2022 Volkswagen ID.4: Nominee

Electric cars have gone from quirky and questionably useful to reliable everyday drivers for some people thanks to a host of new and improved vehicles flooding the market. Volkswagen’s first all-electric SUV, the ID.4, is a solid option that impresses with its competitive range, pleasant road manners and value.

The ID.4 comes with rear-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated range of 260 miles for the Pro trim level and 250 miles for the Pro S. The all-wheel-drive version is similar, with an EPA estimated 249 miles of range for the Pro and 240 miles for the Pro S.

These ranges are a bit short of the maximum offered, sometimes optionally, by key competitors like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y, but the ID.4’s comfortable ride quality stands out among firm and bouncy peers. It also beats the others on price: Base MSRPs start around $41,000, and that’s before a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, for which the ID.4 is still eligible (unlike the Model Y).

Alas, no EV is the complete package, and the ID.4 has a quirk: Its heavy use of touch-sensitive controls and a laggy touchscreen frustrated us — big time. If you can get past those, however, there’s a lot to like. The ID.4’s comfortable ride, solid range and appealing price earned it a nomination for Cars.com’s Best of 2022.