In a widely expected move, Volkswagen announced Monday that it will replace the recently retired ID.4 crossover with the upcoming ID.Tiguan. The decision is an acknowledgment by the German automaker that its more recognizable nameplates like Tiguan are likely an easier sell with consumers, especially when it comes to EVs. When it lands in Europe in early 2027, the ID. Tiguan will join the ID.Polo and ID.Cross to round out Volkswagen’s new-and-improved electric lineup.
VW also confirmed that the ID.Tiguan will come to the US, where the ID.4 was previously manufactured, “at a later date.” Design details remain under wraps, as the ID.Tiguan is being kept under camouflage for now. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Original-20087-db2026au00744.jpg?quality=90&strip=all]
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First introduced in 2020, the ID.4 was intended to be VW’s push into mass-market EVs.
But rather than go up against big sellers like Tesla’s Model Y, the automaker wanted to compete with high volume gas vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. While it never fully dethroned those rivals, the ID.4 did have some success, selling 950,000 units since 2021. VW says it ranks “among the most successful battery-electric vehicle model series of Volkswagen AG.” VW ended production of the ID.4 at its Chattanooga factory in April 2026.
The electric Tiguan will retain much of what worked about the ID.4, while correcting some of its shortcomings, such as its frustrating lack of physical controls. VW plans on giving the ID.Tiguan the same interior look as its ID.3 NEO and ID.Polo, the latter of which is a surprise sales hit in the EU. That means we can expect buttons for all four windows, rather than just two, as well as physical controls for both the volume and climate settings.
VW’s Android Automotive-based operating system will also be featured — which means we’ll probably see a Gemini-powered voice assistant. Volkswagen didn’t say whether the ID.Tiguan will get the new Ri to make its debut on the low-cost ID.Every1 hatchback. Images by VW
