Compare the2024 BMW i5VS 2023 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 i5 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 i5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps 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.

Both the i5 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 i5’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 i5 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’ 2023 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 57 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 5 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’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 23rd.

The i5 eDrive40’s standard electric motor produces 134 more horsepower (335 vs. 201) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 229) than the ID.4’s standard electric motor. The i5 eDrive40’s electric motor produces 40 more horsepower (335 vs. 295) than the ID.4’s optional electric motors. The i5 M60’s standard electric motors produces 298 more horsepower (593 vs. 295) and 247 lbs.-ft. more torque (586 vs. 339) than the ID.4’s optional electric motors.

The i5 can travel longer on a full charge than the ID.4 on a full charge:

The i5’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 i5 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 better traction, the i5 has larger standard tires than the ID.4 (245/45R19 vs. 235/55R19). The i5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ID.4 (F:245/40R20 & R:275/35R20 vs. F:235/55R19 & R:255/50R19).

The i5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ID.4’s standard 55 series front and 50 series rear tires. The i5’s optional 245/35R21 front and 275/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the ID.4 S’ 50 series front and 45 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the i5 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The ID.4’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The i5 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the ID.4; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The i5 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The ID.4’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The i5 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The ID.4 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The i5 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Volkswagen doesn’t offer an active suspension on the ID.4.

The i5 offers an optional 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. The ID.4’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i5’s wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the ID.4 AWD (117.9 inches vs. 108.7 inches). The i5’s wheelbase is 9 inches longer than on the ID.4 (117.9 inches vs. 108.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i5 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the ID.4.

The i5 has .2 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the ID.4.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the i5 offers cargo security. The ID.4’s sport utility bodystyle defeats cargo security.

The i5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The ID.4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 33% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the ID.4 S/Pro S/Pro S Plus, the i5 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the i5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i5’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The ID.4 has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the i5 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The ID.4 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The i5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional 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.