Compare the2024 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2023 Nissan Ariya

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 Ariya doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the ID.4 and Ariya have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The ID.4 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Ariya’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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 Ariya 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.

Both the ID.4 and Ariya have rear cross-traffic warning, but the ID.4 has Rear Traffic Alert (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Ariya’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the ID.4 and the Ariya 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, 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.

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 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Ariya has not been fully tested, yet.

The ID.4 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Ariya’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Volkswagen’s powertrain warranty covers the ID.4 3 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Ariya. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Ariya ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The ID.4’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Ariya’s (7 vs. 5 years).

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

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

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

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

The ID.4 stops shorter than the Ariya:

The ID.4 Pro S Plus’ 255/40R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ariya Platinum+’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the ID.4 Pro S Plus has standard 21-inch wheels. The Ariya’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Ariya’s (31.5 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the ID.4 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Ariya Engage+/Evolve+/Empower+/Platinum+ (6.8 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the ID.4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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 Ariya (.3 to .33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the ID.4 get better fuel mileage.

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

The ID.4 has 1 inch more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room and .6 inches more rear legroom than the Ariya.

The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Ariya with its rear seat up (30.3 vs. 22.8 cubic feet). The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Ariya with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 59.7 cubic feet).

The ID.4’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Ariya’s (2200 vs. 0 pounds).

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 Ariya doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 Ariya doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

If the windows are left open on the ID.4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Ariya can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The ID.4’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Ariya’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Ariya 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 Ariya’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the ID.4 S/S Plus has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Ariya doesn’t offer cornering lights. The ID.4 S/S Plus also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

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. Only the Ariya Evolve+/Empower+/Platinum+ offers wireless charging.

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the Nissan Ariya by almost three to one during 2023.