Alexa-guided test drive will be available for Volkswagen ID.4 in select regions

MANILA: Volkswagen and Amazon will be introducing an exciting new approach on automotive test drives. Customers in select regions will be able to book an in-person Alexa-guided test drive of Volkswagen ID.4 SUV. Participants will first go on a brief walkaround of the vehicle with a Volkswagen Product Specialist, then they will experience a real-world test drive accompanied by Amazon Alexa.

The vehicle's dashboard contains an Echo Auto unit that enables the Alexa-guided test drive.

Participants can ask Alexa for further details about the many features of the electric vehicle as they gain a sense of how easy the ID.4 is to drive. For example, when the customer asks about the vehicl’s available massaging seats, it will respond, “The seat massage function is available in the front seats of the I.D.4 Pro S and Pro S with Gradient. If you'd like to try it, just ask, ‘Alexa, how do I turn on the massage feature.’”

Alexa can also provide information about the ID.4’s battery, charging, blind spot monitor, infotainment, cost, and regular maintenance.

Volkswagen's goal of electric vehicle education and accessibility is carried out through the Test Drive with Alexa program, which was developed in collaboration with Amazon Ads and Amazon Web Services. Customers may now test drive a Volkswagen without feeling any added pressure, giving them the freedom to explore the vehicle.

“In our push to bring EVs and electromobility to all, we need to find new and exciting ways to talk to our customers. This collaboration with Amazon does just that. Future Volkswagen owners can experience all our ID.4 has to offer with the aid of a voice service they’ve already come to know,” Volkswagen Group of America Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Andrew Savvas stated.

Test drives last around 30 minutes, so customers should allocate 45 minutes for the whole experience.

The ID.4 is Volkswagen’s first global electric vehicle and all-electric SUV. It combines the features of a purpose-built electric vehicle with the performance, packaging, and value that have distinguished Volkswagen for decades. The ID.4 is based on Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle architecture, or the modular electric drive matrix. It is being manufactured in Germany, China, and at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga factory in Tennessee, USA. It competes in the world’s largest market segment, compact SUVs.

With 190,000 units delivered to customers worldwide since its debut in 2021, the ID.4 is the Volkswagen Group’s most popular all-electric model.

Volkswagen ID.4  is available in three trim levels — Standard/Pro, S, and S Plus — with the option of 62kWh and 82kWh batteries and rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

The entry-level ID.4, the ID.4 Standard, comes with a new 62kWh battery and has a preliminary manufacturer-estimated range of 334km based on a simulated EPA-test cycle. The rear wheels are driven by a single synchronous permanent magnet motor that produces 201hp. The ID.4 Pro, on the other hand, comes with an 82kWh battery and has an EPA-estimated range of 442km.

The ID.4 AWD Pro models add an asynchronous motor to the front axle, increasing output to 295hp and extending range to 410km.

The ID.4 now comes standard with Plug&Charge functionality, allowing owners to get even more out of the three years of free 30-minute DC fast charging sessions at Electrify America stations.

The ID.4 is designed with subtle yet purposeful styling elements, including gloss black highlights on the front rear bumpers, an illuminated rear VW emblem on the S models, exterior premium lighting package including premium LED headlights with Adaptive Front-Lighting System, an illuminated lightline, and three new wheel designs. The ID.4 comes with eight exterior color options, giving owners a wide range of choices to express their personal style.

The ID.4’s interior is equipped with a 12-inch infotainment display. The Standard models come with new melange fabric and leatherette seat side bolsters and are available with two new interior colors: Stone and Nutmeg. Stone vehicles are embellished with black and gray accents, while Nutmeg vehicles are paired with brown accents.

Meanwhile, the S models come with two new curated leatherette interiors that add a luxurious ambience, with the option of Galaxy or Cosmic finishes. Galaxy vehicles are finished with black leatherette seat inserts with Platinum gray bolsters, door inserts, and dash, as well as a black steering wheel and displays. Vehicles with the Cosmic interior feature gray leatherette seat inserts paired with blue bolsters, door inserts, and dash with a white steering wheel and displays. The sleek aesthetic is completed with enhanced stitching on the door panels, and the center console has been updated to better meet the demands of American customers. The top S Plus trim also offers heated outer rear seats.

The ID.4 offers a complete suite of cutting-edge driver assistance technology, which includes Forward Collision Warning with Automatic Emergency Braking (Front Assist) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Active Blind Spot Monitor (Side Assist), front and rear Park Distance Control, and High Beam Control (Light Assist). The ID.4 is also equipped with the advanced IQ.Drive driver assistance suite, which includes Travel Assist 2.0 with adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping System (Lane Assist), Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Emergency Assist 3.0. Another driving assistance feature is Park Assist Plus with Memory Parking and driver-initiated lane change functionality.

Pricing for the ID.4 ranges from $37,495 to $53,995 (approximately P2.1 million to P3.1 million).

Photo from Volkswagen

Also read: Volkswagen begins sales of all-electric ID. Buzz in Europe