2027 Volkswagen ID.4 spied: Major makeover for German Tesla Model Y rival

The heavily redesigned Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV has been spied on public roads for the first time, with the Tesla Model Y rival expected to launch in Europe later this year ahead of a potential Australian arrival in 2027.

The ID.4 has been the brand’s best-selling electric vehicle (EV) in Europe, where Volkswagen’s EV sales have surged. This includes the ID.7 large car, which was the best-selling EV of all makes in Germany in 2025.

Reports suggest the update could also bring a name change, with Auto Express reporting the ID.4 may be renamed ID. Tiguan as the automaker looks to apply familiar model names across its EV lineup.

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Volkswagen hasn’t made any official comment on, or confirmed, the updated ID.4 for Australia.

Regardless of the final naming, the spy images indicate the ID.4’s exterior will adopt the design language previewed by the smaller Volkswagen ID.Cross Concept electric SUV shown at the 2025 Munich motor show.

The disguised test vehicle conceals redesigned front and rear ends, though details such as more conventional door handles – replacing the current ID.4’s flush items – are clearly visible.

New doors and a revised window line can also be seen, along with a more rugged rear-end treatment featuring a redesigned ‘Heckblende’ full-width horizontal light bar and a chunkier diffuser-style lower rear bumper.

While it’s set to feature substantially different styling, the updated ID.4 is expected to retain its core dimensions and hard points, including the wheelbase and pillar structure.

The ID.4 shares its MEB underpinnings with a slew of other Volkswagen Group EVs such as the Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron, but the updated model is expected to move to the upgraded MEB+ platform.

This is likely to introduce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology for some variants, while nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion batteries are expected to continue in longer-range versions.

The cabin should also undergo significant changes, including a new dashboard layout as Volkswagen moves back towards physical buttons in response to customer criticism of its minimalist interiors that rely on touch-capacitive switches and touchscreen controls.

More responsive software aimed at improving performance for remaining digital functions is also anticipated as part of the update.

The ID.4 and related ID.5 coupe SUV arrived in Australia in 2025 – around five years after production commenced – but have struggled for sales momentum, with both outsold in 2025 by rivals including the Zeekr 7X, which only reached local showrooms in October.

Volkswagen Australia told CarExpert in late 2025 its EV sales were meeting internal expectations, attributing subdued demand to buyers remaining in a ‘fence-sitting phase’ amid concerns about charging infrastructure and range anxiety.

The current Australian-market ID.4 range opens with the Pro variant priced from $59,990 before on-road costs, featuring a 210kW rear-wheel drive powertrain and a claimed driving range of 544km under the WLTP cycle.

Stepping up to the flagship GTX costs an additional $10,000 and adds a second electric motor for all-wheel drive, increasing power to 250kW and delivering a claimed WLTP range of 511km.

While Volkswagen is yet to confirm the updated ID.4 for Australia, it has confirmed other upcoming activity in the medium-to-large SUV space.

Following the launch of the new-generation Tiguan and the Tiguan Allspace-replacing Tayron last year, Volkswagen Australia is set to introduce a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the two related crossover SUVs.

MORE: Explore the Volkswagen ID.4 showroom