Last Updated on May 30, 2023 by Rose Morah
Curious to find out how ID 4 would perform in the snow, we picked up a 2021 Pro S AWD and a 2021 Pro S RWD and drove them on the large snow storms in southern Ontario, Canada.
This gave us a good opportunity to test their capabilities and I can say that in the end, the results were interesting.
This article is going to cover our experiences driving the two AWD and RWDs in large snow storms.
Related:
ID.4 RWD vs AWD: From Experiences of People Who Have Owned Both.
Best Tires For Volkswagen ID.4 (According To ID.4 Owners).
Effect of the type of tires on VW ID.4’s performance when driving in the snow
We noticed a very big difference when driving both the AWD and the RWD ID.4 in the snowstorm.
We used the stock and winter tires. And as you may have already guessed, the winter tires outshined the stock tires by far.
The following were the main differences between driving the VW ID.4 on the stock tires vs. snow tires:
| Stock tires | Snow Tires | |
| 1. | These tires were atrocious when driving in snow. | The car was great in the snow tires. |
| 2. | They slipped all over the place. | We did not experience even a single slip or slide. |
| 3. | At some point, we got a bit of anxiety when driving the ID 4 in deep snow and ice. | It felt more comfortable driving with the snow tires, even on ice and a couple of inches of snow. |
You may also like:
Common Volkswagen ID.4 Issues Reported By Most Owners.
Volkswagen ID.4 Tips and Tricks (VW ID.4 Hidden Features).
Pros and Cons of Volkswagen ID.4 Pro.
Overall performance of the VW ID.4
The VW ID.4 was a champ when driving on snow with the right tires (snow tires).
It was very capable and handled so much better on snow than most ICE vehicles that we have driven before.
Its weight distribution also felt 50/50, and since it is a heavy vehicle it burst through the snow comfortably.
Generally, the VW ID4 felt comfortable driving in snow and performed admirably.
AWD vs. RWD Volkswagen ID4 performance on snow
When comparing the 2021 Pro S RWD vs. the 2021 Pro S AWD the difference in power was very noticeable.
However, they both performed well when driving in the snow and ice.
The following are some of the main things that we noticed when driving the AWD and RWD VW ID4:
| AWD ID.4 | RWD ID.4 | |
| 1. | We noticed improved stability when driving in heavy rain. | It handled snow and ice flawlessly with snow tires. It got better traction after we removed the stock tires. |
| 2. | Our overall experience with AWD was great when driving in the snow. | We loved the turning radius of the RWD, especially when parking. It has the best turning radius when compared to most vehicles. |
| 3. | It performed very well on all terrains. | It performs better when driving on flat terrain than on hilly terrains. |
See also:
Volkswagen ID.4 Charging Guide (ID.4 Charging Speed and Tips).
How Is Nissan Leaf In Snow? (Winter Performance & Range).
List Of VW ID.4 Voice Commands.
What is the VW ID.4’s winter range?
Just like most other EVs, VW ID4’s range drops during winter.
Therefore, its winter range will depend on so many factors, including how cold it really is and how often you are using the cabin heater.
During our VW ID.4 winter performance test, there are days that we lost 50 to 80 miles of range. However, the following tips helped improve our range when driving the EV in the winter season:
- Limiting the use of cabin heaters. We managed this by running them enough to keep us warm and then turning them off when the cabin was warm enough.
- Relying on seat heaters to keep us warm.
- When parking the EV outside at night, we kept it plugged overnight.
Final Word
Above everything else, we discovered that what’s more important when driving the VW ID.4 in the snow is the tires and the type of roads that you will be driving on.
