2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2024 Lexus RX

Volkswagen made subtle styling changes to the 2023 ID.4, including a gloss black trim on the front bumper and a more squared-off rear bumper design to improve aerodynamics. New wheel designs and colors were introduced, and the rear VW logo now lights up. Despite these updates, the ID.4 didn't look particularly SUV-like, lacking the upright profile and ground clearance typical of traditional SUVs. This could be a drawback for buyers attracted to those features, although it was a common issue among many electric vehicles.

The ID.4 was built on VW’s MEB platform, designed specifically for EVs, offering modularity to support various models. The interior carried over the best qualities from recent VW gasoline-car interiors, featuring a minimalist design and a feeling of quality. Even the base ID.4 Standard model, with its manual driver’s seat, didn’t feel like a significant downgrade from higher-level trims. Leatherette upholstery with recycled fiber inserts was standard for 2023.

The 2024 Lexus RX, following a full redesign the previous year, presented a mixed bag in terms of styling. The front end featured an oversized trapezoidal grille flanked by large air inlets, which looked awkward, especially in lighter colors. The hood had a large bump, contributing to a bulky appearance. The sides had bulging body panels, and a swooping chrome accent strip suggested a floating-roof design, which seemed out of place. The rear end, however, had a tidy design with a single light strip connecting the taillights.

Inside, the RX had a more conventional layout. The top Luxury trim featured faux suede inserts in the seats, doors, and roof pillars, creating a softer, inviting cabin. A large 14-inch infotainment touchscreen was positioned high on the dash, with neatly organized climate controls at the bottom. The wide center console had a simulated woodgrain finish, which felt and looked like plastic. Despite this, the rest of the cabin was covered in premium leather and well-grained plastics, with sturdy construction underneath.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered a new 62-kWh battery pack for the base Standard and S models, available only with RWD. The Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus retained the 82-kWh pack, available with RWD or AWD. Single-motor RWD models produced 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while dual-motor AWD models delivered 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

Volkswagen estimated that the smaller battery pack reduced curb weight by 240 pounds, potentially improving acceleration and handling. The 62-kWh ID.4 Standard felt spritely during a short drive, though more seat time was needed for a proper comparison with the larger-battery RWD version. The AWD ID.4 had acceleration comparable to hot hatchbacks like the Golf GTI and Golf R but lacked their handling prowess. The ID.4 was comfortable and refined but allowed too much body roll for truly entertaining driving on twisty roads.

The 2024 Lexus RX was offered in four models, starting with the base RX 350, powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The RX 350h hybrid had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, with standard AWD. The RX 500h F Sport Performance combined a turbo 2.4-liter inline-four with a hybrid powertrain, producing 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque.

The new RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid added an 18.1-kWh battery pack to the RX 350h's powertrain, increasing output to 304 hp and offering up to 37 miles of electric-only range. The RX 350 and RX 350h felt underpowered compared to other luxury SUVs, with the hybrid's CVT keeping engine revs high. The RX 450h+ was quicker, reaching 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, but still not as potent as many rivals. The RX's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in noticeable body roll and some residual rebounds after bumps.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered more interior space than other affordable EVs, with more front-seat and rear-seat legroom than a Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the 2023 Kia Niro EV. It had 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, surpassing most entry-level EVs. The ID.4 also had a towing capacity of 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models.

VW made small interior changes for 2023, including a conventional lid for the center console, a better spot for a phone, and three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The 2024 Lexus RX's front seats offered plenty of room and power adjustments, with standard heating and ventilation on all but the base trim. A rubberized wireless charging pad, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and additional USB ports were included. The rear seats were spacious, with good legroom and headroom, and manual sunshades for privacy. Rear climate controls and USB charge ports were standard.

The RX had up to 29.6 cubic feet of cargo space, which was on the small side for the class, but the trunk was usable for bulkier objects. Folding the second-row seat backs expanded the capacity to 46.2 cubic feet. All trims came with a power liftgate, with hands-free operation available as an option.

For 2023, the Volkswagen ID.4 came standard with a 12.0-inch touchscreen, replacing the 10.0-inch screen on lower trims. The infotainment system received software updates for improved responsiveness, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remaining standard. The ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster was also standard. The haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel, however, were distracting and lacked physical feedback.

The ID.4 featured ID.Light, an ambient lighting system that also provided navigation cues. While clever, it was easily overlooked during normal driving.

The 2024 Lexus RX's new infotainment system featured a 9.8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 14-inch display on higher trims. The system had logical on-screen menus, sharp graphics, and quick responses. It accepted natural speech commands and had multi-function pads on the steering wheel for phone, music, and cruise control settings. The RX also came with a cloud-based navigation system, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and remote monitoring via a smartphone app, though connectivity issues and subscription requirements were drawbacks.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto operated without incident, and the available 21-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system provided excellent audio quality.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover tests. The 2022 model received the IIHS’ highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating, with top scores in all crash tests except for an “Average” score for the standard headlights.

The ID.4 came with standard driver-assist features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear park distance control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and VW’s Travel Assist 2.0. For 2023, it added standard Park Assist Plus, an automated lane-change feature, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Lexus RX earned five stars in overall and side collision protection from the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The FWD RX 350 received four stars for overall protection. The IIHS awarded the RX its highest score of "Good" in all crashworthiness evaluations except for the new moderate frontal overlap test, where it was rated "Poor." Despite this, the RX was named a Top Safety Pick.

All RX models came with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a rear passenger safe-exit system. Higher trims added parking proximity sensors, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a surround-view camera system, a semi-automated parking system, and a highway driving assist system.