Volkswagen ID.4 Pure Match review: a solid family EV there's very little reason to buy

Verdict 

The Volkswagen ID.4 is a solid mid-size electric SUV majoring on comfort and practicality, but it’s not the most exciting option – either to drive or look at. This Pure Match trim level makes very little sense in light of price and range changes to ensure eligibility for the Government Electric Car Grant; discounts and finance offers could change the picture, but on list price alone, buyers would be far better spending their money on the cheaper Pro Essential model with its more powerful motor and bigger battery.

Volkswagen’s Match trim level is usually a sound value-for-money choice. While sparsely equipped entry-level versions exist largely for the purpose of lowering the range’s base price and disappointing company car drivers who get lumbered with one, the Match sits one rung higher on the trim-level ladder, offering added kit for little extra outlay. If you’re one of those people who orders the second cheapest bottle of wine from any given restaurant menu, this may be a value proposition you’re able to get behind.

The ID.4 range conforms to VW’s Match masterplan to a point but, as is so often the way with today’s electric-car market, things get a bit complicated when you look at the price list. The mid-size range now opens at £36,995 in both Pure Essential and Pro Essential trim. 

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The Pure Essential has the smaller 52kWh battery. But why would anyone buy that car when the Pro Essential adds a 77kWh battery for the same price? Delve a little deeper and things get worse: the Pure’s 168bhp, 224-mile range and 145kW maximum charging speed plays the Pro’s 282bhp, 351 miles and 175kW peak charging.

Then we get to the Match models. Usually a thoroughly sensible option for the average buyer, the Pure Match sits one step up, using the same 52kWh battery as the Pure Essential but priced from £39,590. Larger 19-inch alloy wheels replace the entry-level car’s 18-inch steel items. These look better but reduce the range figure slightly from 224 miles to 222 miles. You also get tinted rear windows. But that’s it. 

Are these wheels and windows enough to justify the £2,600 premium over the Pure Essential? That seems unlikely, but not as unlikely as anyone choosing a Pure Match over the cheaper Pro Essential with the better battery.  

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What’s going on? Well, things become a tiny bit clearer when you understand that cars costing less than £37,000 can currently qualify for the newly introduced Government Electric Car Grant. At the time of writing, the ID.4 has not been officially approved as eligible for the £1,500 Government subsidy (unlike the smaller ID.3 hatchback) but VW hopes it will happen soon. In the meantime, the German firm has been following other manufacturers by filling the EV grant void with its own discounts.  

Following a bit of jiggery-pokery from VW’s accountants, it means you can now buy a VW ID.4 with either battery option for £36,995. Thanks to these sub-£37k models, other versions of the car with those powertrains can also qualify for the grant, regardless of list price. 

It’s worth noting that at the start of 2025, the ID.4 range opened at over £44,000. EV prices generally have come down a lot, even before the various discounts that are available. It’s a good time to be in the market but you need to keep your wits about you.

It doesn’t quite explain the strange pricing structure in the ID.4 range, but VW says it uses “detailed market analysis and strategic forecasting to ensure accuracy and competitiveness” across its range. We can only assume it would much rather sell ID.4s with 77kWh batteries than 52kWh ones. 

All of which brings us to the core question in this road test: Is the ID.4 Pure Match any good? Performance from the 52kWh battery and rear-wheel drive EV powertrain is perfectly adequate. In line with most EVs, the car feels quicker than the 0-62mph time of nine seconds suggests, thanks to the surge of power that’s available from low speeds. The power arrives in a very smooth and controlled manner with no hint of the wheels struggling for grip – unlike in some front-wheel-drive alternatives. 

The steering is slow, light and lacking in feel – fine for sedate diving but not a lot of fun when you’re on faster roads and want sharper responses. The Sport setting helps matters a little, but in this kind of driving the soft suspension brings a fair bit of body roll. 

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It’s therefore better to take things easy. The ID.4 is a comfortable car for long-distance driving when you do. In town, the soft ride takes the edge off rough surfaces well and doesn’t crash over big craters, but things do get more wobbly than in EVs like the Renault Scenic, which has a firmer ride but tighter body control.      

There’s a lot of adjustment in the driving position and loads of headroom that taller drivers will appreciate. VW’s annoying steering-wheel buttons are still too easy to accidentally press when you’re driving, however. 

In general, the ID.4 Pure Match might miss out on a lot of the equipment you get further up the range but the cabin still has that air of VW quality about it. The problem for the German firm is that many rival models in this space now match VW for materials and build quality while offering more interesting designs. There’s little in the way of flair or classy materials inside the ID.4; a few dashes of piano black plastic, some aluminium highlights, and that’s your lot.  

What the ID.4 does offer is strong practicality. You’ve got the aforementioned generous headroom in all the seats, plus plenty of space in the back for adults – helped by the flat floor and foot space under the front seats. There’s lots of storage in the covered centre console, lined door pockets, and two large cup holders in the front, while rear seat passengers get door pockets and cup holders in the middle armrest. 

The boot is very large at 543 litres with a nice low loading lip and space for two charging cables in the void beneath the floor. The rear seats don’t slide or fold flat, however, making it harder to get awkward items inside.