Cadillac OPTIQ vs Volkswagen ID.4: Specs Compared

Also searched as Volkswagen ID.4 vs Cadillac OPTIQ specs — both orientations show this same side-by-side comparison.

The Volkswagen ID.4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 113 mpg combined versus 105 mpg for the Cadillac OPTIQ, a 8 mpg advantage and costs about $50 less per year to fuel.

Across 4 measured categories, the Volkswagen ID.4 leads in 4. Figures are EPA test data, not manufacturer claims.

2026–2027

Cadillac OPTIQ

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD · 12 configurations

105mpg combined (best)
All Cadillac OPTIQ specs

2021–2026

Volkswagen ID.4

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD · 29 configurations

113mpg combined (best)
All Volkswagen ID.4 specs

Head-to-head specifications

MetricCadillac OPTIQVolkswagen ID.4
Best combined MPG105 mpg113 mpg ✓
Best city MPG117 mpg122 mpg ✓
Best highway MPG93 mpg104 mpg ✓
Lowest annual fuel costEPA estimate at 15,000 miles per year$700$650 ✓
Lowest CO2 outputNot availableNot available
Engines offeredNot availableNot available
TransmissionsAutomatic (A1)Automatic (A1)
DrivetrainsRear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel DriveAll-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel typesElectricityElectricity
EPA classStandard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Years covered2026–20272021–2026
Configurations on record1229

Source: EPA fuel economy records via fueleconomy.gov. Best-case values across all recorded configurations for each model.

Cadillac OPTIQ vs Volkswagen ID.4 dimensions and size

The Cadillac OPTIQ is 9.4 inches longer than the Volkswagen ID.4 on a wheelbase 7.1 inches longer, and 864.2 lbs heavier. Both clear the roughly 200 inches of usable length in a standard single garage bay.

Cadillac OPTIQ versus Volkswagen ID.4 exterior dimensions
DimensionCadillac OPTIQ (2026)Volkswagen ID.4 (2026)Difference
Length189.8 in180.3 in9.4 in
Width (excl. mirrors)75.2 in72.8 in2.4 in
Height64.6 in64.6 inidentical
Wheelbase116.1 in109.1 in7.1 in
Curb weight5,203 lbs4,339 lbs864 lbs

Width excludes mirrors; add 8–12 inches for mirrors out. Figures are for the newest model year on record for each vehicle. See both drawn to scale.

Cadillac OPTIQ vs Volkswagen ID.4: what the numbers mean

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Volkswagen ID.4 burns about $650 of fuel annually against $700 for the Cadillac OPTIQ. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Volkswagen ID.4 leads in both cycles — 122 mpg city and 104 mpg highway against 117 and 93 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Drivetrain and class: the Cadillac OPTIQ is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Volkswagen ID.4 with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

OPTIQ vs ID.4: common questions

Which is better on gas, the Cadillac OPTIQ or the Volkswagen ID.4?

The Volkswagen ID.4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 113 mpg combined versus 105 mpg for the Cadillac OPTIQ, a 8 mpg advantage and costs about $50 less per year to fuel.

Which costs less to run per year?

By EPA estimates at 15,000 miles a year, the Volkswagen ID.4 runs about $650 a year in fuel at its most efficient configuration, versus about $700 for the Cadillac OPTIQ — a difference of roughly $50 per year.

What engines do the OPTIQ and ID.4 offer?

Cadillac OPTIQ: no engine data on record. Volkswagen ID.4: no engine data on record.

Are they in the same vehicle class?

The EPA classifies the Cadillac OPTIQ as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD and the Volkswagen ID.4 as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, so they aren't a like-for-like match on size.

More OPTIQ comparisons

More ID.4 comparisons

Comparison id: cadillac-optiq-vs-volkswagen-id4