- The Volkswagen ID.4 may not be my favorite EV in its class, but VW has sold a ton of them.
- That means there are plenty of cheap used examples, many of which qualify for a $4,000 federal used clean vehicle tax credit.
- While it may not have the range or tech of a Model 3, it's got a lot of space, solid driving dynamics and can be had for far less than a used Model Y.
Love it or hate it, the Volkswagen ID.4 has worked its way into being a fixture in the electric car industry. Sure, it might not be as stylish as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or have the same cachet as the Tesla Model Y, but it’s been a known quantity for a while now. Since its introduction in 2021, Volkswagen has sold quite a few of the Tennesse-made compact electric crossovers.
And Volkswagen isn’t immune to the terrible depreciation affecting the whole EV market. That no doubt sucks for EV buyers who bought new cars, but this piece isn’t about them. This is for folks like me, the bargain hunters seeking to get as much bang for their buck as possible. Right now, used examples of the VW ID.4 are really, really cheap.
Just look here: This “electric volkswagon car” for sale in Ohio, for $19,000. If we ignore the poor spelling and not-so-good pictures, we’ll see that it’s a 2021 1st Edtion model with 66,000 miles. The owner says it comes with free DC fast charging with Electrify America (although it may be liable to expire in a few weeks), and generally appears in good shape. If we add in the $4,000 used EV tax credit, that price would fall to $15,000 before any taxes or fees. (Technically you have to buy at a dealer to get the tax credit, but a brokering service may be able to facilitate a private party sale in order for the buyer to receive the IRA’s used car tax credit.)
It’s not just private party sellers, either. Here’s another ID.4, this one a mid-trim Pro S RWD model. It only has 45,000 miles and the dealer is asking just $20,998. Just take a gander on Autotrader or Facebook Marketplace in your area. I’ll bet there are more than a few low-priced ID.4 EVs to choose from. But, is it worth your time?
Maybe. The Volkswagen ID.4 is certainly not without sin in the market. It was slammed 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-build cars. Also, that glitchy infotainment is a big part of the reason why Consumer Reports rated the ID.4 as “less reliable than average.”
Some would disagree. The YouTube Channel EV Help Hub recently gave an update after three years of ownership on his 2021 ID.4 1st Edition. He still has the same gripes with the software, but mechanically the car has been generally good. In 50,000 miles of driving, he’s only spent $1,500 in maintenance. Most of his costs were related to the stock tires wearing out.
There’s a lot to like about the ID.4, though. All early ID.4s came with the same 82 kWh battery, and either in RWD (201 horsepower) or AWD (295 horsepower). It’ll get around 260 miles on a full charge (RWD), barring any severe degradation. And, unlike the smaller EVs common in this price range, the ID.4’s spacious interior can hold a lot of stuff. Car seats, strollers, and big dogs won’t be crammed in here compared to say, a Tesla Model 3 or Chevy Bolt EV.
A used Volkswagen ID.4 could be a great option for budget buyers in search of a car with a lot of space. Just double check that you like the user interface.
Contact the author: kevin.williams@insideevs.com
