Volkswagen ID.4 vs Volkswagen ID.5

Underneath, they are the same car. Both ride on Volkswagen's MEB platform, share the 82 and 84kWh batteries, run the 210kW Pro and 250kW GTX motors, charge at up to 175kW, and carry identical safety, warranty and servicing. The ID.5 is simply the coupe-bodied version, with a lower, more rakish roofline. In one way it is even the more practical of the two, with a slightly larger 549-litre boot, and at GTX level it travels a little further, while the ID.4 is cheaper and gives rear passengers a touch more headroom. So the choice comes down to looks and to roughly three thousand dollars.

As of 2026 the ID.4 opens at $64,990 driveaway for the rear-drive Pro and $74,990 for the all-wheel-drive GTX. The ID.5 asks $67,990 and $76,990 for the same two grades, so it runs roughly three thousand dollars above the ID.4 at entry and about two thousand at the top. These are promotional driveaway figures that include on-road costs and shift between states and campaigns, and run-out stock of earlier model years has been advertised for less. Both cars sit below the electric-vehicle luxury car tax threshold that unlocks the novated-lease saving.

On the WLTP cycle the ID.4 Pro claims 547km and the ID.5 Pro 544, so the upright car edges it at the value end. At the top it reverses: the aerodynamic ID.5 GTX manages 526km against the ID.4 GTX's 516, because the fastback's cleaner shape offsets its extra weight. Both draw on 82kWh Pro and 84kWh GTX batteries and both are efficient for the class. Treat all of these as lab numbers and expect a little less in the real world, especially at highway speed or in the cold, where the heat-pump-less Pro sheds a bit more.

It is closer than the badges suggest. The ID.5's boot holds 549 litres with the seats up, six more than the ID.4, because its body is longer. Fold the rear seats, though, and the upright ID.4 pulls ahead at 1,575 litres to the ID.5's 1,561, and its taller roof gives rear passengers more headroom. The ID.4 is also rated to tow more, 1,500kg against the ID.5's 1,200 to 1,400. Neither has a front boot, so charging cables live in the main load bay. For everyday family duty the ID.4 is marginally the more useful; for outright boot space with the seats up, the ID.5.

There is no separation on safety. Both the ID.4 and ID.5 hold a five-star ANCAP rating from the 2021 assessment, valid until 2028, with 93 per cent for adult occupant protection and 89 per cent for child occupants. Both come standard with autonomous emergency braking that detects pedestrians and cyclists, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and Australian reviewers single out the calm, un-nagging tuning of the driver-assist systems on both cars. Being the same car underneath, they share the same crash structure and the same rating card.

In both the ID.4 and the ID.5, the rear-drive Pro is the pick for most buyers. It is the cheapest way in, it claims the longer range, and Australian reviewers rate it the sweeter drive of the two. The dual-motor GTX adds 4MOTION all-wheel drive and cuts the 0 to 100km/h sprint from 6.7 to 5.4 seconds, but as of 2026 it asks roughly $9,000 to $10,000 more, gives up a little range, and testers describe it as planted and quick rather than genuinely fun. Step up to the GTX only if wet-road traction or the extra pace is a real need.

For a growing family the ID.4 is the more sensible of the twins. Its taller roof gives rear passengers more headroom, it folds down to a larger 1,575-litre load bay for prams and big loads, it is rated to tow 1,500kg, and as of 2026 it costs about $3,000 less at the Pro grade. The ID.5 counters with a slightly larger seats-up boot, but on the measures that matter most day to day with kids on board, the upright ID.4 has the edge. Both carry the same five-star safety and the same generous warranty, so you are not trading away peace of mind either way.

Only if the fastback styling matters to you. Mechanically the ID.5 gives you nothing the ID.4 doesn't already have, and as of 2026 it costs about $3,000 more at the Pro grade. But unlike most coupe-SUVs it barely penalises you for the shape: the seats-up boot is actually bigger, the GTX goes a little further on a charge, and the only real practical cost is a touch of rear headroom. So if you were going to buy an ID.4 anyway and prefer the sleeker body, the ID.5 is easy to justify. If the look leaves you cold, the ID.4 does the identical job for less.

The ID.4, because it costs less to finance. Both make strong novated-lease candidates: each sits below the electric-vehicle luxury car tax threshold that unlocks the fringe benefits tax saving, and both are cheap to run, with servicing due only every 30,000km or two years and energy use in the mid-16s of kilowatt-hours per 100km. The deciding factor is the purchase price, because your lease is a percentage of it. As of 2026 the ID.4 opens about $3,000 below the ID.5 at the Pro grade for identical running costs, so unless you want the fastback styling, it is the cheaper car to hold. Both carry the same five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and eight-year battery cover.