Compare the2024 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2023 Tesla Model S

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Model S 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 Tesla Model S doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Model S 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 for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The ID.4 Pro S Plus has a standard Area View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model S only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the ID.4’s standard Rear Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engage the brakes. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The ID.4 has standard Car-Net, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the ID.4 and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 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 Volkswagen ID.4 is safer than the Tesla Model S:

	ID.4	Model S
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	18%	30%
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	247 lbs.
Neck Compression	8 lbs.	28 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	39/39 lbs.	467/415 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 Volkswagen ID.4 is safer than the Tesla Model S:

	ID.4	Model S
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	76	160
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	197
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	6 inches	8 inches
HIC	333	449
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ID.4 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model S is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the ID.4 for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for tire rotations, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model S.

There are over 4 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the ID.4’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Tesla.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
ID.4
	RWD	Pro Electric Motor	122 city/104 hwy
		Standard Electric Motor	115 city/98 hwy
	AWD	Pro Electric Motors	108 city/96 hwy
Model S
	AWD	Plaid 21" Wheels Electric Motors	102 city/99 hwy

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is 8.8 feet tighter than the Model S’ (31.5 feet vs. 40.3 feet). The ID.4 AWD’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the Model S’ (36.42 feet vs. 40.3 feet).

Chassis

The Volkswagen ID.4 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Tesla Model S.

The ID.4 is 1 foot, 5.2 inches shorter than the Model S, making the ID.4 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The ID.4 is 5.3 inches narrower than the Model S, making the ID.4 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

Passenger Space

The ID.4 has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model S (99.9 vs. 94).

The ID.4 has .9 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model S.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the ID.4’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The ID.4 has a 2200 lbs. towing capacity. The Model S 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 Model S doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

A Service Interval Display is standard on the ID.4 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for vehicle inspections, vehicle inspection based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model S.

Ergonomics

The ID.4’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model S has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The ID.4’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model S’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the ID.4 has a standard rear wiper. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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 Model S’ headlights are rated “Poor.”

The ID.4’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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 Model S.

Model Availability

The ID.4 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the Tesla Model S by 42% during 2023.