It's time for the Volkswagen ID.4 to take on the moose test. After going through the cones, the EV shows mixed results if a driver ever runs into a situation where he or she has to avoid a giant mammal on the road.
In the first attempt, the ID.4 is close to passing the test. The driver enters the course at 75 kilometers per hour (46.6 miles per hour). He hits two cones but keeps in control of the vehicle.
To successfully complete the challenge, the driver has to reduce the vehicle's speed to 73 kph (45.36 mph). The electronic stability control activates to sharpen the ID.4's handling. The system brakes a rear wheel to get through the second set of cones.
The ESC system is not perfect, though. In another test, it intervenes too much and causes oversteer during the transition between the second and third sets of cones. The testers note this behavior only happened once.
The testers say that the Bridgestone Turanza ECO tires lack lateral grip. They have a lower rolling resistance than traditional rubber. This maximizes the EV's range but sacrifices grip in a handling test like this.
The ID.4 exhibits odd performance in a slalom. This one is rear-wheel drive, but the test indicates that it feels more like a front-wheel-drive vehicle behind the wheel. This means that, unlike most RWD machines, the driver can't use the throttle to make the rear rotate when going through the cones.
We would be interested to see how the all-wheel-drive ID.4 GTX performs in these same challenges. The model has a motor for each axle. The smart drivetrain focuses the power at the rear until sensors decide that channeling some muscle to the front is necessary.
Optional tech for the GTX includes a Sports package that lowers the ride height by 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) and adds progressive-ratio power steering. An adaptive suspension is available, too, with Eco, Comfort, Sport, Individual, and Traction modes.
