Volkswagen’s Electric Tiguan Keeps Pretending to Be an ID.4 in New Spy Photos

The first-ever electric Tiguan is rumored to be replacing the Volkswagen ID.4, and our spies have captured it undergoing testing in Sweden once again. This time, the prototype wears silver paint rather than white and has a slightly more aggressive front fascia, with the lower grille border extending deeper down. Could this be a hint that the high-performance Tiguan R will get an all-electric sibling? It seems unlikely, especially since the brakes don’t appear to be any beefier, but stranger things have happened.

For now, let’s focus on what we do know. This is more than just a facelift fo the ID.4, with insiders reporting that this is such a major update that it may as well be considered a new generation. That will help justify the new non-alphanumeric naming strategy, designed to make EVs seem more congruous with gas vehicles.

2027 VW ID.4 Spied with Obviously Fake Styling

As we saw in previous spy shots, the electric crossover has been dressed in camouflage that is meant to evoke the existing ID.4. Any time a manufacturer does this, it’s a clear sign that things in the cosmetic department will be anything but unchanged. At the front, the bumper and lower intake grille seen here may be what we get on the production model, but the upper section of the fascia will evolve. Through the silver vinyl, we see the outline of the headlights, which appear to be extending deeper into the front fenders. The small section of the daytime running light is peeking through at the top of the cluster, which suggests each headlight will be connected by a narrow LED strip like on the current ID.4 Unlike the current ID.4, it seems that the headlights will have a bigger gap between each other, and this will be filled with a thicker false grille element, which should make the crossover look more aggressive.

Related: Volkswagen’s 2027 Atlas Gets a High-Tech Interior With a Hidden Screen

At the rear, the bulges under the fake taillight graphics seem to hint at a continuous light bar that wraps around in a rectangular loop, but we’ll have to wait for more camouflage to be removed to be sure. What we can seeis that the lower bumper will be more aggressively styled, with each end gaining a notch that should make the back look more rugged. The overall shape and silhouette of the vehicle are mostly unchanged, but small adjustments like these should increase appeal for the pavement-hopping crowd, particularly in the U.S.

Expect VW’s New Electric Crossover to Be Revealed Before the End of 2026

The new ID.4/ID. Tiguan is expected to arrive for the 2027 model year, which means Volkswagen will probably take the wraps off the electric crossover publicly before the end of this year. The German automaker has already begun sharing images and info about the bigger 2027 Atlas, showing off its interior for the first time this week. That vehicle has a large central infotainment display flanked by a hidden passenger display, and it’s possible that a downsized version of this setup may arrive in the new ID.4/ID. Tiguan. We certainly expect physical buttons on the steering wheel, though, as this is something VW buyers have clamored for. We’ll bring you more information as we get it, but the new ID.4 will only arrive sometime after the Atlas makes a splash at the New York Auto Show early next month.