Compare the2024 Nissan LeafVS 2023 Volkswagen ID.4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Leaf 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 Nissan Leaf 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.

The Leaf has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The ID.4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

	Leaf	ID.4
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	49%	54%
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	91 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the Volkswagen ID.4:

	Leaf	ID.4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.8 inches
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	158	333
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	665 lbs.	925 lbs.

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

Warranty

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

There are over 68 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Leaf’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Leaf’s reliability 21 points higher than the ID.4.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 8 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Leaf’s standard electric motor produces 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (236 vs. 229) than the ID.4’s standard electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Nissan Leaf 0.0 is faster than the Volkswagen ID.4 electric motor:

	Leaf	ID.4
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	7.6 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7.3 sec	7.6 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	2.8 sec	3 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.5 sec	4.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	86 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Leaf
	FWD	Electric Motor	123 city/99 hwy
		SV PLUS Electric Motor	121 city/98 hwy
ID.4
	RWD	Standard Electric Motor	115 city/99 hwy
		S Electric Motor	115 city/99 hwy
		Electric Motor	115 city/98 hwy
		S Electric Motor	115 city/98 hwy
	AWD	Pro Electric Motors	104 city/93 hwy
		Pro S Electric Motors	104 city/93 hwy

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

			Miles
Leaf
	FWD	SV PLUS Electric Motor	212 miles
ID.4
	RWD	Standard Electric Motor	209 miles
		S Electric Motor	209 miles

Brakes and Stopping

The Nissan Leaf 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.

Tires and Wheels

The Leaf has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The ID.4 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Chassis

The Nissan Leaf may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 1000 pounds less than the Volkswagen ID.4.

The Leaf is 4.1 inches shorter than the ID.4, making the Leaf easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Leaf has .6 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom and 3.3 inches more rear hip room than the ID.4.

Ergonomics

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Leaf 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 Leaf has standard extendable sun visors. The ID.4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Nissan Leaf as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen ID.4 isn't recommended.