Volkswagen Id.4 vs LDV Deliver 9

What's the difference?

It’s been a long wait for the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro, but it’s one that’s paid off. It's an electric SUV that delivers on the essentials - comfort, smart features, and an effortless driving experience. But it also keeps charging times, range, and running costs firmly in the 'very liveable' camp. The ID.4 Pro manages to feel polished and personable, which is a great combination.

It has its flaws, like any vehicle, but it’s not as far away from segment leaders in terms of refinement and performance that its bargain-basement pricing might suggest. Whichever way you look at it, this is a lot of van for not a lot of money.

The ID.4 Pro leans toward the pillowy end when it comes to exterior shape but it’s as cute as a button. Soft curves aren’t uncommon in this segment, and the overall effect is friendly yet grown-up.

A chrome accent strip running from the roof to the C-pillars adds interest, as do the matrix headlights, which look a bit like Transformer eyes. They’re adaptive too, so they put on a little light show when you start the car - a fun party trick.

Around the back, customisable rear light profiles will earn nods from the cooler kids.

Step inside and the cabin shines. Space is generous, and any 'cute' impressions fade fast as it’s clear this cabin means business.

Visually, it’s slick and considered, with premium materials like leather, suede, and synthetic trims setting the tone. There’s still a touch of Volkswagen fun, though. Look out for the Pause and Play icons on the brake and accelerator pedals.

It feels airy and open, especially with the panoramic sunroof option, and both displays are impressively sharp. You might expect a larger digital cluster, but the 5.3-inch instrument screen does a surprisingly good job, keeping things tidy and focused on the drive.

I'm also quite fond of the adjustable front armrests, which can be folded up and out of the way when not needed. A small touch, but it adds to the car’s flexible, family-friendly feel.

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery then Ford should be blushing, because the Deliver 9 appears to draw a lot of exterior design inspiration from the Transit van. It’s a substantial vehicle, as they tend to be in this weight division, with a 3750mm wheelbase and 14.2 metre turning circle, length of almost 6.0 metres (5940mm) and width of 2466mm. Its 2535mm height excludes it from underground and shopping centre carparks with typical height limits of 2.2 metres.

The rear-wheel drive chassis construction is simple and robust, with MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-leaf live axle rear suspension with supplementary rubber cones to boost support of heavy loads, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. There’s also ample use of hard-wearing black plastic on lower body sections where most scrapes and dents appear.

The cargo bay is accessed by one kerbside sliding door and dual rear-barn doors with 180-degree opening. The walls are lined to mid-height and there’s no roof lining. Bright LEDs provide ample lighting and even though our test vehicle was not the high-roof model, there was enough headroom for tall adults to stand without stooping. 

The cabin has a spacious and airy feel, even with a crew of three aboard, thanks largely to a banana-shaped dashboard with ends that curve towards the windscreen providing wide entry access and passenger legroom which is unusually generous for a commercial van.

The cabin has higher-grade look than you would expect at this price, with a tasteful two-tone blend of light/dark grey plastics and faux carbon fibre inserts on the dash along with comfortable, supportive seats with quality-feel fabrics.

However, there is room for improvement, as there’s no cargo protection for driver and passengers, no driver’s left footrest, crackly AM radio reception (too bad if you like talkback) and a poor-quality image projected by the reversing camera.

The front row offers plenty of room for two co-pilots to settle in without bumping elbows. The seat padding is softer than you’d usually expect from Volkswagen, and with the extendable under-thigh supports and added seat functions, the ID.4 Pro proves itself a seriously comfortable road-tripper.

In the back, space is generous, and my eight-year old appreciated the wide door openings and cushy seating. It’s best thought of as a very comfy space for two adults, with room for a third in a pinch.

That flat floor makes a noticeable difference for the middle passenger, giving them more legroom than usual. The 'two is best' idea also applies to child seats and while there are three top-tether anchor points, realistically, using more than two at once would be a squeeze. I had no trouble installing my booster this week, though it did block visibility out the back window.

Storage up front is a strong point, with a glove box, cupholders, bottle holders, and a generous centre console. The console houses the wireless charging pad, two USB-C ports, and a large cubby that swallowed gloves, snacks, and two pairs of glasses with cases which is perfect for keeping the cabin clutter-free.

Rear passengers are well looked after, too, with climate control, directional air vents, two USB-C ports, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, bottle holders in each door and map pockets. It’s all very family-friendly.

The 543L boot handled everything we threw at it this week. I like the adjustable floor height; set it higher to create a handy space for your charging cables, or lower it to maximise room. There’s also a hidden pocket under the floor for the tyre repair kit (no spare of any description).

You miss out on a frunk, but the powered tailgate and stretchy luggage net help keep things secure and easy to manage.

Tech-wise, it’s mostly intuitive. While my husband isn’t a fan of the touchpad climate and steering wheel controls, I find them pretty straightforward to use.

What does bug me, though, is the lack of built-in sat nav and wireless Apple CarPlay. I don’t like leaving my phone charging all the time, and even when you reconnect the cable, you have to manually restart CarPlay every time you get in. Hopefully that’s something Volkswagen irons out in a future update.

Its 2358kg kerb weight and 4000kg GVM leaves a competitive maximum payload of 1642kg. It’s also rated to tow up to 2800kg of braked trailer but given the GCM figure (or how much you can legally carry and tow at the same time) is not published, we can’t tell you how much payload it can legally carry while towing that weight. 

We struck a similar problem testing a G10 LDV van as far back as 2017, when LDV could not provide the GCM despite a direct approach to the factory in China. Why such a fundamental figure must remain secret is a mystery to us and could be a deal-breaker if you need to tow and carry.

The cargo bay offers a competitive 10.97 cubic metres of load volume. Its load floor’s 3413mm length, 1800mm width and 1366mm between wheel housings means it can easily carry two 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to four 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, held in place by a choice of eight sturdy load anchorage points. There’s also a small cave above the cabin which is ideal for carrying straps, ropes, load padding, tarps etc.

There’s more than ample cabin storage too, with large-bottle holders and two levels of storage in each front door, numerous nooks of different shapes and sizes across the dashboard including a driver’s cup holder, plus a single glove-box and large overhead storage shelf with central sunglasses holder.

Pivoting the two passenger seat base cushions forward reveals another big storage area beneath them. The centre seat backrest also folds down to reveal a handy work desk on the back if it, which includes two cup holders. Overall, there’s smart use of space here.

Our test vehicle is the long wheelbase mid-roof, which is part of a three-model Deliver 9 range offering mixed wheelbase and roof height combinations. According to local distributor Ateco, the van’s unusual name has no real significance beyond the fact that in China it’s sold as the V90, so given Volvo’s existing V90 nomenclature, LDV changed the name to Deliver 9 in export markets.

Available only with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine, the standard transmission is a six-speed manual or there’s the optional six-speed automatic like our test vehicle, which has an RRP of $44,726. Needless to say, that’s a massive saving compared to top-selling van rivals like the Ford Transit 350L LWB RWD auto at $54,090 and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 CDI LWB RWD auto at $66,240.

Colour choice is limited to Blanc White or Pacific Blue. It comes equipped with 16-inch steel wheels and 235/65R16C tyres with a full-size spare, plus checker-plate-pattern rubber flooring throughout, LED cargo bay lighting, big truck-style power adjustable and heated side mirrors with indicators, seating for three including an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat with fold-down inboard armrest and an multimedia system with big 10.1-inch touchscreen, two USB ports and Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto) to name a few. There’s even a rare and endangered cigarette lighter and ashtray.

LDV also offers a $1500 options pack which adds 236-degree rear door opening (except mid-wheelbase model), blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist and remote keyless entry with push button start.

The ID.4 Pro is fully electric and rear-wheel drive with a single motor on the rear axle producing 210kW and 545Nm. That supports a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 6.7 seconds, which feels satisfyingly swift for a mid-size SUV.

There’s instant torque for easy overtakes and the RWD keeps things balanced and composed. You also get a choice of drive modes to suit your style, and regenerative braking helps recover energy smoothly. It’s subtle, but effective enough to make city driving feel more efficient.

LDV’s Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 110kW at 3500rpm and 375Nm between 1500-2400rpm, which is adequate but not class-leading. It also offers a choice of Eco and Power driving modes and auto stop/start. 

The six-speed torque converter automatic is smooth-shifting and easy to use. It also has the option of sequential manual-shifting which can be handy at times when hauling heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain to save the transmission from continually hunting for gears.

The ID.4 Pro is fitted with an 82kWh lithium-ion battery and offers a WLTP driving range of up to 544km, which is impressive for the segment.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) energy consumption is rated at 16.7kWh/100km, and around town, where regenerative braking works harder, you’re unlikely to feel any range anxiety.

If, like me, you do a lot of regional driving or longer trips, you might find yourself keeping a closer eye on the gauge. My real-world consumption sat closer to 20kWh/100km, which still leaves you with solid usable range, but it’s something to factor in.

Charging is straightforward, with a Type 2 CCS port that accepts up to 175kW on a DC fast charger and 11kW on AC.

Both figures are useful and on a fast charger you can expect a 10-80 per cent top-up in around 30 minutes which is quick enough to squeeze in a coffee break or snack stop, even with a kid in tow.

The dash display was showing an average combined figure of 11.0L/100km at the end of our 290km test, with the auto start/stop function disabled and about a third of that distance hauling maximum payload. Our figure crunched from fuel bowser and tripmeter came in at 12L/100km, so you could expect a real-world driving range of around 660km from its 80-litre tank.

The ID.4 Pro is simple to operate, and aside from the instant power delivery and lack of a traditional start/stop button, it behaves much like a combustion-powered car.

That makes it a great entry-point for anyone new to EVs because it's familiar, but has just enough electric quirk to keep things interesting.

I miss a true one-pedal driving experience in city traffic, but the set-up still works well. Regenerative braking isn’t particularly strong, but you can toggle between 'Drive' and 'B' mode, with the latter offering a bit more resistance. I’ve kept it in B mode most of the week as the extra feedback just feels nicer underfoot.

This week’s testing included winding mountain roads, regional backroads, as well as freeway stretches and the ID.4 handled it all with confidence. There’s enough precision in the corners to keep things fun, and it always feels well planted.

The suspension strikes a middle ground - not ultra-soft, but still comfortable. You’ll feel some of the sharper bumps, but most surfaces are smoothed out well, and the cabin stays quiet even at higher speeds. Ride comfort has clearly been a priority and it pays off.

From the driver’s seat, visibility could be better. The rear window is narrow, and the thick pillars don’t help, so I found myself relying quite a bit on the camera system when parking or manoeuvring.

That said, the ID.4’s size and clear 360-degree camera system make it incredibly user-friendly in tight spaces. Whether parallel parking or squeezing into small car parks, it isn't stressful to park.

It’s pleasantly civilised to drive unladen, even on bumpy roads. With rock-hard tyre pressures (front 51psi, rear 71psi) recommended for load-carrying, the unladen ride remained disciplined and relatively smooth, so LDV has done a good job with the suspension tuning.

We were also pleasantly surprised by the low internal noise levels, not only in city and suburban driving but also at highway speeds. We can only assume that the load floor’s thick rubber flooring, which also covers the rear wheel housings, is effective in reducing the higher noise levels typically experienced in vans without cabin bulkheads like this one.

There are clear eye-lines to the door mirrors and the view through the rear doors using the central mirror is also uncluttered. There’s evenly-balanced elbow support for the driver between the fold-down inboard armrest and door moulding. However, we did miss having a left footrest.

With maximum torque available across a broad band between 1600-2400rpm, the engine displays good flexibility in city and suburban driving, even though it lacks the instant punch of rivals like the Transit’s stellar 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine when operating in its peak torque zone. The engine only needs 2000rpm at 100km/h and 2250rpm at 110km/h, but the degree of push required on the accelerator pedal to maintain it feels like it’s punching above its weight a little in either drive mode.

Our only major gripe is the adaptive cruise control. Usually these systems will automatically resume their pre-set speed, after being given clear road ahead following a lane change from behind a slower vehicle. However, our test vehicle required tapping the accelerator each time a lane change was made to resume the set speed. It also required this reset technique after downhill braking, so some refinement here would be welcome.

There’s no ANCAP required in the 3501-800kg GVM class but it comes well equipped for the money with AEB, lane-departure warning, reverse parking sensors and wide-view reversing camera, hill-hold assist, adaptive cruise control and stability control. There’s also driver and passenger front, side and curtain airbags. No cross-traffic alert but blind-spot monitoring and lane-change assist are available as part of the previously mentioned options pack.

The ID.4 Pro comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is standard across the Volkswagen range, while the battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km, giving buyers a little extra peace of mind when it comes to long-term EV ownership.

Volkswagen also offers a 10-year capped-price servicing program, which is excellent for the segment.

The total cost comes to $2890 over the full term, and the service intervals are spaced every two years or 30,000km, whichever comes first.

LDV’s national network of 82 dealers inspires more confidence than the three years/160,000km warranty, which is less than the major players – but then its purchase price is much lower too. Scheduled servicing is six months/5000km then 12 months/35,000km whichever occurs first and 12 months/30,000km after that. Capped-price servicing program of $1895 covers the first three years or 95,000km whichever occurs first.