Wondering what this contest is all about? For starters, it was officially started in 2004. So basically, it is an automobile award that consists of a jury of around 82 automobile journalists from 24 different countries to choose the best cars in their respective category.
The eligibility criteria for this award is that the car should be on sale in at least 5 countries, two continents and before 1st January for that particular year. Mostly, there are 5 categories for the World Car Award. And here are the categories with their respective winners for the year 2021:
- World Car of the Year (WCOTY): Volkswagen ID.4
- World Car Design of the Year: Land Rover Defender
- World Urban Car of the Year: Honda e
- World Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes Benz S-Class
- World Performance Car of the Year: Porsche 911 Turbo
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Volkswagen ID.4 has bagged the World Car of the Year award for 2021.
- It comes with a 77kWh lithium-ion battery that returns a range of 520kmph.
- The all-new SUV is available with an electric motor that produces 201HP and 310Nm of torque.
Volkswagen ID.4
For starters, Volkswagen ID.4 is based on the Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) platform. For now, it comes with a sculpted bonnet hood, LED matrix headlights, slim grille and large air dams. The side profile of the SUV gets blacked-out B-Pillars and wing mirrors for the aesthetic look.
Further, it runs on a set of 20-inch alloy wheels as standard. However, customers can also opt for the larger 21-inch units as well. At the rear, Volkswagen offers LED taillamps on the ID.4 that are interconnected to each other via an LED bar.
Inside the cabin, it is fully loaded up to the brim. To be precise, just like any other modern SUV, it comes with a large 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Other features such as a 5.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting and a multifunctional flat-bottom steering wheel are available as standard.
In terms of safety, Volkswagen ID.4 comes equipped with multiple airbags, stability control (SC), ABS and lane departure warning among others.
Powering the all-electric SUV is an agile motor that produces 201HP alongside a peak torque of 310Nm. For now, it is available with a rear-wheel drive powertrain. However, the German brand is expected to reveal a powerful variant with a four-wheel drive powertrain as well.
In terms of performance, the currently available motor with RWD can do a 0-100kmph sprint in just 8.5 seconds. The top speed from the same stands at 160kmph. A 77kWh lithium-ion battery is available on the ID.4 that returns a range of 520kmph against a full charge. Also, owners can charge it while using a 125kWh DC charger.
Alternatives
Globally, Volkswagen ID.4 will compete against the likes of Skoda Enyaq and Nissan Ariya. Also, the competition will be tougher with the arrival of the upcoming Audi Q4 E-Tron and Mercedes Benz EQA. Audi has recently revealed the Audi Q4 E-Tron and therefore just take a look at what it has got to offer.
Audi Q4 E-Tron
Audi has finally revealed the all-new Q4 E-Tron and Q4 E-Tron Sportback globally. The German brand has also revealed a top-spec variant of the Q4 E-Tron with a 77kWh battery that returns a claimed range of up to 520kms. Volkswagen ID.4 might rival the base variant of the Q4 E-Tron. However, just take a look at what the top-end variant can offer.
Specifications
| Audi Q4 E-Tron (50 Quattro) | |
| Battery | 77kWh |
| Range | Up to 520kmph |
| Power | 295HP |
| 0-100kmph (in seconds) | 6.2 seconds |