Compare the2026 Volkswagen ID.4VS 2026 Subaru Solterra

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 Solterra doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the ID.4 and Solterra have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The ID.4 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Solterra’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Both the ID.4 and the Solterra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view 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 Subaru Solterra:

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 Subaru Solterra:

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

The ID.4 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Solterra’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Volkswagen’s powertrain warranty covers the ID.4 3 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Solterra. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Solterra ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The ID.4’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Solterra’s (7 vs. 5 years).

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

The ID.4’s standard electric motor produces 49 more horsepower (282 vs. 233) than the Solterra’s standard electric motors.

For better stopping power the ID.4’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Solterra:

The ID.4 stops much shorter than the Solterra:

For better traction and acceleration, the ID.4 has larger rear tires than the Solterra (255/45R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The ID.4’s standard 235/55R19 front and 255/50R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series front and 50 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Solterra Premium’s standard 60 series tires. The ID.4 Pro S Plus AWD Pro S Plus’ 235/45R21 front and 255/40R21 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Solterra Limited/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the ID.4 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Solterra Premium. The ID.4 Pro S Plus AWD Pro S Plus’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Solterra Limited/Touring.

The ID.4 Pro S AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Solterra Touring pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the ID.4’s turning circle is 5.2 feet tighter than the Solterra’s (31.5 feet vs. 36.7 feet). The ID.4 AWD’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the Solterra’s (36.4 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The ID.4 is 4.1 inches shorter than the Solterra, making the ID.4 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The ID.4 has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Solterra (99.9 vs. 97.5).

The ID.4 has 1.8 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Solterra.

The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Solterra with its rear seat up (30.3 vs. 23.8 cubic feet). The ID.4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Solterra with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 63.5 cubic feet).

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

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 Solterra’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the ID.4 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Solterra doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the ID.4 Pro S/Pro S Plus has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Solterra doesn’t offer cornering lights. The ID.4 Pro S/Pro S Plus also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The ID.4’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Solterra has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The ID.4 Pro S/Pro 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 Solterra.

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

The Volkswagen ID.4 outsold the Subaru Solterra by 40% during 2024.