2024 Nissan Ariya v. 2024 Volkswagen ID.4: A One-on-One EV Contest

Photo Source: NISSAN

Nissan and Volkswagen are not new to electric vehicles. The 2024 Nissan Ariya and the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 are the answers, their makers hope, to the desires of the American buying public. They are mainstream crossovers targeted right at the heart of the market, with prices beginning at approximately $41,000 MSRP (Plus destination fee) and spacious interiors on manageable footprints. This article pores over both SUVs to help customers make an informed decision.

Interior Space and Range

Even though it shares similar external dimensions to the popular Nissan Rogue, the Ariya is more spacious thanks to its platform, designed to be 100 percent electric. Engineers were able to create an incredibly roomy cabin sitting on a long wheelbase. For example, the floor for passengers is completely flat, creating a remarkable sense of space. The Ariya has a superb 50:50 weight distribution, something that used to be the hallmark of pure sports cars. To that end, ideal front-rear balance and a low center of gravity make it particularly stable in corners and equally responsive. 

Ariya trims boasting front-wheel drive, such as the Venture+ and Evolve+, feature 238 horsepower and up to 304 miles of EPA-estimated range, while the all-wheel drive variant generates 389 horsepower from two motors, with a 270-mile EPA-estimated range. Notably, the front struts and multilink rear suspension feel springy, even though the extra weight of the all-wheel drive trims results in better handling and more balance.

Much like the Ariya, the ID.4 was also built from the ground-up as an electric vehicle. However, even with a new, more powerful rear motor unit for 2024, the Volkswagen does not outpace the Nissan. Rear-wheel drive versions deliver 282 horsepower, while all-wheel drive trims accelerate up to 335 horsepower. On the ID.4, most drivers will opt for the 82-kilowatt-hour all-wheel drive version, which, by the EPA’s estimates, will produce 264 miles, falling short of the Ariya SUV’s total range.

Design and Infotainment Analysis

While they are similar in principle, the 2024 Nissan Ariya and the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 look and feel vastly different. The Ariya has a distinctive Japanese design. The exterior features a new Nissan “face” with a shield on the front fascia instead of a grille. A swooping roofline appears aerodynamic and flowing, without sacrificing interior space. Its interior is as unique as its exterior, with a high-end look defined not by screens and controls, but a simple, broad sweep of dashboard with touch-sensitive controls embedded into matte-finish wood, instead of glossy piano-black surfaces. There is also a crisp 12.3-inch infotainment screen on every trim.

The ID.4 has the polished, slick feel typically associated with an Apple product and a revised software interface integrating a new 12.9-inch infotainment screen. Despite the vehicle’s emphasis on simplicity of presentation, the touchscreen unifies all of the controls for setting up the SUV, including the climate control system, smartphone integration, navigation, and driver assistance systems. In other words, none of the “buttons” on the steering wheel and on the dashboard are actual buttons; instead, they are shiny, capacitive sensors. 

Conversely, Nissan does not rely on the screen for every function. In comparison, the ID.4 can feel like a step backward. Sources describe the Volkswagen’s infotainment modifications as follows: “Newer interface or original one, you’ll still have to deal with capacitive touch controls and haptic sliders that feel less precise than buttons and dials, especially in the cold.”

Granted, both of these compact electric SUVs are excellent, but the 2024 Ariya, with its slightly greater range and efficiency, along with its more intuitive controls, edges out by a nose in this comparison against the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4. If the Ariya strikes you as the peak of electric vehicles, please come visit Nissan of Fort Pierce. After all, we are here to assist you with any financial help, needs, or suggestions to make paying for a vehicle easier. We are proud to be your dealership home.