![]() ![]() Each menu looked different, but not different enough to quickly disseminate what the hell you were looking at while driving. The infotainment screen was prone to freezing, and the menus themselves weren’t easy to parse out on the move. Steering wheel volume and cruise control presses sometimes don’t register, or maybe they register too much. And that’s how the ID.4’s infotainment, steering wheel controls, window switches, and HVAC controls are VW’s unwisely made every keypress a dim-witted touch capacitive button, that are both not sensitive and hypersensitive. On the surface, that sounds cool, until you learn that each button press can only register one keystroke, rendering speed typing or multitasking on the Blackberry Storm, a deliberate, and slow process. Remember that phone? It was an early attempt at touchscreen cellphones, but the whole screen depressed like a button. Where the Polestar 2 was iPhone-like, The ID.4 was more akin to my brother’s old Blackberry Storm, from 2009. The Polestar 2’s infotainment and HVAC controls are completely touchscreen-based, yet I found them generally easy to navigate and use on the move. I, do not subscribe to the typical auto journo “touchscreen bad, button good”, the overwhelming majority of cell phones are complete touch screens with no buttons, and yet, most work really well. ![]() It’s not smart to relegate all touchscreen-based automotive interactions to a fiery Gehenna. Touchscreens are complex, yet ubiquitous experiences with a wide range of interpretations and executions in 2021. But that spacious interior is marred by one of the worst user experiences I’ve ever had in a car. The ID.4’s big trunk and wide seats would work the best for kid and parent duty, something a lot of electric vehicles can’t claim. Out of all of the EVs I’ve driven, the ID.4 is by far the largest, with plenty of space for five adults and their luggage. The ID.4’s roofline is remarkably upright, which pays off big dividends inside. Like, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y’s fastback designs are cool looking, but they impede headroom. The current state of the car market would have you thinking everyone wants a compact crossover, but it seems like a lot of electric crossovers have some weird styling feature that compromises practicality. Worse still, it seems like VW didn’t do anything to even remotely trick us into thinking the interior is better than it really is, like using crafty materials or loads of piano black trim. The dashboards’ freestanding infotainment and bi-level dashboard are certainly more interesting than what you’d find in, say a Jetta, but as a whole it’s just not to the same quality standards that one would expect from a 45,000-dollar vehicle. Hyundai and Polestar did a fairly good job giving a premium aura to their products, but Volkswagen’s interior effort feels decidedly cheaper. For some context: Other cars in that price neighborhood include the Mercedes GLC and Cadillac XT5. In fact, it rang up at nearly $45,000 including destination charges. Volkswagen Calls the ID.4 a Small Crossover… Sort Of
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |