Volkswagen ID.4 Pure Performance

Overview

The Volkswagen ID.4 Pure Performance served as VW's accessible entry into the competitive electric family SUV market, offering a practical and user-friendly package. This specific trim, produced from 2021 until 2023, focused on balancing essential EV features with a more attainable price point, now typically found around €26,930 on the European used market. It’s a solid all-rounder for those making the switch to electric, providing a decent real-world range and that familiar VW build quality, tailored for value-conscious buyers looking for a capable daily driver with zero tailpipe emissions.

What's New for 2023?

For its final model year, the 2023 ID.4 Pure Performance largely maintained its established feature set, as it was being phased out. However, Volkswagen was consistently rolling out ID. software updates across the range around this period. This means 2023 models likely benefited from the latest software iterations, bringing potential enhancements to the infotainment system's responsiveness, improved voice control functionality, and more optimised battery management for slightly better efficiency or charging performance within its existing hardware limits. No major hardware changes were specific to this trim for 2023 before its discontinuation.

Design & Exterior

The ID.4 Pure Performance showcases Volkswagen's clean and contemporary electric design ethos, featuring smooth lines and a friendly face, often highlighted by a distinctive LED light signature. It's a proper SUV, measuring 4584 mm in length, 1852 mm in width (excluding mirrors), and 1642 mm in height, giving it a confident stance. While the Pure Performance trim might have come with less flashy alloy wheels or fewer chrome accents than its pricier stablemates, it still presents a modern and aerodynamically considered profile, blending style with everyday practicality for European roads.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Step inside the ID.4 Pure Performance, and you’re greeted by a minimalist, airy cabin design that's a hallmark of VW's ID. family. It comfortably seats five, with material quality being generally good and durable. For your luggage, there's a very useful 543 litres of boot space, which expands to an impressive 1575 litres when you fold the rear seats flat – perfect for family trips or IKEA runs! This version doesn't feature a frunk. Tech-wise, standard fare includes a compact digital driver's display and a central touchscreen (typically 10 inches) handling infotainment, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto onboard.

Performance & Driving Experience

The ID.4 Pure Performance is powered by a single Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) at the rear, delivering 125 kW and a healthy 310 Nm of torque. This rear-wheel-drive setup allows for a 0-100 km/h sprint in a respectable 9.0 seconds, with a top speed of 160 km/h. The driving experience is smooth, quiet, and composed, prioritising comfort over outright sportiness, making it a relaxing companion for daily commutes and longer journeys. Regenerative braking is well-integrated, helping to claw back energy and offering a near one-pedal driving feel in its stronger settings.

Range, Battery & Charging

Equipped with a 52 kWh usable battery pack, the ID.4 Pure Performance offers a Green Cars Compare calculated real-world range of approximately 305 km, with an efficiency of around 5.87 km/kWh. For charging, it uses the European standard CCS Type 2 connector. An AC top-up via its standard 7.2 kW on-board charger will take roughly 7.5 hours from empty to full. When you need a quicker boost, it supports DC fast charging at up to 100 kW, allowing for a 10-80% charge in about 35 minutes under ideal conditions.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

The Volkswagen ID.4 platform proudly wears a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, and the Pure Performance trim benefits from this inherent structural integrity. Standard safety kit is comprehensive, typically including Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and pedestrian/cyclist detection, Lane Keeping Assist, and often Adaptive Cruise Control to ease motorway driving. While some advanced features like a 360-degree camera or advanced park assist might have been optional or reserved for higher trims, the core active and passive safety systems provide excellent protection for occupants.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

In Europe, Volkswagen typically provides a 2-year unlimited kilometre warranty on the vehicle itself, complemented by longer warranties for paint (usually 3 years) and anti-perforation (often 12 years). Critically for an EV, the high-voltage battery in the ID.4 Pure Performance is generally covered for 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first, with a guarantee against excessive capacity loss (e.g., below 70%). Maintenance is simpler than a combustion car, focusing on items like tyres, brakes, and cabin filters, leading to potentially lower running costs over time.