Comparison of Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron

Volkswagen ID.4 there is VW take the modern electric crossover for the people. Having almost identical proportions to its twin, the Audi Q4 e-tron it’s a slightly nicer and more expensive combination. With our recent review of the Q4 e-tron and a short drive in the 58.0kWh-equipped ID.4 prototype, fresh in our minds, seemed like as good a time as any to examine the differences in each car. Here’s how they compare.

Engine configurations and power ratings

Both the ID.4 and Q4 e-tron come in two available power levels. At the base level, both are available in rear-wheel-drive configuration, equipped with a single rear-mounted engine that makes a paltry 201 horsepower. As an option, both models can also be twin-engined, offering the added benefit of all-wheel drive and a power boost of up to 295 horsepower. During our testing of the ID.4 setup with both single and dual motors, neither gave particularly exciting performance. The rear-engined ID.4 sprinted to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, while the twin-engined version achieved the same in 5.4 seconds. We haven’t had a chance to fully instrument test the Q4 e-tron yet, but we expect similar acceleration to 60 mph.

Battery size and range

The Volkswagen offers a choice of two battery sizes compared to the Audi’s one and provides a slightly longer range. In 2023, VW is adding an optional lower-cost option, a 58.0 kWh battery that provides an EPA-estimated 209 miles of range. The ID.4 has an optional, more expensive 77.0 kWh battery that provides an EPA-estimated range of 275 miles on rear-wheel-drive models and 250 miles on all-wheel-drive versions. Our rear-wheel-drive 2021 ID.4 test at 75 mph revealed a real-world highway range of 190 miles.

Audi only offers a single battery, which provides slightly less range than the similarly equipped ID.4. Audi ditches the cheaper 58.0kWh battery and equips the etron 2023 Q4 with the same 77.0kWh battery found in the more expensive ID.4 models. The rear-wheel-drive Q4 e-tron offers up to 265 miles of range, while the all-wheel-drive version offers an estimated 242 miles for the Sportback and a paltry 236 miles for the Squareback.

Both vehicles have an 11.0 kW on-board charger. Interestingly, the Audi also loses in the claimed DC fast charging maximums. The 58.0kWh Volkswagen can handle up to 140kW of DC power. The VW’s 77.0kWh battery can take a higher 170kW of DC charging, while the Q4 is only rated for 150kW.

Interior and cargo

Inside, both cars are distinctly similar to the brands they hail from. The interior of the ID.4 is comfortable but restrained. It has a new standard 12.0-inch central display and a redesigned center console. The central display has touch controls, which are also found in the current generation Golf. It also has a unique gear selector mounted to the right of the digital instrument panel. On the other hand, the Q4 follows the latest Audi interior trends. Gear selection is done by a gear lever mounted on a peninsula that protrudes from the dashboard. Audi is upgrading the 10.1-inch screen in the 2022 models to a larger 11.6-inch screen tilted toward the driver. There’s also an augmented reality head-up display that projects moving navigation icons onto the windshield. The Volkswagen beats the Audi purely on infotainment screen size, but we prefer the Audi MMI.

As for cargo space, VW claims 30 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 60 cubic feet with the seats up. Interestingly, due to specifics in EPA guidelines, the Sportback Q4 provides slightly more space than the SUV version, allowing 26 cubic feet of storage with the seats up and 54 with them down. The SUV provides one less cubic foot of space in both measurements.

Pricing

The base ID.4 is much cheaper, with the 58.0kW version starting at $38,790. The cheapest Q4 is equipped with a larger battery, but starts at $49,995. Optional all-wheel drive is also more expensive for the Audi, where it costs $5,000 as opposed to $3,800 for the Volkswagen. Getting the Audi in Sportback form adds another $3,000 to the price.

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