Volkswagen ID.4 AWD Gets 249-Mile Range, Lowest Price Among AWD EVs

Volkswagen debuted the ID.4 in 2020 as the brand’s first all-electric SUV. The 2021 ID.4 launched with a single motor and rear-wheel drive only, but VW promised that an all-wheel-drive model would soon follow. Now, VW is delivering on that promise with driving range, specs and pricing for the ID.4 AWD. Expected to arrive in the fall for the SUV’s base Pro and elevated Pro S trims, the addition of AWD sets up the ID.4 to better compete with rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.

Related: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Review: Comfortable, Tidy and Almost There

ID.4 AWD Range and MPG-Equivalent

While the current ID.4’s RWD models offer an EPA-estimated range of 260 miles for the Pro and 250 miles for the Pro S, Volkswagen claims the EPA has confirmed a range of 249 miles for the AWD Pro and 240 miles for the AWD Pro S.

The AWD ID.4’s range falls short of the AWD Ford Mustang Mach-E, which maxes out at 270 miles. The Tesla Model Y, offered exclusively with AWD, outperforms both SUVs with an EPA-estimated range of 303 to 326 miles, depending on the variation you choose.

The ID.4 AWD Pro gets a combined 97 mpg-equivalent, while the AWD Pro S has a combined 93 mpg-e in combined city/highway driving. These are down from 107 mpg-e and 104 mpg-e for the RWD ID.4 Pro and Pro S, respectively. Again, however, the claims on AWD range and mpg-e are from Volkswagen; the EPA has yet to publish AWD figures as of this writing.

AWD Means More Power, Quicker Acceleration

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 AWD models house the same 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack as the single-motor, 201-horsepower RWD ID.4. Like many such AWD systems in electric cars, the SUV’s AWD adds an electric motor to the vehicle’s front axle to bump combined system output to 295 hp and 339 pounds-feet of torque. For drivers who plan to tow, maximum towing capacity for AWD models is 2,700 pounds, up from 2,200 pounds in RWD models.

The automaker says the AWD Pro models will reach 60 mph from a stop in 5.4 seconds, a significant drop compared to 7.5 seconds in the single-motor RWD model. By comparison, the Mustang Mach-E hits 60 mph in an estimated 5.2 seconds in standard-range AWD models; it’s 4.8 seconds for extended-range models, 3.8 seconds in the GT and 3.5 seconds in the GT Performance Edition. The Model Y ranges from 3.5 to 4.8 seconds.

One standout feature we noted in our review of the RWD 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is the vehicle’s impressive turning circle: 33.6 feet, or 4.4 feet tighter than the Mustang Mach-E. The vehicle’s short wheelbase helps drivers maneuver and navigate tight streets and parking spots, but AWD takes a little luster off that. With new hardware at the front axle, the turning diameter for the ID.4 AWD increases to 36.4 feet.

Pricing and Release Date

The 2021 ID.4 AWD Pro will start at $44,870 (all prices include destination), and the AWD Pro S will start at $49,370. RWD ID.4 models, by contrast, start at $41,190 for the Pro or $45,690 for the Pro S. The starting prices don’t factor in eligible federal tax credits, which can knock off up to $7,500. The AWD ID.4 undercuts the Mustang Mach-E AWD’s starting price ($46,695) and falls more than $10,000 under the Model Y’s base price ($55,190).

The ID.4 AWD Pro is expected to arrive by February, and the Pro S will be available starting in October.

More From Cars.com:

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• What’s New With Electric Vehicles for 2021?
• Peep Inside the Volkswagen ID.4 All-Electric SUV
• Volkswagen ID.4 Gets ID’d for U.S. as Small Electric SUV
• Research the Volkswagen ID.4

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