The new people's car is not a hatchback or a sedan, but a crossover or SUV. And truthfully, that's not even by the account of Volkswagen; a plain observation of our roads in 2024 will bring you to that conclusion.

Still, you can count on Germany's largest carmaker to be astute about what the people want — and to not just stop there either, but move in step too. For evidence, look no further than the fact that the first fully electric Volkswagen to officially go on sale in Singapore is not the Golf-reminiscent ID.3, but a broad-shouldered, bulbous SUV: Called the Volkswagen ID.4.

The next chapter 

To be clear, Volkswagen Group Singapore hasn't simply launched the ID.4 in isolation. Instead, four slightly varying flavours of its mid-sized electric SUV format have landed in its showroom, with a suitable outfit for every sort of driver. ID.4 aside, the ID.5 should appeal to those still enamoured with coupe-SUVs; there are the GTX-variants of both the ID.4 and ID.5, too, for those who think two (electric motors) is better than one.

Still, the ID.4 is where the range starts (and price-wise too). It's the base template. The original blueprint. The logical bestseller.

Had it been launched a few years ago, the ID.4 would have stuck out a bit more — but in a landscape where the Chinese (and American) EVs have risen to prominence, the car actually doesn't feel too alien anymore.

That's not to say that this doesn't feel like a new chapter.

Its grille-less front and rounded silhouette — targeted at reducing drag — are subtle reminders that this doesn't have a combustion engine. Meanwhile, its human-eye inspired head lights are also capital 'F' Futuristic, while the little Tetris-stack dance of the car's 3D-taillights every time you unlock it promises to fascinate endlessly.

Taste is admittedly highly subjective, but the ID.4 isn't as controversial-looking as EVs today come (especially not from its best angle: From a rear three-quarter POV, where it exudes the sort of muscularity appreciated in SUVs). One thing's for certain, though: It invites a closer look. 

Spacious, practical cavern for a new era 

Volkswagen's efforts to mark the car out as a next-era machine are also evident from the literal moment the driver settles into his weight-sensing seat. Depress the brake and the entire car comes alive with the low-pitched digital jingle that plays at the end of Volkswagen commercials. You almost expect to hear a voice say in the most perfect Hochdeutsch accent: 'Volkswagen. Das. Auto.'

It's a marker that immediately illuminates the car's electric underpinnings again (though the slightly grating flipside with this setting activated is that the car also powers itself down the moment the driver leaves their seat). Thankfully, the larger impressions evoked by the cabin are positive.

For starters, it's immediately apparent just how much space is on offer — even amidst the interior's darker and more austere atmosphere. 

There isn't a need for a central transmission anymore, so what you get is a seamless, cosy cave-like space up front, with a floating centre console and acres of legroom. The ID.4 also rightly maximises its dimensions for rear passenger and cargo space.

Even NBA players should have room to stretch out behind thanks to the car's 2,771mm wheelbase and flat floor, while tri-zone air-conditioning offers good protection against the (inconsistently) sunny weather for rear occupants too. 

As an SUV, the ID.4 also delivers on one important front: Its electronic tailgate opens up to a generous, nicely-shaped 543-litre boot.

Admittedly, questionable fittings remain. Physical buttons, rather than (admittedly well-labelled) touch controls, for adjusting the A/C and volume of the speakers would have been better appreciated; ditto for the capacitive ones on the steering wheel.

Meanwhile, the favour shown to gloss black as an interior trim remains confounding. Still, pinning this to the ID.4 alone would be unfair; features like these are already found on even evergreen models like the Golf.

The cabin's build quality is hard to fault otherwise. For reference, just get a feel of the indicator stalk's lovely damping, or watch how the glovebox slowly falls open, then feel how it clicks back into place with a nice solid thunk. Singaporeans often talk about the intangible feel of a 'Conti car'; I suspect they'd find that right here too, in the ID.4. 

Compared to the car we drove a while back, some upgrades have also landed: The gear shifter is a now a column behind the steering wheel (exactly what you'll find on the Tiguan), and there are some soft-touch materials on the dash. Not new — and rightfully so — is its ambient lighting. All of these sprinkle welcome sophistication over the car's cabin. 

As standard, both the driver and front passenger even get electronically adjustable ErgoActive seats. Covered in an alcantara-like material called Art Velours, these are not only supportive and comfortable, but also offer massage functions. 

With most modern cars — and not just EVs — the war is being waged on the digital front now too. 

To that end, the new MIB4 operating system (OS), blown up onto an enlarged (and deliciously snappy) touchscreen, strikes a good balance between being forward-looking and still relatively user-friendly. While the graphics here have a hyper-modern sheen with their crispness and vibrancy, most functions are still sensibly indicated. 

The Goldilocks approach

Leaving the GTX out of the equation (that's positioned as a different sort of machine), the ID.4 is offered in a sole variant in Singapore, with a single motor sending all its power to the rear wheels.

But mind you, even as a non-performance SUV, this is already quite a fair bit of power: 210kW (282bhp) and 545Nm of torque, to be exact. That torque figure, in particular, is generous for a car that has unequivocal family leanings.

While not entirely ballistic, the ID.4 will easily keep pace with similarly-sized electric SUVs today — and out-sprint most combustion-powered cars on the road. Even without tapping 'Sport' on its Drive Select menu, the car is the opposite of languid; it's eager to leap off the line if your right foot wills it, and gathers speed steadily enough that you'll often hit the speed limit before you know it.

At the same time, however, the manner in which power is doled out is measured and smooth. Ultimately, it's a good balance; first-time EV-owners are unlikely to be overwhelmed, yet those hungry for something that feels a bit more bottomless in its power won't be disappointed.

Naturally, there are other commendable factors that make the driving experience pleasant too - chief of which is the ID.4's excellent ride quality. It doesn't so much zip as it does waft away; un-flustered and silent in its swiftness. Contrarily, being at the helm isn't completely devoid of pleasure either thanks to the car's decently quick steering rack.

What's impossible to get around, however, is the ID.4's weight — at more than 2.2 tonnes — which makes itself eminently evident if you try to tackle bends at speed or when you're coming to a halt. On the note of the latter, perhaps the weakest point is its spongy-feeling brake pedal, which requires quite a fair bit of travel before you really feel the car shedding speed.

Otherwise, the term that comes to mind when one ponders the driving character is 'well-rounded' — which, quite frankly, is a quality you can count on Volkswagen best to nail down.

Contributing to this impression is one very important front that the ID.4 excels in too: It boasts an excellent WLTP-rated range of 555km, with a claimed consumption figure of 4.7km/kWh, thanks to its 82kWh battery pack (out of which 77kWh of capacity is usable). 

Yet with our driving patterns we were on track to exceed that still, with the final figure clocking in at 5.8km/kWh — meaning hitting that claimed figure isn't out of reach even in real world conditions. 

Then, even after you've managed to run its battery dry, charging it back up promises to be a quick affair, thanks to its ability to support DC charging at up to 135kW. Maxed out as such, its battery's state-of-charge can go from 10 to 80 per cent in just 36 minutes. 

Still faithful to the promise of being a car for the masses?

No one can deny now that electrification is quite rapidly growing to define Singapore's new car market. EVs aren't just being made in Singapore; they are also making up a larger portion of our roads today. In fact, the bestselling brand of 2024 thus far is a Chinese manufacturer that knows a thing or two about mass appeal itself: BYD. 

The immediate question many may have on their minds is if the ID.4 has been a tad slow to the game - but perhaps another pertinent one to consider is this: Does the car offer anything of unique value with its arrival now? Or to rephrase that slightly, could the car's timing of arrival now offer anything of unique value (that an earlier arrival couldn't)? 

All things considered, the answer to both questions is quite a clear 'Yes'. 

It's worth noting that two key components to the ID.4's appeal today — its improved interior, and also the new battery management system contributing to its excellent range — were part of a mid-life-upgrade bundle gleaned from customer feedback to earlier iterations. Had the ID.4 arrived earlier without these, it would also have felt less polished.

And above all, the jack of all trades can only be classified as such when variety and quantity first exist. Rather valiantly, the ID.4 succeeds in its pursuit of the do-it-all ethos that has come to mark so many Volkswagens — but this success is also made more evident in light of the competition it goes up against today.

Though not the cheapest or most new-age of the electric SUV lot today, the ID.4 ultimately promises long-wearing and long-ranged satisfaction — as a spacious, comfortable, decently nice-to-drive, and suitably modern family machine.

What we like

• Excellent driving range
• Plentiful power
• Spacious, minimalist interior
• Well-insulated and comfortable
• Decently engaging to drive; rides very well

What we dislike

• Capacitive touch buttons
• Spongy feel of brakes
• Bulbous shape may not hold universal appeal

ALSO READ: Volkswagen Tiguan 1.5 eTSI review: Comes with wide suite of comfort and safety features

This article was first published in sgCarMart.