The Ariya and ID4 are similarly priced which is why we almost couldn’t believe how much more power the Ariya has in comparison. It also carries more miles on a full charge and has surprisingly quick acceleration. More safety features and a more practical interior make this performance EV one to keep on your radar. Meanwhile, Volkswagen has geared the ID4 to be more for appearance than for performance.

The star of the show is the 2024 Nissan Ariya’s upgraded Dual Motor e-4ORCE AWD model. This incredible EV can make 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds backed by 389 horsepower and supported by a liquid-cooled thermal management system. When you have this much power paired with cooling capabilities, you can expect nothing short of peak performance regardless of the weather for the day. This electric platform can even tow up to 1,500 pounds! The Ariya also ranks high in mileage for offering up to 304 miles on a full charge.

The top trim for the Volkswagen ID4 comes on a 250-kW platform supporting only 335 horsepower. Even when you pay top dollar (an additional $10k on top of base price, to be exact) for the best trim level, it still can’t beat the Ariya. The ID4 can’t surpass the Ariya in mileage, either, capping out at 291 miles. Going with a lesser trim will leave you even worse off with the base model only delivering 282 HP and 206 miles.

Like all other new Nissan cars, Nissan Safety Shield 360 is armed and ready for you to use during every single drive. You can rest easy knowing you have automatic braking in the front and rear, lane departure warning, and blind spot warning to help guide you every time you hit the road. Not only that, but the Ariya is a ProPILOT machine with upgraded features that are even better than you remember:

• ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link
• ProPILOT Assist 2.0
• ProPILOT Park

The Volkswagen ID4 comes with the IQ.DRIVE standard package with adaptive cruise control, traffic alerts, and lane assist, but nothing that stands out from the ordinary. Being a higher-priced luxury brand, we honestly expected more from VW in this category.

The best part about crossovers is that you get to make the most out of their convenient size. The Ariya may be compact, but there’s still a lot of room to work with thanks to the incredibly fancy and intuitive power-sliding center console system that allows you to adapt your interior to any given situation. The back row is fairly spacious, and your rear passengers can indulge in the royal treatment when you choose heated seats and sound-dampening qualities. Tech-wise, the Ariya proudly displays two massive 12.3-inch screens with wireless smartphone connectivity, Alexa built-in, and over-the-air updates. This SUV EV won’t be outdated anytime soon, that’s for sure.

Heated and ventilated seats in the VW ID4 come as no surprise, so what else is there to talk about? The patented ID.Light spans the width of the dashboard and moves in accordance with audio coming from the infotainment center, but as you can imagine, it creates a huge distraction while driving. The ID4 also has a sit-to-start function which might sound like a nice luxury at first, but this can prove to be more of a detriment when you’re just looking to get into your car for a place to rest during a work break without actually driving off. Some things are better left on the drawing board.

The Volkswagen ID4 may seem neat at first until you realize that it’s primarily bells and whistles without the stuff that makes for a decent ride. Nissan found a way to merge various worlds together into a single vessel. The 2024 Nissan Ariya delivers top performance, excels in advanced safety tech, and offers a practical interior layout that works great for every trip.

Find the best Ariya for you! Take a look at our 2024 Nissan Ariya trim level comparison.