Compare the2022 Subaru Crosstrek HybridVS 2021 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 Crosstrek Hybrid 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 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps 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.

The Crosstrek Hybrid has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek Hybrid. But it costs extra on the ID.4.

Both the Crosstrek Hybrid and the ID.4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is safer than the Volkswagen ID.4:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Crosstrek Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the ID.4’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 24th in initial quality. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 17th in reliability. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 16 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek Hybrid lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The Crosstrek Hybrid’s maximum EPA estimated driving range on a full tank of fuel and a full charge is 475.2 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The ID.4’s range is only 250 miles, after which the minimum recharge time is 38 minutes for only a 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a conventional charging station can take up to 7 hours and 30 minutes.

The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid 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.

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek Hybrid has a 4.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the ID.4 (8.7 vs. 4.6 inches), allowing the Crosstrek Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 950 pounds less than the Volkswagen ID.4.

The Crosstrek Hybrid is 4 inches shorter than the ID.4, making the Crosstrek Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Crosstrek Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The ID.4 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Crosstrek Hybrid has 2 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front hip room and 7.3 inches more rear hip room than the ID.4.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek Hybrid’s exterior PIN entry system. The ID.4 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Car-Net can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Crosstrek Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the ID.4 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Volkswagen ID.4 by almost 12 to one during the 2021 model year.