Compare the2023 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2023 BMW iX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen ID.4 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW iX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen ID.4 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW iX doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the ID.4 and the iX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ID.4 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The iX has not been tested, yet.

Volkswagen’s powertrain warranty covers the ID.4 4 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the iX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the iX ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 81 percent more Volkswagen dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the ID.4’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the ID.4 gets better mileage than the iX:

For better stopping power the ID.4’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the iX:

For better traction and acceleration, the ID.4 has larger rear tires than the iX (255/50R19 vs. 235/60R20).

The ID.4’s standard 235/55R19 front and 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series front and 50 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the iX’s standard 60 series tires.

The ID.4 handles at .85 G’s, while the iX xDrive50 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is 8.9 feet tighter than the iX M60’s (31.5 feet vs. 40.4 feet). The ID.4 AWD’s turning circle is 6.4 feet tighter than the iX xDrive50’s (36.42 feet vs. 42.8 feet).

The Volkswagen ID.4 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1350 pounds less than the BMW iX.

The ID.4 is 1 foot, 2.5 inches shorter than the iX, making the ID.4 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Standard trailer stability control on the ID.4 uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The iX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the ID.4 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The iX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The ID.4 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The iX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the BMW iX by almost four to one during 2022.