[TEST DRIVE] Volkswagen is betting big on its first all-electric SUV ID.4

Volkswagen's ID.4 may look soft and quaint on the outside, but it lets out the beast from within when it hits the road.

Volkswagen ID.4s, the German automaker's first all-electric SUV [VOLKSWAGEN KOREA]

GAPYEONG, Gyeonggi — Volkswagen's ID.4 may look soft and quaint on the outside, but it lets out the beast from within when it hits the road.

The German automaker is betting big on the electric vehicle in hopes of regaining its No. 5 place in the Korean market, which was stolen by Volvo last year.

The ID.4 is Volkswagen’s first all-electric SUV. Korea is the first country in which the vehicle was introduced, outside of Europe.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently test drove the electric SUV on a 130-kilometer (81-mile) journey from Vista Walkerhill Seoul hotel in eastern Seoul to a cafe in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi.

Upon first impression, the vehicle appears unexpectedly soft and cute.

Volkswagen’s popular vehicles, such as Tiguan and T-Roc SUVs, are often known for their strong, masculine design.

Measuring 4,585 millimeters (181 inches) long, 1,850 millimeters wide and 1,620 millimeters tall, the car is bigger than Hyundai’s Kona but slightly smaller than its Tucson.

The interior was surprisingly spacious. An accompanying reporter who was 6 feet 4 inches tall still had sufficient space between his head and the ceiling.

Interior of the ID.4 [VOLKSWAGEN KOREA]

The dashboard was very simple, with a display a tad larger than a large smartphone. It was not missing any key features, though no doubt a bigger dashboard would have been more comfortable to see while driving.

Driving was smooth, and handling was easy. The acceleration seemed quite weak, maybe due to the fact that the car comes with a single motor.

A seat massage system was available in the front seats, but ventilation was not offered — a feature Korean customers often consider as one of the must-haves.

The in-car navigation system is unavailable as well, but it was easy enough to connect a smartphone to the car.

The Cruise Control system works well, automatically controlling the speed of the vehicle while still keeping a safe distance from the car in the front.

The car's most notable feature was its newly added emergency assist system. After letting go of the steering wheel for a few seconds, while the cruise control system was on, the vehicle immediately notified me to hold the wheel. If the driver doesn’t follow the order, the vehicle gives a red-light warning.

If no action is made even after the red-light warning, the vehicle jolts as if it had hit a sudden speed bump.

As a last resort, the vehicle slowly stops itself and automatically turns on its hazard lights.

Such a system “protects people in some emergency situations, like if they have a sudden heart attack while driving,” a spokesperson for Volkswagen Korea said.

The SUV can travel 405 kilometers on a full charge, according to the Environment Ministry.

The regenerative braking system is also available, which converts the car's kinetic energy to electricity when it slows down.

The reporter drove around 10 kilometers using the system and found that the available kilometers actually increased by 4.

It can generate a maximum of 204 horsepower and 31.6 kilogram-meters of torque.

Its trunk capacity stands at 543 liters (143 gallons), and expands to 1,575 liters when the second-row seats are folded down.

It takes 36 minutes to charge from 5 percent to 80 percent.

The sticker price starts at 54.9 million won ($38,300). With the full government subsidy, it can be purchased at some 40 million won.

The Volkswagen ID.4 doesn’t stand out in terms of features but it has all the necessities. It would be an excellent option for first-time EV buyers.

Volkswagen originally aimed to sell 1,200 ID.4s in Korea this year, and 3,500 orders have already been made.

ID.4s are parked at a parking lot of a hotel in eastern Seoul [VOLKSWAGEN KOREA]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]