2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2022 Ford Explorer

The 2022 Ford Explorer presented itself as a versatile offering with no fewer than eight different models, ranging from the base trim to luxurious and rugged options. Prices varied from $33,745 to $54,495, before the $1,495 destination charge. Last year, the lineup expanded to include the rugged Timberline and the luxurious King Ranch trims, with the new ST-Line offering a sporty look to the popular Explorer XLT.

The King Ranch trim emphasized Ford’s mission to immerse its premium SUVs in luxury elements. This model had 4WD, Rapid Red paint, a Premium Technology package, and a twin-panel sunroof. The MSRP came to $59,880, including the destination charge. While visually, the King Ranch differed from other trims mainly through its emblems, shiny 20-inch wheels, and quad exhaust outlets, its styling architecture created a lasting impression. Ford’s rear-drive platform allowed for a long, tall hood, short front overhang, and a tapering greenhouse, all contributing to a taut and athletic appearance. The Explorer's roof pillars created a “floating roof” effect, maintaining the appeal asserted by the previous generation.

Inside, the King Ranch was adorned with exclusive Del Rio leather seating featuring lasso-perforated inserts. The chocolate brown over caramel-colored leather showcased the King Ranch branding marks, creating an air of refinement that matched the premium exterior. However, despite the overall sense of quality, there were occasional elements that felt below par given the near $60,000 price tag.

In contrast, the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 underwent subtle styling changes. The front bumper got a gloss black trim, and the rear bumper adopted a squared-off design claimed to improve aerodynamics. New wheel designs and colors added fresh visual interest, and the rear VW logo now lit up. Despite being an EV, the ID.4 did not fully embrace the typical SUV look, lacking the upright profile and added ground clearance.

Built on VW’s MEB platform specifically designed for EVs, the ID.4 shared a high modularity with models ranging from the seven-seat Atlas to the compact Jetta. The interior mirrored recent gasoline-powered VW cars with a minimalist design and high-quality feel. The base model, ID.4 Standard, while lacking in manual driver’s seat adjustment, did not seemingly fall short of more premium versions in terms of quality. The leatherette upholstery made partly from recycled fibers signaled Volkswagen’s commitment to sustainability without sacrificing a premium feel.

The 2022 Ford Explorer presented a trio of powertrain options for diverse driving needs. The base, XLT, ST-Line, Limited, and Timberline trims came equipped with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and had an RWD layout, with 4WD as an option. The maximum towing capacity stood at 5,300 pounds, with up to 24 mpg in combined driving.

Ford also offered a hybrid drivetrain for the Limited and optionally for the Platinum trim, unifying a 3.3-liter V6 engine with an electric motor to achieve 318 hp and 322 lb-ft of torque, supporting up to 5,000 pounds in towing capacity with an impressive 27 mpg in combined driving. The strongest engine was the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 available on the ST, Platinum, and King Ranch trims, generating 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. Its towing capacity maxed out at 5,600 pounds, and combined gas mileage was around 21 mpg.

In actual driving, the King Ranch model with 4WD delivered 20.6 mpg on test drives. The twin-turbo V6 engine provided robust power and acceleration, sacrificing fuel efficiency for a more exhilarating driving experience and higher towing capacity. For off-road ventures, the Explorer's Trail setting enabled the vehicle to tackle moderately challenging terrain, while the Timberline trim offered almost 8.7 inches of ground clearance for more rugged conditions.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 focused on its electric prowess with a new 62-kWh battery pack available on the Standard and S models, exclusive to RWD. Higher trims like Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus retained the larger 82-kWh battery pack, available in RWD or AWD variants. Both battery configurations maintained single-motor RWD output at 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. The dual-motor AWD setup pushed power to 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, hitting 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

Volkswagen estimated the increased performance with the base ID.4's smaller battery due to a 240-pound lighter weight. In testing, the ID.4 Standard felt spritely, though a direct comparison with the larger-battery version needed more extensive testing. With AWD, the ID.4 delivered comparable acceleration to hot hatchbacks, albeit with less sporty handling.

Its regenerative braking system recuperated energy during deceleration but did not support full one-pedal driving, a deviation that might dissuade some EV enthusiasts. However, this familiarized first-time EV drivers with a less abrupt transition from conventional vehicles.

For families, the 2022 Ford Explorer provided ample comfort, especially with the second-row bench seat for occasional five-person seating, though the third row was mainly suitable for children due to its rear-drive platform, tapered tail, and low rear roofline. The King Ranch model came equipped with triple-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs, with bonus features like massaging front seats and multiple power adjustments.

Interior practicality was lacking in the Explorer, with limited storage space. The cabin missed various storage opportunities, from front door armrests lacking trays to a lack of a dashboard shelf. Mainly, the Explorer had 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 47.9 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and a maximum of 87.8 cubic feet with all rear seats folded.

On the other hand, the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 maximized interior space, outclassing many other affordable EVs with more front and rear legroom than the Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the Kia Niro EV. With 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, the ID.4 excelled in cargo capacity, though it fell slightly short of gasoline crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

The ID.4 included some towing capability, with RWD models towing up to 2,200 pounds and AWD models up to 2,700 pounds, modest figures compared to traditional SUVs but notable for an EV. Interior enhancements for the 2023 model included a conventional center console lid and improved phone placement, as well as optional three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The tech offerings in the 2022 Ford Explorer revolved around the Sync 3 infotainment system available in two guises: an 8-inch horizontal touchscreen and a 10.1-inch portrait-style touchscreen. The smaller screen fit well with the interior design, while the larger screen felt tacked on. Sync 3 included FordPass Connect, 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, Ford+Alexa, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and navigation. Extras on the King Ranch comprised wireless charging, a surround-view camera, and a 14-speaker Bang and Olufsen system.

Unfortunately, Sync 3 lagged behind the more advanced Sync 4 technology present in other Ford models. Voice recognition struggled with navigation prompts and simple commands, highlighting the system's inadequacies. Additional tech features on the King Ranch included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and Active Park Assist 2.0 for autonomous parking. The rear-seat entertainment system with touchscreen displays was also available.

For 2023, the Volkswagen ID.4 standardly included a 12.0-inch touchscreen across all models, replacing the previous 10.0-inch in lower trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remained standard, as did the ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster. Despite software updates, the user experience saw little change, maintaining sharp graphics and intuitive command processing. Yet, haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel for controls remained a source of distraction compared to traditional buttons.

The ID.Light system augmented ambient lighting with visual assistance, enhancing navigation and status indications. While subtle, this feature seamlessly blended with other visual and audio alerts, ensuring the driving focus remained primarily on the road.

The 2022 Ford Explorer excelled in safety, earning a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS for every trim. Although NHTSA hadn’t published complete crash-test ratings for 2022, past results were five-star across the board, except for a four-star rating in rollover resistance. The Explorer came standard with Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more.

Additional features in the Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane-centering assist, and evasive steering assist. Standard features like post-collision braking and MyKey programmable functions catered to secondary impact prevention and teenage driver moderation. The Co-Pilot360 tech performed well generally but required attention to its sensitivity about the driver’s hands on the steering wheel.

For the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4, the NHTSA awarded a five-star overall safety rating. IIHS results from the 2022 model indicated a Top Safety Pick+ accolade. The ID.4 offered robust standard driver-assist features, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, park distance control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and the upgraded Travel Assist 2.0.

New for 2023, automated parking and a 360-degree camera system enhanced safety further. Emergency Assist 3.0 was another standout feature, capable of pulling the vehicle over if the driver became incapacitated. Collectively, these features elevated the ID.4’s safety standard, making it a dependable choice.