In November 2020, Volkswagen launched its first model from the MEB platform in the Chinese market, the ID.4. Similar to its previous strategy in China, Volkswagen introduced both an imported and a localized modified version of the model. Half a year later, Volkswagen launched the ID.6, with larger size and more luxurious materials, in response to the Chinese market’s demand, while still adhering to the dual-strategy on the MEB platform.
Although the Volkswagen ID. series was not well perceived at the beginning of its launch, as of now, the sales of 5 models of the Volkswagen ID. series have reached 145,246 units in China within a year. Among them, FAW-Volkswagen’s ID.6 CROZZ ranks third after the ID.4 of Volkswagen North and South, with a sales volume of 25,211 units.
Although this sales data may not seem impressive, ID.6 CROZZ’s annual sales have surpassed 10,806 units of the BYD Tang EV, its rival in the same category and price range. It can also rank sixth in sales of medium and large SUVs and, if excluding gasoline-powered models, it ranks second after the ideal ONE. If excluding hybrid models, ID.6 CROZZ is the best-selling pure electric medium and large SUV, which is quite surprising.
Recently, our editorial department received a FAW-Volkswagen ID.6 CROZZ, so let us take a comprehensive look at how the ID.6 CROZZ performs beyond its sales numbers.
Personalized Range StandardOur ID.6 CROZZ in hand is a 22 long-range PRO version, equipped with a 150 kW rear motor and an 84.8 kWh ternary lithium battery pack, with an official CLTC range of 601 kilometers, and a price of 287,300 yuan, which is one of the most popular versions of the ID.6 CROZZ model.
Volkswagen’s pure electric ID. series has solid ratings for its range among many users. However, recently, some ID.6 users have carried banners claiming that the vehicle’s publicity is false, and the actual range is only 380 kilometers, not the officially claimed 617 km CLTC range.
With actual range calculated as a 60% discount from the CLTC standard, why do so many users still claim that its range is solid? Where is it actually?
According to Volkswagen’s official introduction, the ID. series has the characteristic of dynamic range estimation. The range performance composition is combined by the remaining power + the power consumption history of the user’s recent 300 kilometers, which will incorporate the environment, traffic conditions, and personal driving habits.
Moreover, when the remaining power of the vehicle is high, the high instantaneous power consumption will be filtered out by the data. Therefore, when the remaining power is abundant, the change of the cruising range will be relatively stable. When the remaining power is low, in order to ensure that the user can obtain the accurate cruising range of the vehicle in a timely manner, the weight of the instantaneous power consumption will be increased.
Therefore, regarding the actual cruising range of the Volkswagen ID series, it refers to the excellent performance of the vehicle’s cruising range, rather than the standard that is close to CLTC. In order to test the actual cruising range of the ID.6 CROZZ, we also conducted practical tests.
High-speed cruising, up to 400 km
The test was conducted in the summer of this year, with an outdoor temperature between 34.5 and 41 °C, which imposed a certain load on the air conditioning system. During our test, we set the air conditioning of the vehicle to 22 °C throughout the journey, and chose the Comfort and B modes (kinetic energy recovery mode). Three adult males were seated in the car, and the total weight of the vehicle was about 2.5 tons.
The high-speed test route still followed the G60 Shanghai-Kunming Expressway southwestward and turned back to Fengjing Service Area at a suitable location.
After fully charging the vehicle battery to 99\% and plugging in the charging gun, the displayed remaining cruising range of the vehicle is 473 km. After traveling for 269 minutes and 403 km (with slight congestion on some sections of the road), the battery power is reduced to 3\%, and the displayed cruising range is 12 km. The vehicle’s performance energy consumption displays 17.6 kWh/100 km, which is better than my expectation for a medium to large SUV.
Due to the fact that this ID.6 CROZZ was previously used as a substitute for city transportation, after a pure high-speed test of 403 km, the displayed range of ID.6 CROZZ’s battery life has reached 460 km. Therefore, the battery drain rate displayed on the meter is slightly higher than 1, although it has not achieved a completely 1:1 drain ratio. This performance is considered very practical among the vehicles tested in our 42Test.
In addition, unlike my own ID.3, this car shows no power restrictions even when the remaining battery level drops to 1% and the displayed range shows only 5 km remaining, and it can still reach a speed of over 120 km/h even when the battery is low, which provides drivers with a sense of security in terms of dynamic experience.
As can be seen, the maximum range of this ID.6 CROZZ on the highway is 400 km. If your regular one-way trip distance frequently exceeds 400 km and you often travel on the highway, I do not recommend purchasing an electric car, or you may need to choose an electric car with a longer range for a more convenient and worry-free driving experience.
Reverse Overstatement of Urban Driving RangeAfter driving 400 kilometers on the highway, we drove this ID.6 CROZZ to downtown Shanghai and S20 Outer Ring Expressway to feel the energy consumption performance of the car in the city. The test temperature, environment, and vehicle settings are consistent with those on the highway.
The test route is 150 kilometers long, of which 50 kilometers are pure urban ground roads, and 100 kilometers are within the outer ring. The test was conducted on Friday afternoon, just in time for rush hour.
After driving 150 kilometers in the city, the displayed energy consumption of the Volkswagen ID.6 CROZZ is only 15.7 kWh/100 km, and the vehicle can still provide low displayed energy consumption even when the air conditioning load is relatively large.
Moreover, our records show that during the driving process in the city, the displayed range drops by only about 5 kilometers for every actual 10 kilometers driven, and in some cases, the displayed range even increases after driving 10 kilometers.
This means that after the city test, the actual power loss is far less than the actual driving distance, resulting in the inverse exaggeration of the displayed range. This phenomenon is rare in electric cars.
The reason for this is that, as we mentioned earlier, the ID. series models will dynamically estimate the vehicle’s range based on the user’s recent 300 km history of power consumption. Before running the urban range, we’ve already driven a pure high-speed of 400 km, and the vehicle has learned the dynamic behavior of high power consumption. Now, in the low-power consumption road environment, it will display a false range of reverse display.
So, using the power loss ratio to estimate the theoretical full electric range of 805 km, everyone can have a laugh looking at the chart. Based on the vehicle’s power consumption and battery pack size, the ID.6 CROZZ’s city range is about 500 km.
However, this achievement does not have a significant difference from the high-speed performance because the 150 kW motor has to drive the 2.3-tonne ID.6 CROZZ in the continuous start-stop city, so the vehicle’s power consumption naturally increases. So, in the first 50 km of the pure urban road, the displayed power consumption of the ID.6 CROZZ has exceeded that of the high-speed, until it has eased once on the outer ring highway.
Overall, the ID.6 CROZZ’s power consumption is relatively solid among today’s new energy vehicles, and everyone can basically plan their trips according to the remaining range of the vehicle.
Compared with the displayed range of CLTC and NEDC, this will save you the process of manual estimation. At present, the energy consumption estimation standard used in new cars in our country is CLTC. The testing standard has a significant difference from our daily driving environment, which will result in a “false range” situation. Therefore, when buying a car, don’t trust the vehicle’s CLTC range too much to avoid the occurrence of the mismatch between the actual driving needs and performance.
If your weekly travel distance is within 450 km, the ID.6 CROZZ with an 84.8 kWh battery pack can be charged only once a week. Therefore, the charging speed is crucial for customers who do not have a home charging pile.
A Wide Range of Charging Availability
In terms of charging power, the official maximum DC charging power of the SAIC-Volkswagen ID.6 CROZZ is 100 kW. We started charging the vehicle after the battery was drained to below 5% for testing. Under a 120 kW DC fast charger, the maximum power of the ID.6 CROZZ can reach 93.3 kW, which is relatively close to the peak charging power of 100 kW given by the official data.
Starting from when the battery has 5% of charge left, the charging power begins to climb and maintain at a maximum current of 249 A. As the battery levels up, the voltage gradually increases, and the power gradually reaches its peak of 93.3 kW at a battery level of 50%. Afterward, the current gradually reduces significantly after reaching 85%.
However, the power can still reach 34.5 kW when the battery level reaches 95% and does not drop sharply at any point. Even if I continue to charge the battery until it reaches 98% of charge, the power is still at 32.3 kW. Therefore, the charging availability of the ID.6 CROZZ is relatively wide in daily use.
From 5% to 80% of charge, it can be fully charged in 44 minutes in the charging section that we commonly use. It does not take too long to charge from 5% to 95% at just 63 minutes.
Although ID.6 CROZZ is not visibly leading in energy recovery technology, it is still a mainstream 400V platform without a high current solution or an 800V high-voltage platform, and the charging power will not exceed 200kW. However, the energy recovery stability and power changes during charging make users enjoy convenient charging.
Dynamic tuning is a traditional brand advantage
Comfortable driving style
After fully charging ID.6 CROZZ, let’s drive it to feel its dynamic performance. Volkswagen’s oil cars in the past decade mainly use front-wheel drive plus dual-clutch transmissions, so the handling and smoothness are not extreme.
But the entire ID series from Volkswagen is either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, which is indeed what an electric car should be. I drove ID.6 CROZZ for more than 3,000 kilometers, covering highways, urban areas, gravel roads, and more.
From this experience, there are not many flaws in the driving quality of ID.6 CROZZ. The vehicle is stable on straight roads, with the sturdy feeling of a German car, the tuning of the MEB platform, and the heavy weight of the body, giving ID.6 CROZZ a luxurious feeling.
The performance on bumpy roads is also commendable. The suspension of ID.6 CROZZ has a long stroke and the compression rebound feels tenacious. Unlike previous Volkswagens, passengers in the car are unlikely to experience the phenomenon of their buttocks leaving the seat after passing through bumpy roads and speed bumps.
At the same time, I am quite satisfied with the steering feel of the ID.6 CROZZ. It is not like the previous Volkswagen models with very light damping adjustment. Its steering feel is slightly heavy and precise, and even during intense driving, it can provide the driver with effective communication feedback.
Another point worth mentioning about the steering is the wide turning angle of the ID.6 CROZZ. When making a U-turn on a two-lane road, you can do it in one go.
Especially when I drive the ID.6 CROZZ into the neighborhood, after becoming familiar with the vehicle, I can easily handle many right-angle turns, including entering and exiting parking spaces, which feels like cheating. So after getting used to the wide turning angle of the ID.6 CROZZ, I always feel that other cars are not as flexible when turning.
However, one drawback of the ID.6 CROZZ is that it does not have variable steering ratio. With such a wide turning angle, the number of turns of the steering wheel is particularly high, combined with heavy steering damping, which takes some getting used to.
As for the power, just by looking at the specifications, the maximum power of 150 kW and maximum torque of 310 N·m of the ID.6 CROZZ seems quite modest compared to electric cars of the same level with 300 or 400 kW. Even the dual-motor version only has a power of 230 kW. However, within the Volkswagen system, the power output of the single-motor version is already equivalent to the low-power EA888 engine, and the dual-motor version is equivalent to the V6 EA390 engine.And due to the inherent advantage of electric vehicles, ID.6 CROZZ has a smoother and quieter ride with better acceleration. Notably, the accelerator pedal of ID.6 CROZZ is very similar to that of a gasoline vehicle, providing gradual power output. It should be pointed out that in B mode, the accelerator pedal of ID.6 CROZZ will be noticeably heavier, giving a sense of pedal resistance. After a long drive, there may be some degree of fatigue in the right foot.
In order to achieve better range, B mode is still the most frequently used driving mode. The regenerative braking force of ID.6 CROZZ in B mode is similar to that of lower settings of Tesla. Also, the force increases linearly when the accelerator pedal is released, which is more comfortable for drivers who are not used to using a single pedal, and passengers won’t feel uncomfortable either.
In Comfort and Eco mode in D mode, the car almost coasts, but there is no need to worry about energy consumption as the vehicle has strongly associated the braking pedal and regenerative braking, with most braking being replaced by regenerative energy. Thus, gasoline vehicle drivers can also enjoy the range increase brought by regenerative braking.
It is somewhat surprising that there is a slight regenerative effect in Sport mode in D mode, like simulating the drag feeling of a gasoline vehicle at low speeds.
Overall, the dynamic driving performance of ID.6 CROZZ is very mature. This is also the tuning experience that Volkswagen has accumulated since its founding 85 years ago. Therefore, for ID.6 CROZZ, such mature dynamic performance is not surprising at all, but rather what it should achieve.
The dynamic performance of ID.6 CROZZ is also in line with the original positioning of this car, with a stable and comfortable chassis, and the agility brought about by the large steering angle can meet the driving needs of users for a mid-size SUV.
Stable ADAS
In terms of ADAS hardware, ID.6 CROZZ adopts 3 millimeter-wave radars (1 forward and 2 rear side angle) plus a forward-facing monocular ADAS camera, and the visual processing chip used is Mobileye EyeQ4, which is consistent with the ADAS hardware of Volkswagen’s other product lines.
From the hardware perspective, the ADAS hardware of the ID. family is not particularly powerful. We have previously tested the ID.4 CROZZ equipped with the same software and hardware, and it really surprised us.
As long as the lane markings are clear, there will be no dragon drawings inside the lane, and even narrow elevated roads can be used normally. And the cornering ability is also not bad, it can pass the Nanpu Bridge at 50 km/h.
After careful testing, I also found that the longitudinal control ability of ID.6 CROZZ is also comfortable. When the car is about to stop following the car in front, the vehicle will reduce the braking force and then increase it until it comes to a stop. This can greatly reduce the phenomenon of braking nodding and passengers are less likely to feel carsick.
Plus, the AR-HUD can display in real-time whether the vehicle recognizes the car in front. If the HUD displays a green horizontal marking, it means that the vehicle has recognized the front vehicle and that the following distance is safe. If the vehicle in front decelerates, the line will turn yellow, indicating that the vehicle will soon decelerate on its own. Red means that manual takeover is necessary, and the dashboard light will also flash to remind the driver. This allows the driver to clearly understand the status of the vehicle’s auxiliary driving system so that they can take over in a timely manner.
For more information on ID. series driver assistance testing, please check out: Not really “Volkswagen” In terms of Volkswagen’s assisted driving technology?. The ID.4 CROZZ and all other ID. products on the market currently use the same set of assisted driving software and hardware.
Static Review
External Review
Volkswagen has launched two ID.6 models in the Chinese market, the ID.6 X from SAIC Volkswagen and the ID.6 CROZZ from FAW-Volkswagen. Both vehicles are very similar in overall design language, with design differences only in the headlight group, bumper, and rear of the car. You can choose which of these vehicles you prefer.
# Volkswagen ID.6: Highlighting the Details of the CROZZ
The Volkswagen ID.6 has been in our sights for over a year since its global debut in April of last year. In this article, we will not focus on the appearance of the ID.6 CROZZ. Instead, we will delve into the details of the vehicle’s exterior and highlight the standout features.
Although the ID.6 CROZZ is currently only available in the Chinese market, the vehicle’s proportions are still very balanced. The car measures 4,891 × 1,848 × 1,679 mm in length, width, and height, respectively, with a wheelbase of 2,965 mm, which is similar in size to the Tang EV.
The front tires are 235/50 R20 Pirelli SCORPION, while the rear ones are 265/45 R20. This front-narrow-and-rear-wide tire configuration is common in performance vehicles, providing better stability for rear-wheel-drive cars. The four-wheel-drive dual-motor version even features 21-inch wheels, which not only looks great but also makes the vehicle’s proportions more balanced.
On the front headlight unit, the ID.6 CROZZ is equipped with IQ.Light technology, which is a matrix-style headlight technology. This technology was previously the selling point of the headlights of Audi A8 and Mercedes S-Class, but now it has made an appearance in the $30,000-level ID.6 CROZZ.
The working principle of the matrix headlights is to call the front camera to control the headlight module, which can avoid oncoming vehicles and vehicles in the same direction during the lighting process, while highlighting the road edges and road signs to remind the driver.
The triggering condition of the matrix headlights of the ID.6 CROZZ is not particularly strict, and it can be automatically turned on in relatively dim road conditions, which is indeed convenient when driving at night.
In terms of lighting, Volkswagen has also played an unusual ceremonial sense. When you approach the vehicle with the car key, the Volkswagen logo will light up, and then expand from the middle to the left and right sides inside the lamp group in turn, and finally illuminate the headlights. This is quite a show of identity, and the taillights of the vehicle are the same.
It is worth mentioning that even the luggage rack of the ID.6 CROZZ is equipped with decorative light strips, which maximizes the sense of ceremony.
Interior ReviewThe ID.6 CROZZ also incorporates a sense of ceremony in the Volkswagen car series, especially with the interior ambient lighting design.
The ambient lighting effect of ID.6 CROZZ exceeds my expectations for Volkswagen ambient lighting. The armrest features a direct ambient lighting system with a frosted effect, offering 30 color options that can be separately set for upper and lower parts.
During the daytime, the familiar design tonality of the Volkswagen brand comes back above the ambient lighting. The black piano baking varnish panel and a metal-like decorative strip below the ambient lighting integrate with leather wrap, which is applied to most areas that the arm can contact.
ID.6 CROZZ uses fine-grained leather; the entire seat is covered with perforated genuine leather, and the middle part of the seatback and cushion is decorated with diamond patterns to enhance its luxury. However, the sponge filling within the seat cushion is a bit hard. The wing-shaped armrests on both sides of the seat use a fabric-like material similar to Alcantara, ensuring that passengers won’t slide significantly when the vehicle turns.
In addition, seat massage is standard in the ID.6 CROZZ’s mid-to-high-end models. This massage system relies solely on the lumbar support of the seat back for rolling and cannot provide proper massage. Nevertheless, it can alleviate some of the fatigue from prolonged sitting in one position.
The model we experienced this time is the 7-seater version of the ID.6 CROZZ, which features a commonly seen 2+3+2 seating arrangement in SUVs. The second row of seats of the ID.6 CROZZ has manual front and rear adjustment and angle adjustment functions. When adjusting the second row of seats to the maximum distance and angle, both legroom and headroom are very spacious for someone of my height, at 175 cm.
Furthermore, the second row seats provide a well-balanced combination of wrap-around and comfort. The support for the legs and waist is quite good, and even after prolonged sitting, there is no obvious fatigue, making it a seating arrangement that is difficult to find fault with. During the 3,000 km I used the ID.6 CROZZ, I also experienced prolonged sitting in the second row.
Speaking of which, we have to mention the third row of the ID.6 CROZZ. As a large electric SUV with dimensions of 4,891 x 1,848 x 1,679 mm, a wheelbase of 2,965 mm, it does not have an advantage in terms of data compared to other SUVs of the same size. Therefore, the third-row space of the ID.6 CROZZ serves more as an emergency option.
In terms of actual experience, the third row seats of ID.6 CROZZ are slightly hard with fairly poor wrap-around. Fortunately, the filling is solid enough that your butt won’t feel the steel plate under the cushion directly.
As for space, with a height of 1.75 meters, there is only a fist’s worth of legroom in the second row, and only two fingers of legroom and one finger of headroom in the third row. Only passengers with petite builds and children can fit. Since the second row seat is in a 3-seat form, there is a greater sense of oppression when sitting in the third row.
In addition, with the third row seats in an upright position, the trunk space is not impressive. If seven people are traveling, the trunk space of ID.6 CROZZ in 7-seat mode cannot fully accommodate the luggage of all seven people.
Therefore, in my daily use of this car, I often use it as a large 5-seat SUV. After folding down the third row, a very spacious trunk space can be obtained. If the second row is also folded down, two people can easily lie down inside.
In addition to this 7-seat model, ID.6 CROZZ also has a 2+2+2 6-seater version. After experiencing it, I also have a purchasing recommendation for everyone.For 6/7-seater SUVs, people generally choose 6-seaters because of the two more comfortable independent seats in the second row. If most of the time there are four or fewer passengers, the seating comfort of the 6-seater version will be better than the 7-seater model. And compared to the 7-seater model, one less middle seat means easier access, but at the cost of the luggage space in the 5-seater configuration and the completely flat space in the second row when folded down.
Since the third-row space of the ID.6 CROZZ is not particularly spacious, the second row of 6 seats is not more comfortable than the 7-seater version, and the convenience of access has not been significantly increased, the 7-seater version will be a more practical choice.
Intelligent Cockpit
Both the Volkswagen ID. series and the new models from the MQB EVO platform (such as the Golf 8, Lingdu L, and others) have replaced their infotainment screens with a new style. Temperature and volume adjustments for the air conditioning are now touch-controlled, but the biggest problem that people have complained about is frequently accidentally touching them.
After my personal experience of driving 3,000 km for two months, I have become accustomed to using the touch panel during the daytime and can operate it nearly without any errors when glancing at it. However, at night, the touch panel has no backlighting, making it extremely difficult to use and prone to frequent errors. When trying to increase the temperature, the volume turns down, and when trying to decrease the temperature, the infotainment system goes mute, which makes it particularly difficult to use.
As an owner of a Volkswagen MQB platform, I expected the new system of the ID. series to improve the stability of CarPlay connection. Unfortunately, the problem of connection failure between CarPlay and the phone still occurred during the usage of ID.6 CROZZ, and even when I left the car with no power overnight.
If you encounter a similar issue with CarPlay, don’t worry. Just go to “Settings” -> “General” -> “CarPlay” on your phone to ignore the current connected car. On the car’s side, go to “Settings” -> “Manage Connected Devices” to delete your phone, and then re-pair it to solve the problem.
Apart from these two points, the ID.6 CROZZ’s infotainment system has no major issues in terms of fluency and functionality. Compared with Volkswagen’s previous products, it has greatly improved. However, compared to the new players in the industry, Volkswagen still needs to make efforts in terms of intelligence and localization. Furthermore, it seems that the OTA progress of the ID. series in the North and South regions of Volkswagen has not met expectations.
Conclusion
The Volkswagen ID. series has quietly established its own reputation over the past year. People are beginning to look at this car with a more rational perspective. Moreover, after more than a year of being on the market, the number of ID. cars on the road is increasing, and the sales volume of ID.6 CROZZ is the best proof.
During this time of experiencing, the ID.6 CROZZ gave me the most obvious feeling of being unsensational, just like its name, Volkswagen. However, my unsensational feeling here does not mean that the car itself did not do well, but that it balanced the most basic functions that everyone can use very well, integrated into driving habits, making the driver imperceptible.
Throughout the entire market, if you want to complete an electric mid to large-size SUV with 6/7 seats within the price of CNY 300,000, and at the same time have a certain demand for brand, endurance, mechanical quality, and quality, the Volkswagen ID.6 is currently the only choice. As for whether it is SAIC-Volkswagen ID.6 X or FAW-Volkswagen ID.6 CROZZ, there is no fundamental difference between the two cars. So choose according to which one looks better, which configuration is more suitable for you, and which one is more convenient for later maintenance.
The Chinese market has always been one of the most important markets for Volkswagen. Although the two ID.6s entered the Chinese market as a Chinese exclusive, there are still many small details to be improved.
With the arrival of Volkswagen CARIAD in China and cooperation with Horizon, we also expect Volkswagen to accelerate the pace of OTA in the Chinese market and provide Chinese users with more localized and improved product experiences.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.