Compare the2026 BMW iXVS 2025 Volkswagen ID.4

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the iX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW iX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The ID.4 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the iX. But it costs extra on the ID.4.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the iX’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The ID.4 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The BMW iX’s optionalSurround View is available with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Volkswagen ID.4 only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the iX and the ID.4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

The BMW iX weighs 690 to 1532 pounds more than the Volkswagen ID.4. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The iX’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the ID.4’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the iX for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the ID.4 (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 29 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 10 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The iX has more powerful engines than the ID.4:

The iX can travel longer on a full charge than the ID.4 on a full charge:

The iX M70’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The ID.4 doesn’t offer launch control.

The BMW iX has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the ID.4. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The iX stops much shorter than the ID.4:

For better traction, the iX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ID.4 (275/40R22 vs. 235/50R20).

The iX’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ID.4 Pro S Plus’ 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the iX xDrive45/60 has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the ID.4 Standard. The iX’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the ID.4 Pro S Plus.

The iX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The ID.4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The iX has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The iX’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the iX’s wheelbase is 9.3 inches longer than on the ID.4 (118.1 inches vs. 108.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the iX is 3.3 inches wider in the front and 5.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the ID.4.

The iX xDrive60 handles at .88 G’s, while the ID.4 pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The iX M70 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the ID.4 Pro (25.5 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the iX has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the ID.4 (8.8 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the iX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The iX has .9 inches more front headroom, 7.3 inches more front hip room, 4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, 13.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the ID.4.

The iX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the ID.4 with its rear seat up (35.5 vs. 30.3 cubic feet). The iX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the ID.4 with its rear seat folded (77.9 vs. 64.2 cubic feet).

The iX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the ID.4’s (3500 vs. 2200 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Volkswagen ID.4 AWD is only 2700 pounds. The iX offers up to a 6834 lbs. towing capacity.

The iX has a higher standard payload capacity than the ID.4 (1003 vs. 959 lbs.).

The iX has a higher maximum payload capacity than the ID.4 (1054 vs. 959 lbs.).

The iX’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. KESSY Keyless Access standard on the ID.4 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Laser headlights, optional on the iX, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the ID.4’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the iX has standard extendable sun visors. The ID.4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The BMW iX has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the ID.4 Pro S Plus.

The iX has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the ID.4 S/Plus.

Compared to the Volkswagen ID.4, the BMW iX eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The iX’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The ID.4’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.