AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Ars Technica, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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Volkswagen has replaced its ID.4 crossover with the new electric ID. Tiguan. The original ID.4 debuted in 2021 as one of VW’s first electric vehicles designed after the dieselgate scandal, but production at the Chattanooga plant shifted focus earlier this year. With nearly a million ID.4s and near-identical ID.5s sold globally, VW decided it was time for a successor. Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the VW brand, stated that the ID. Tiguan combines the success stories of these two models with the company’s best-selling model worldwide, the Tiguan.

The new vehicle uses an updated version of VW’s mass-market EV platform called MEB+. It offers battery packs of either 58 kWh or 77 kWh. The smaller pack is available only with a 187 hp rear electric motor, while the larger pack supports a 281 hp rear-wheel drive system or a 295 hp all-wheel drive version. According to European WLTP tests, the range reaches up to 373 miles (600 km). The design follows VW’s new "Pure Positive" language, aiming to feel premium rather than mainstream.

Pre-sales for the ID. Tiguan begin in Europe next week with a starting price of 42,695 euros ($44,716) in Germany. While the car is coming to the US, VW has not yet announced North American timing. The vehicle features physical controls like real buttons on the steering wheel and switches for climate control, alongside a new 15-inch infotainment screen. An optional feature includes a retro digital instrument display that can replicate dials from various classic VW models such as the Mk1 Golf or the Beetle.