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Yes, the ID4 is electric, but Volkswagen’s goal with this SUV is to be as accessible as possible. The ID4’s claimed competitive set reflects that, with VW IDing both EV and gas SUVs on its list (The Toyota RAV4 and Kia EV6 are among the SUVs Volkswagen names.) That noble aim makes some sense when you pit those competitors against a base ID4 at $41,160 to start, but it’s far more of a stretch at $51,815, which was the as-tested price of the rear-drive 2024 ID4 Pro S SUV we had in for evaluation. And it wasn’t even loaded.

Today’s sticker prices sometimes don’t mean what they used to, however—at least when you’re talking about EVs. The ID4 currently qualifies for a full $7,500 federal tax credit, but so does the similarly priced 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. The Hyundai Ioniq 5—our 2023 SUV of the Year—matches the VW and Tesla with a $7,500 cashback incentive (available as of this writing).

Yes, the ID4 is electric, but Volkswagen’s goal with this SUV is to be as accessible as possible. The ID4’s claimed competitive set reflects that, with VW IDing both EV and gas SUVs on its list (The Toyota RAV4 and Kia EV6 are among the SUVs Volkswagen names.) That noble aim makes some sense when you pit those competitors against a base ID4 at $41,160 to start, but it’s far more of a stretch at $51,815, which was the as-tested price of the rear-drive 2024 ID4 Pro S SUV we had in for evaluation. And it wasn’t even loaded.

RAV4 and Kia EV6 are among t

Today’s sticker prices sometimes don’t mean what they used to, however—at least when you’re talking about EVs. The ID4 currently qualifies for a full $7,500 federal tax credit, but so does the similarly priced 2024 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD. The Hyundai Ioniq 5—our 2023 SUV of the Year—matches the VW and Tesla with a $7,500 cashback incentive (available as of this writing).