VW plans a full redesign of the ID.4 for 2026, positioning it closer to the Tiguan.
Updated ID.4 gains new styling, revised interior with physical controls, and improved EV components.
Overhaul should help Volkswagen’s EV sales ahead of next-generation platform rollout from 2028.
Volkswagen plans to overhaul the ID.4 SUV so thoroughly for the 2026 model year that company executives describe it as “a completely different car.” The update will hopefully transform the electric SUV from mediocre to good and position the EV as an alternative to the popular Tiguan.
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The ID.4, which launched in 2020 as Volkswagen’s second purpose-built electric vehicle after the ID.3, has become one of Europe’s best-selling EVs – not the case in North America. Now approaching its fifth year, the model will receive a major redesign both inside and out. Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer confirmed that the new ID.4 will be entirely reworked, calling it “a huge step up.”
Volkswagen indicated that the facelifted ID.4 will adopt the styling direction introduced on the ID.2all concept, giving it a lower, broader stance and aligning it visually with the upcoming ID.1 and ID.2 models. Inside, the SUV will feature a revised dashboard and updated user interface. Physical buttons and knobs will return, replacing earlier touch sliders and display-based controls that drew criticism in the first-generation model.
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The mechanical upgrades will bring the ID.4 in line with newer Volkswagen EVs, using more efficient motors, battery systems, and inverters similar to those found in the ID.7 (which was cancelled for North America). While detailed specifications have not yet been disclosed, the improvements are intended to extend the lifespan of Volkswagen’s existing 400V MEB-based electric lineup ahead of the rollout of its next-generation 800V SSP platform, scheduled to underpin vehicles from 2028.
Internally, Volkswagen refers to the updated ID.4 as the “electric Tiguan,” reflecting efforts to tie the EV more closely to the brand’s top-selling combustion SUV. Schäfer suggested that well-known nameplates like Tiguan and Golf will continue into the electric era.
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The upcoming changes to the ID.4 are part of efforts by Volkswagen to address early criticisms around quality and software in its first generation of electric vehicles. Alongside updates to existing models, Volkswagen plans to introduce three new compact EVs on its MEB Entry platform in 2026, including the ID.2, the Cupra Raval and the Skoda Epiq. Before the heavily revised ID.4 arrives, the company will use the Munich motor show in September to preview another new electric model, the ID.2X, a small crossover due in 2027.
Source: Autocar
