BMW IX3 vs Volkswagen ID.4

What's the difference?

The BMW iX3 is a rarity in the market, a premium-feeling electric model that's not a whole lot dearer than petrol alternatives.

For those happy to trade some of the Tesla Model 3 and Kia EV6 GT's all-paw performance for a luxurious cabin, slick drive and badge cachet, the iX3 M Sport is a very attractive package. Until Audi's Q4 and Q6 e-tron arrive, the iX3 remains basically peerless in this part of the market.

No wonder, then, that BMW is Australia's third most popular electric car brand after Tesla and BYD. The vehicles capture everything the brand promises at a price that looks good on paper and better in the real world.

It might have been accidental good fortune that Volkswagen Australia has had to wait so long for the ID.4 because this version is by far the best yet.

It’s familiar but new to drive, tidily styled, with the refinement and finish you expect from such a storied automaker. 

The brand has also done an admirable job of pricing and specifying this electric mid-sizer just right so it should definitely be on your list of considerations, even with such a strong field of competition in 2025.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Now that we've seen the new X3, the current model is already dated. Not that it was a cutting-edge design at launch but there is precious little offensive about this mid-size SUV.

Fussy wheel designs, strange closed in grilles and clashing blue accents aside the iX3 M Sport remains a plenty handsome option as you approach.

Inside the cabin's shapes feel positively conservative next to BMW's latest efforts like the X2 and 7 Series but, in a way, this is no bad thing.

It's also nice that you can tailor this car's appearance to your liking without spending extra, the combination here rocks a nice blue paint with tasteful brown upholstery for a classy look.

You can have Oyster white leather or simple black and the paint colour palette is refined without being restrictive.

When it launched the ID.4 was a significant departure from the more angular styling of VWs at the time, particularly the likes of the boxy Tiguan combustion equivalent.

Now with a few years to digest the design and how it compares to its rivals, it seems a little conservative.

This is perhaps a deliberate move from VW as it attempts to avoid some of the more wild and unconventional electric vehicle designs worn by newer players in this space, appealing to both a more traditional VW buyer and others that want to be a little less shouty about their EV.

While it plays the design game more safely than some rivals, I also think it has a resolved nature to it which helps to set it apart. The dance of coloured styling elements with a tri-tone finish of silver and black highlights is nicely executed, as are the white-tinged VW badges which help set it apart from the rest of the brand’s range.

Inside, VW has followed a similar trend to many other vehicles in this space, with a wide-open cabin and a dashboard dominated by a large central touchscreen. Unlike some new-age rivals in this space, VW’s 12.9-inch panel isn’t as all-consuming as some fifteen-plus-inch units, which lends the cabin a slightly more traditional feel for better or worse.

It’s also good to see the brand continue to offer a digital instrument panel perched atop the steering column, although it’s minimalist in terms of what it displays, especially compared to the cluster in this car’s more premium Audi Q4 e-tron relation.

The seats look and feel good, and while the dash is largely made of hard-finish plastics, there's a clever smattering of soft-touch finishes in the doors and atop the dash, in most of the places you’re likely to touch.

The ID.4 feels a bit more like a car rather than a tech product, which I think some buyers will appreciate.

The BMW X3 was developed with family buyers in mind and that has paid dividends because it has an extremely practical cabin with lots of thoughtful storage.

Each of the four doors has a bottle holder and generously-sized pocked for extra storage. There are two cup-holders in the centre with a wireless charging pad, secure spot for the key fob and USB port in easy reach. You can slide a roller cover down to hide valuables.

Key driving controls are smartly grouped together around the iX3's unconventional gear selector. Here, you'll find the start/stop button along with hard switches for drive mode selection, stability control and exterior cameras.

Right next door is where the rotary 'iDrive' controller lives with yet more physical shortcut buttons. Including the extra option to easily interact with the multimedia system on the move is a refreshing delight that you don't see in so many touchscreen-heavy EVs. There's also a physical stack for HVAC and seat heating controls.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen is responsive and bright with BMW's slightly older system having a more conventional appearance than the latest software in the iX2. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless and still work flawlessly.

If there are some negatives, they would be some build-quality niggles. On the whole the materials are high quality and the car is well screwed together but the indicator stalks feel decidedly flimsy compared to BMWs of old and I noticed a rattle from the parcel shelf on the road.

The eight-way power adjust seats with tilt and under-leg extension are classic BMW, being sporty enough to hold you in but with enough padding to stay comfy. Though we will knock this car down for lacking power lumbar adjust.

Those in the back will be plenty comfortable even if they're taller than 180cm with ample head, leg and toe-room. There doesn't appear to be a major compromise to the floor height despite BMW stacking 10 lithium-ion modules beneath.

Vision out is excellent with an expansive glasshouse and full-length sunroof.

Amenities include two USB-C charge points, a third climate zone, fold-out armrest with pop-up cup holders and generous storage in the doors.

Fitting child seats should be pretty simple with doors that open wide, two sets of ISOFIX ports (that you can't lose the covers of) and three prominent top tether anchors in the recline-adjustable backrest.

The boot is large with 510L of space at a minimum that expands to 1560L if you fold the 40/20/40 split backrest flat. There's a sense of solidity in that process, too, with sturdy levers and components.

So sturdy that the retractable luggage cover is quite difficult to remove, especially for shorter owners. Other niceties include a single shopping bag hook, LED lighting and 12-volt socket in the back.

No BMW X3 comes with a spare tyre so that should come as no surprise. The iX3 instead has a tyre repair kit. There is underfloor storage in the iX3, though, which is the perfect place to store both charging cables — Mode 2 and 3 — that are included.

VW has taken the opportunity with the ID.4 and its MEB platform to re-think cabin practicality. In the cockpit this means the standard raised console we usually see in a lot of mid-sizers has been replaced with a more modular floating console with some neat touches.

There's also a wide and spacious feel to the cabin thanks to the removal of structural elements usually reserved in combustion vehicles for things like the transmission or driveline tunnel.

The result is a big and airy cabin, reinforced by the big panoramic roof and more upright seating position.

Because there’s no centre console box, the front chairs also have drop-down armrests, which combine nicely with their generous side bolstering and padding to make for an armchair-like feel for front occupants. Lovely.

The touchscreen looks good and operates largely without any kind of lag, plus the layout is reasonable to work with. The main annoyance is using the convenient shortcut functions across the top of the screen for the settings menu or phone mirroring. These touch elements are quite small, forcing you to take your eyes off the road for a moment to interact with them. The same story goes for the touch-based sliders used for volume and climate controls. It’s simply never as good as physical buttons, and again, distracting to use on the move.

The console has impressive modularity. Up front there’s a tray which can either be fitted with removable dividers for a range of configurations, or you can slot a dual bottle-holder piece in there. This can be swapped into the lower section of the console, which also hides a cut-out for a wireless charger and two USB-C ports, and this lower area also has a sliding cover to keep everything tidy.

Meanwhile the back seat offers a spacious layout. At 182cm tall I have plenty of airspace for my knees behind my own driving position, and the width of the cabin is especially evident, with the centre seat position seemingly capable of accommodating a full-size adult if necessary. 

They’ll also have somewhere to put their feet thanks to the flat floor, with the only limiting dimension being headroom. If you are taller than me you might be touching the roof, which dips down a little in the back to accommodate the rolling blind for the panoramic sunroof. At least it has one of these, unlike many other mid-size EVs.

The soft trims in the doors continue, but perhaps the best thing about the rear seats is the built-in strong contouring which gives the outboard positions a good level of comfort and genuine side bolstering.

While rear passengers benefit from a rare third climate zone, the adjustable vents and touch panel for this is located almost on the floor, making it hard to reach when you’re strapped in. It’s the same story for the dual USB-C charging ports.

For storage there’s large bottle holders in each door, three more in a drop-down armrest, as well as phone-sized pockets and bigger pockets on the backs of the front seats. Behind the drop-down armrest there’s a ski-port. Very Euro.

The boot measures 543 litres which seems about right for this segment. It comes with space under the floor for the storage of charging cables (of which, VW throws in both a wall socket version and a Type 2 to Type 2 cable for public charging) and an elastic net which is an underrated feature for stopping objects moving around while you’re driving. Like many other mid-size electric cars, there’s no spare wheel, just an inflator kit.

The ID.4 has no room left in its design for a frunk, which is an arguably gimmicky feature that many rivals have, although I must say there is the odd occasion where I have found them useful.

The ID.4 initially arrives in a single variant in Australia, and it might surprise you how well it’s priced considering the amount of standard equipment it includes.

While Volkswagen is no stranger to sitting in a semi-premium pricing bracket, the single ID.4 Pro grade arriving at $59,990 before on-road costs is priced within a few thousand dollars of some of the most popular rivals.

For example, it’s just $1090 more expensive than the incoming new Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, and while the base Kia EV5 is a few thousand dollars cheaper, the equivalent Long Range Air grade is actually $1180 pricier.

The bigger threat might be from the XPeng G6 which offers a similar driving range with more radical styling for $100 less, although there's also now a whole price bracket below for electric mid-sizers, which includes the Leapmotor C10 (from $43,888), and Geely EX5 (from $40,990).

So, it lacks the circa-$10,000 premium that electric models from ‘legacy automakers’ used to have, but it’s also not vying for the most affordable option in the space.

Still, this ID.4 is the best-equipped version yet, and we get one of the highest-grade versions. Not only does the Pro get the largest battery option on offer, combined with the more efficient rear-wheel-drive motor option, but it also dazzles on the standard equipment front.

On the outside there are 19-inch alloys and Volkswagen’s signature ‘Matrix’ LED headlights, while on the inside the ID.4 features a 12.9-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity alongside a 5.3-inch instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, ambient interior lighting and electrically adjustable and heated front seats with a message function. 

These are clad in a blend of leather and 'microfleece' and feature a memory function.

Other standout features include tri-zone climate control (a VW Group signature), adaptive dampers with adjustable settings, a sportier ‘progressive’ steering tune as standard, and an electric tailgate.

While it might not have an enormous central screen or headline 800-volt battery specs, it’s hard to argue with the standard inclusions in the ID.4. The options list is short, limited to just premium paint options ($1000) or an exterior styling pack ($900).

Later in the year, this Pro version will be joined by a higher-grade dual-motor GTX, but expect it to be significantly more expensive. The ID.5 coupe spin-off launches solely in GTX guise, but it starts from a less competitive $72,990 before on-roads.

It’s also clear this price point is a deliberate move by VW to keep some of its existing Tiguan buyers who want an EV. After all, the price of this launch version of the ID.4 (which the brand expects to be the most popular grade) is not priced far off its best-selling Tiguan, the 162TSI R-Line at $60,590.

In this case there isn't much under the bonnet except for electric gubbins. The single electric motor – that uses no rare earth materials – resides at the back and generates 210kW/400Nm.

Those outputs are fairly close to a petrol X3 30i, though of course this model is rear-drive only.

Thanks to the rapid response of electric motors, the iX3 M Sport can sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds (claimed).

BMW has chosen to give the iX3 a long-travel progressive throttle pedal that makes grunt easy to meter out. However, the regenerative braking could do with a little more refinement.

There are two settings, 'D' — just like letting off the throttle in a combustion car — and 'B' which is quite strong. The blending between regenerative and physical caliper-on-rotor braking is vague, though, which can make low-speed moves a bit jerky.

The version of the ID.4 we’re finally receiving in Australia has major upgrades to its motor and battery. Rather than the lacklustre 125kW/310Nm of the original version, this new one puts out a much more impressive 210kW/540Nm.

The ID.4 Pro is rear-wheel drive for efficiency and packaging reasons, although the dual-motor ID.4 GTX will arrive before the end of 2024 for those looking for the additional power and handling boost this version will offer.

The iX3 M Sport's WLTP rating is a respectable but not groundbreaking 461km on the combined cycle. The reality is a little bleaker, our test car displaying 316km on its digital instruments at 100 per cent charge.

Going against what you might expect for an electric car, the iX3 was not very efficient in town, we initially saw 24kWh/100km on the read-out which is quite high.

It is better suited to a longer, steady-state run. Our regular 200km country and suburban test loop dropped the consumption to 18kWh/100km for a real-world driving range of 411km.

When it's time to bring the charge levels back up the iX3 will take on AC electricity at 11kW, for flat to full in seven and a half hours.

Public fast-charging caps out at 150kW (DC) though averages to 104kW over a 10-80 per cent session. This should take 21 minutes, says BMW.

We only observed a maximum of 101kW on a DC charger though the pylon did not appear to be performing at full energy with other vehicles having similar issues.

The headline number you’re searching for here is 544km. This is the WLTP driving range for the ID.4 Pro, and it’s plenty for both daily commuting or even intercity trips.

It compares well to many of its rivals, thanks to an upsized 77kWh battery pack, with more sustain (at least on paper) compared to the BYD Sealion 7 and Tesla Model Y RWD and it’s nearly on par, but a few kilometres short, of the Tesla Model Y Long Range and Kia EV5 Air Long Range.

Charging has also been significantly upgraded. On a DC pylon it can charge at a maximum rate of 175kW for a 10 to 80 per cent charge time in 22 minutes, conditions allowing.

Meanwhile an 11kW max speed on an AC charger should see it charge up from 10 per cent to full in around six hours.

While these specs are good, the ID.4 doesn’t currently offer vehicle-to-load technology or vehicle-to-grid capability, which is a bit of a shame now this tech is becoming more common.

Despite no saucy straight-six, V8 or twin-cam four-cylinder there is an inherent 'BMW-ness' in the iX3 M Sport. The way it steers, accelerates and rides all match the brand's DNA.

It is not a plush SUV, with some firmness to the suspension even in Comfort mode on the adaptive dampers — this may have something to do with BMW's 40PSI front and 45PSI rear tyre pressure recommendations — but without ever being crashy.

Build up a little more speed, beyond 60km/h for example, and the body settles nicely with a solid, assured stance.

There's no evidence of suspension noise and road noise is very well insulated as well, even without the up-spec M Sport Pro's acoustically insulated glass. 

The steering is light in Comfort mode which makes it ideal for urban driving. It also has three turns lock-to-lock which is a lot for a sporty-ish BMW, however that is largely down to the improved steering angle. Without an engine or AWD system, the iX3 has a great turning circle of just 12.1 metres.

Moving things up a notch into Sport adds extra weight to the steering which helps judge the grip on good roads, which is pretty decent from the 245/45R19 Yokohama Advan Sport V107 tyres.

When you approach the limit, the iX3 is very secure but significant mid-corner bumps can unsettle the car, bringing its 2180kg tare weight (a 325kg penalty over the xDrive20i) sharply into focus. Pull it back a touch, though, and the iX3 M Sport is plenty rewarding on a country road.

Mostly, the iX3 is a refreshingly natural electric car out on the road. You could put anyone in the driver's seat and they'd be smooth just like in a combustion car.

The ID.4 may be a dedicated electric car, but it still has so many of the characteristics that make VWs great to drive, although it’s a distinct experience from what a Tiguan buyer may be used to.

It starts with the excellent touchpoints, visibility and adjustability for the driver. 

The steering still has the same fine balance of feedback and speed VWs are known for, granting the ID.4 an instantly pleasing handling feel. On top of this, it is distinct from a lot of EVs in this class in that attention has been paid to ride quality.

The Pro sits on EV tyres with a sensible amount of sidewall, which helps to soften the ride, but the suspension itself is also remarkably merciful over the sorts of bumps and imperfections common on Australian roads.

It’s certainly one of the more comfortable EVs I’ve driven, but because of this it also proved to be prone to some boatiness when upset mid-corner, as the weight of the batteries become evident.

Thankfully, this can be tamed by tightening up the suspension response via either the drive modes, or manual override in the settings screen, which is something many rivals don’t have. While the firmest setting can be a little hard, it’s nice you can tailor the experience to the road, not being stuck with a too hard tune (see: Tesla Model Y) or a too soft tune (see: Leapmotor C10), with all ride settings landing somewhere between.

While the ID.4’s power figures and straight-line performance look good on paper, it doesn’t feel as violently rapid as some EVs in this class. Don’t expect the breakneck accelerator response present in the Model Y, even in sport mode, with VW choosing to imbue the ID.4 with a sensible, if a little tame, roll-on for its electric motor.

It makes it difficult to accidentally break traction, and it gives the car an overall more predictable feel, but don’t expect to be able to scare your friends in the same way a Tesla can.

It’s also quite a different experience compared to a Tiguan. While the combustion SUV feels more like a giant hatchback with cat-like reflexes and sharp responsiveness from the front-end, the ID.4 has a more leisurely and luxurious feel, owing to its additional weight and rear-wheel-drive layout.

It might not be a corner carver in the same sense as the Tiguan, but it’s a better country road and freeway tourer. Not necessarily worse, just different.

For what it’s worth, the ID.4 is not a particularly exciting car to drive, but it is refined, well tuned, and flexible to a range of scenarios, which can’t be said for all of its rivals.

The ID.4 Pro comes equipped with a full array of modern active safety equipment, including autobahn-speed auto emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear auto braking, a kerb view function, a 360-degree manoeuvring camera, and adaptive cruise control.

Perhaps the most important thing for those weighing up an ID.4 against a newcomer rival is the calibration of this safety equipment, which is excellent. Unlike some rivals from Korea and China which have overbearing safety systems, the ID.4’s suite didn’t interfere with the driving experience once in my two days of driving.

The ID.4 has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, although this rating only applies to variants sold in New Zealand (where it has been on sale longer). It is equipped with seven airbags including dual front, dual side, dual curtain, and a front centre airbag.

The iX3 M Sport is now covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia.

Servicing is due on a conditional basis with the multimedia system prompting the owner when to visit a dealer.

BMW offers serviced packages for electric vehicles that last six years/unlimited kilometres, with the iX3's pack costing a reasonable $2325 over that time.

To tempt electric car skeptics, VW has a range of ownership perks for the ID.4.

What hasn’t changed is the factory warranty which stands at five years and unlimited kilometres, although it does get a separate and industry-standard eight-year and 160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery pack.

From there though, things are different. The ID.4 only needs to see a workshop once every 24 months or 30,000km, and as usual, servicing can be packaged up to secure the best price at the time of purchase. This is either a six-year/90,000km package ($1785 or $298 per year), an eight-year/120,000km package ($2350 or $294 per year), or a ten-year/150,000km package ($2890 or $289 a year).

VW also points out it has designed its battery pack to be serviceable rather than sealed-for-life or packaged so densely that modules cannot be easily removed, and it guarantees 10 years of battery supply from the end-of-production for the ID.4, with 15 years of repairability to help ease the minds of those convinced modern EV batteries won’t last the distance.

But wait, there’s more, apparently, with VW teaming up with AmpCharge to offer a 7kW home charging unit (which can be themed to match the colour of the car). The first 500 registrations can have one of these installed for free (with a claimed value of $1899).

A five-year warranty will also cover this charging hardware.