Compare the2022 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2021 BMW i3

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/04/30

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 i3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The ID.4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The i3 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 i3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Autonomous Emergency Braking in the ID.4 as “Superior.” The i3 scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The ID.4 has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The i3 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The ID.4 has standard Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The i3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The ID.4 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The i3 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The ID.4’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The i3 doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the ID.4’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The i3 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The ID.4’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The i3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the ID.4 and the i3 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, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Volkswagen ID.4 weighs 1259 to 1955 pounds more than the BMW i3. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the ID.4 with power recline seats is safer than the i3:

	ID.4	i3
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance Below Top of Head	-4 mm	-4 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	9.7 g’s	13.3 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Tension	219	561

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ID.4 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The i3 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

Volkswagen’s powertrain warranty covers the ID.4 4 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the i3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the i3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 82 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.

Engine

The ID.4’s standard electric motor produces 33 more horsepower (201 vs. 168) and 45 lbs.-ft. more torque (229 vs. 184) than the i3 REx’s standard 0.6 2-cylinder hybrid. The ID.4’s electric motor produces 20 more horsepower (201 vs. 181) and 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (229 vs. 199) than the i3s’ standard electric motor. The ID.4’s optional electric motors produce 114 more horsepower (295 vs. 181) and 140 lbs.-ft. more torque (339 vs. 199) than the i3s’ standard electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

The ID.4’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 245 to 280 miles on a full charge (depending on model), up to 83% further than the i3’s 153-mile range. The i3 REx can only travel about 126 miles before it has to start its internal combustion engine.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen ID.4 higher (10 out of 10) than the BMW i3 (7 to 10). This means the ID.4 produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the i3 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the ID.4’s brake rotors are larger than those on the i3:

	ID.4	ID.4 AWD	i3
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	14.1 inches	11 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the ID.4 has larger tires than the i3 (F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19 vs. F:155/70R19 & R:175/60R19). The ID.4’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the i3 (F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19 vs. F:175/55R20 & R:195/50R20).

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 i3’s standard 70 series front and 60 series rear tires. The ID.4 Pro S’ optional 235/50R20 front and 255/45R20 rear tires have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile than the i3s’ 55 series front and 50 series rear tires.

Suspension and Handling

The ID.4 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the ID.4 flat and controlled during cornering. The i3’s suspension doesn’t offer stabilizer bars.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the ID.4 AWD’s wheelbase is 7.5 inches longer than on the i3 (108.7 inches vs. 101.2 inches). The ID.4’s wheelbase is 7.7 inches longer than on the i3 (108.9 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

The ID.4 handles at .85 G’s, while the i3 pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the i3’s (31.5 feet vs. 32.4 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Volkswagen ID.4 amounts to more than styling. The ID.4 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is lower than the i3 (.29 to .33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the ID.4 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The ID.4 has standard seating for 5 passengers; the i3 can only carry 4.

The ID.4 has 16.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the i3 (99.9 vs. 83.6).

The ID.4 has 1 inch more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 5.7 inches more rear legroom and 6.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the i3.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the ID.4 Pro S/1st Edition has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the ID.4 Pro S, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The i3 doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Payload and Towing

The ID.4 has a 2200 lbs. towing capacity. The i3 has no towing capacity.

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 i3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The ID.4 has a higher standard payload capacity than the i3 (937 vs. 814 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The ID.4 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The i3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The ID.4 Pro S’ standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The i3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The ID.4’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the i3’s standard power windows.

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 i3 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The ID.4’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the i3’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the ID.4 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The i3 doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

On extremely cold winter days, the ID.4’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The i3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The ID.4 Pro S has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The i3 doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The ID.4 Pro S has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the i3.

The ID.4’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The i3 doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen ID.4 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The i3 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the BMW i3 by over six to one during the 2021 model year.