for a long time will know.

[deluz]

Cant comment on these EVs but I owned two VW buses in the past.
The first one caught on fire and burned completely. The second one needed constant repairs and after a few years could not justify keeping it.
This may not apply to what VW is producing now but
I would be hesitant. I agree about not buying a Tesla product, would never do it.
I think the Hyundai is what I would go with.
I do have a Prius Prime and love it but the EV range is only 25 miles but might be another option for you. Also you might consider Nissan Leaf. With those markups you might be better traveling to another state to buy it.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

try to find some journalist reviews on the id.4 because at least everything I have read on it is that its absolute trash and one of the worst vws ever.


Personally I would not buy a tesla because I don't want even a cent of my money to land in Elons pocket (also find them incredibly ugly and uninspiring). I do admit that they are decent EVs, they are built poorly but they have the best charging infrastructure by far in the US.


I personally would look into either that hyunday someone just posted (my neighbour has one, likes it and imo looks great) or my personal favorite the Ford Mach-e. Those look awesome and seem to be pretty great.

Of course if money is no object there is a lot more stuff but I figure you have a budget

Probably not ever gonna get an e-car or truck(but ya never know) but this. Ya buy the company, it's philosophy, the 'owner's philosophy as much as the 'thing'. Smart or not, I buy or don't buy a lot of things because of the 'company', it's owners, it's representatives.

Never musk anything, ever.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by deluz

Cant comment on these EVs but I owned two VW buses in the past.
The first one caught on fire and burned completely. The second one needed constant repairs and after a few years could not justify keeping it.
This may not apply to what VW is producing now but
I would be hesitant. I agree about not buying a Tesla product, would never do it.
I think the Hyundai is what I would go with.
I do have a Prius Prime and love it but the EV range is only 25 miles but might be another option for you. Also you might consider Nissan Leaf. With those markups you might be better traveling to another state to buy it.

Ya think??
Oh come on..The last 'bus' was made what, 30 some years ago? I had a '76 VW bus(first year of 2liter, fuel injected motor) and '87 Vanagon Synchro 'water pumper' and both were GREAT. Both VERY reliable. Drove both for zillions of miles and wish I still had both of them.

[DfCas]

Im waiting for the ID Buzz awd version. Being an old hippie and vanner it sounds perfect to me.