BYD Seal vs Volkswagen ID.4

The BYD Seal starts from $46,990 before on-road costs, while the Volkswagen ID.4 opens at $59,990. That makes the BYD Seal the more affordable entry point by $13,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $51,689 and $65,989 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the BYD Seal and Volkswagen ID.4 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 89% for the BYD Seal and 93% for the Volkswagen ID.4.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 6 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the BYD Seal and 6 in the Volkswagen ID.4. The Volkswagen ID.4 adds a 360-degree camera that the BYD Seal misses.

The BYD Seal features a 15.6-inch touchscreen, while the Volkswagen ID.4 gets a 12.9-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The BYD Seal stands out with Dynaudio audio that you will not find on the Volkswagen ID.4. The Volkswagen ID.4 counters with wireless charging, panoramic roof and heated front seats. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The BYD Seal uses a Electric producing 150kW and 310Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds.

The Volkswagen ID.4 responds with a Electric making 210kW and 545Nm, paired to a auto driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The Volkswagen ID.4 has the clear power advantage at 210kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the BYD Seal is 2.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 61.4kWh (BYD Seal) vs 77kWh (Volkswagen ID.4), giving WLTP ranges of 460km and 544km. DC fast charging peaks at 110kW (BYD Seal) vs 175kW (Volkswagen ID.4).

The BYD Seal measures 4,800mm long on a 2,920mm wheelbase, 215mm longer than the Volkswagen ID.4 at 4,585mm (2,766mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BYD Seal generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 400L in the BYD Seal and 543L in the Volkswagen ID.4, giving the Volkswagen ID.4 a 143L advantage.

For towing, the Volkswagen ID.4 leads with a 1,000kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 6 years / 150,000km (BYD Seal) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Volkswagen ID.4). The BYD Seal has longer coverage.