The Volkswagen ID. Tiguan Looks Like A Big Upgrade Over The ID.4

This new crossover has more buttons, one-pedal driving, and even a frunk.

Photo by: Volkswagen

By: Kevin Williams

Oct 9, at 6:00am ET

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Volkswagen on Friday unveiled the ID. Tiguan, its replacement for the ID.4.
It serves up upgrades in key areas, including better software and a frunk, something the old ID.4 did not have.
It goes on sale in Europe in early 2027, and will hit the U.S. sometime after that.

Goodbye, ID.4. Volkswagen is replacing its compact EV crossover with this, the ID. Tiguan. It’s about the same size as the old car, but with a more familiar name and some big changes that should make it a much better electric vehicle.

The ID.4 first went on sale in 2021. It was known for being a spacious EV and a good value, especially since at one point it was made in the U.S. and qualified for the EV tax credit. But over its run, people also complained about some key features, like the car’s software and some elements of the driving experience.

Gallery: Volkswagen ID. Tiguan (2027)

Source: Volkswagen

Earlier this year, VW announced that it was stopping production of the EV in the U.S. in favor of gas vehicles, leaving it without a mainstream electric offering in this market. Now the ID. Tiguan is on the way to succeed the ID.4 (and the ID.5 in markets where that's sold). And it looks like Volkswagen has taken some of the criticism to heart.

For starters, the ID. Tiguan has an upgraded infotainment and software stack. There are up to three screens now, including one directly in front of the passenger for apps and entertainment. The driver’s display and center screen are bigger and can be switched to a special “retro” mode that has stylized virtual gauge clusters from old Volkswagen models from the past. It’s the same system we’ve seen on the new ID. Polo.

Photo by: Volkswagen

Oh, and Volkswagen highlights that there are many more actual buttons now. There are new physical button pads on the steering wheel, as well as a row of buttons just below the main infotainment screen. A volume knob is back, right on the center console. That’s a big improvement over the annoying, touch-sensitive sliders dating back to the ID.4’s launch. The infamous push-for-rear window switches are gone, replaced with four traditional ones.

The ID. Tiguan also gets handy EV-specific features the ID.4 never had. The crossover gains a frunk—albeit a tiny one with just 1.1 cubic feet of storage space. It gets one-pedal driving. And VW has added vehicle-to-load functionality, accessed via an outlet adapter that plugs into the charging port.

Stylistically, the ID. Tiguan comes off like a more mature version of the ID.4. The hood visually looks longer and more upright, while the side surfacing gives off a more expensive vibe. The interior looks to be a real upgrade, with Alcantara or suede surfaces on the R-line model.

Photo by: Volkswagen

On Friday, Volkswagen only released the European-spec ID. Tiguan deets. Powertrains are similar to what you'd find in the old ID.4; the ID. Tiguan is available in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with two different battery sizes.

The smaller 58 kWh battery produces 187 horsepower and is RWD only. The larger 77 kWh pack comes with either 282 horsepower in RWD form or 294 horsepower in AWD 4Motion trim. Maximum range is advertised at up to 600 kilometers (372 miles) for the 77 kWh model in RWD trim, based on the WLTP cycle. That's 26 km more than ID.4's rating in Europe, suggesting the U.S. model might get a range boost too.

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Pricing starts at about 42,695 euros (about $49,000), which is roughly the same as what the current ID.4 costs in many European markets.

Photo by: Volkswagen

And yes, the ID. Tiguan is coming to the U.S. market too, a Volkswagen spokesperson said. The European version of the ID. Tiguan will launch in early 2027. Volkswagen told us that it will share U.S.-specific details sometime after that.