Volkswagen ID 3 review

The Volkswagen ID 3 might sound like a counterpart of R2D2 and C3PO in Star Wars, but it’s actually a car – and a very important one at that – because it was VW’s first model designed from the outset to be purely electric.

As a result, Volkswagen describes it as the third major launch in its history, after the original Beetle and the ever-popular VW Golf – hence the name ID 3. With that in mind, we suspect Volkswagen had high hopes that the ID 3 would set the world alight (just like those other two cars), but it faces competition from a lot of talented rivals.

They include the closely related Cupra Born, the significantly cheaper MG4 and the Renault Megane, while even the Tesla Model 3 isn't significantly more expensive.

Volkswagen ID 3 video review

In an effort to stay competitive, Volkswagen has facelifted the ID 3, giving it updated styling and releasing more affordable versions, as well as targeting some weak points in the earlier version.

Does that mean the ID 3 should be the next car on your driveway? Read on to see how it stacks up against the best electric cars...

The entry-level Pure version of the VW ID 3 is the one we’d go for. It comes with a 167bhp electric motor that powers the rear wheels and while it’s not as spritely as the 201bhp Pro version, there’s still plenty of oomph to get you up to speed.

Indeed, the Pure’s 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds isn't far off the Pro’s 7.6 second time, which in turn matches the MG4 SE. A Cupra Born is slightly quicker though.

The Pro S version gets the more powerful motor too, but having to lug a bigger battery around means the 0-62mph time takes 8.2 seconds. It still feels lively enough off the line and can get up to motorway speeds easily. Alternatively, if you're looking for something that's hot hatch fast, there's the GTX, which has a 322bhp motor and can blast to 62mph in just 5.7 seconds.

The Pro S and GTX have a bigger 79kWh battery, and it gives the GTX the longest official range of any ID 3, at 371 miles. The Pro S offers 351 miles, which is further than any MG4 or the entry-level Tesla Model 3. Meanwhile, the Pro can officially travel up to 269 miles, while the Pure is a bit less, at 240 miles. A similarly priced Cupra Born can travel up to 264 miles, while the MG4 SE Long Range can travel a bit further (288 miles).

A heavy battery requires a fairly stiff suspension set-up to support it, so don’t expect the ID 3 to offer VW Golf levels of ride comfort. Still, the Pure and Pro versions are far from harsh and take the sting out of road imperfections at most speeds. They only really get a bit fidgety around town.

You can feel the Pro S model's extra weight as you drive. Again, it's not uncomfortable, but it gives a more pronounced thud as you pass over potholes. On the plus side, the firmness means it never feels floaty over undulations.

The Pro S is also available with optional adaptive suspension, which allows you to soften or stiffen the suspension by changing the driving mode setting. That makes it feel a bit firmer or softer but doesn't dramatically affect comfort, and the Kia Niro EV is still more forgiving.

The GTX has adaptive suspension as standard but its ride still borders on harsh. It's so stiff that you're bounced around in your seat even when the road isn't especially bumpy.

With its light steering and excellent turning circle, manoeuvring the ID 3 around town is a breeze. Beyond the urban sprawl, the steering responds consistently, but it doesn't give much finger-tingling communication or weight build-up when cornering in the default Comfort driving mode. Sport mode adds a bit of extra heft, so is more reassuring.

Grip is decent, and for an everyday electric car designed to get you from A to B with little drama, the ID 3 handles very well indeed. There's more driver engagement than you’ll find in the Hyundai Kona Electric, although the Cupra Born is more agile than both.

The ID 3 will twitch at the rear if you back off the accelerator abruptly mid corner or apply a bit too much power on the way out of a tight bend on a damp road, but a lighter non-electric hatchback – the Seat Leon for example – is far more entertaining to drive. Even the ID 3 GTX it not particularly darty or involving.

Even by electric car standards, the ID 3's motors are ultra-quiet, which is amazing around town but does highlight other things going on at speed. Wind noise – much of it whistling through the climate-control vents – is the most noticeable breach of the peace, although the ID 3 is still a quieter cruiser than the MG4 and Niro EV. The Renault Megane is more hushed though.

The ID 3 stops smoothly enough when you’re driving carefully, which isn’t something a Megane, a Peugeot e-308 and some other electric VWs can do. And you can turn up the regenerative braking effect so the car swiftly slows to a near stop when you lift off the accelerator.

On the down side, there's no one-pedal driving mode so even maximum regen won't stop it completely – the Megane’s braking effect is much stronger.

“The ID 3's brake pedal has a lot of travel, which I found a bit unnerving during an emergency stop. The Smart #1 is much better in this respect.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The interior of the VW ID 3 has a futuristic feel without being so revolutionary that it’ll scare anyone with an acute fear of change. It's a spartan affair, with little more than a small but clear 5.3in display behind the steering wheel, which shows the speed, range and sat-nav instructions, and has a rotary-style gear selector on the side. 

In terms of layout, the position of the driver’s seat in relation to the steering wheel and pedals is very good, leaving you sitting relaxed at the wheel. Height and reach adjustment for the wheel is standard. That said, if you want front seats with adjustable lumbar support, you’ll need to splash out on the GTX or add the optional Interior Comfort Pack.

Our biggest grumble, though, is the lack of real buttons – a problem that also afflicts the closely related Cupra Born. Instead, everything is operated using the infotainment touchscreen or some touch-sensitive pads, which are far more distracting to use than the proper physical controls in the Kia Niro EV and Renault Megane.

Seeing out of the front of the ID 3 is pretty easy overall, and its deep windscreen and slim front pillars afford you a largely unobstructed view of the road ahead. They're heavily angled though, so despite the large glass cut-outs to reduce the size of your front blind-spot, taller individuals might find that they get in the way a little at T-junctions.

The rear pillars are wider and the rear screen a little shallow, making it a bit hard to see what’s over your shoulder or out of the back. To make parking easier, front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard and you get a rear-view camera with the two Match trims and the GTX. 

Likewise, those models increase visibility at night by upgrading the standard-fit LED headlights to matrix LEDs. They allow you to leave full beam on at all times without dazzling other drivers.

The latest ID 3s come with a larger 12.9in touchscreen than earlier models. While it's quite a bit smaller than the 15in display in the Tesla Model 3, it’s slightly bigger than a Niro EV or MG4’s.

The icons are a little bigger and easier to hit than in the Niro EV and MG4, and revised software means the system responds quickly enough.

Natural-speech voice control also allows you to call out commands, but it's hit and miss whether it’ll do what you ask – especially if you have noisy children in the car. More helpfully, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring is standard across the range.

Quality was once a Volkswagen byword, but in the past the ID 3 suggested this was no longer one of the company’s priorities.

The good news is that the 2023 facelift added soft materials to pretty much every surface you’ll touch regularly in the ID 3. However, it still doesn’t take much prodding around to find materials that feel cheap. The biggest culprit is the centre console, which is made of hard plastics. 

That’s disappointing when you consider that the entry-level ID 3 costs as much as an equivalent BMW 1 Series while the Renault Megane is more smartly finished as well.

“As annoying as the ID 3's touch-sensitive climate controls are, I think they're better than they were, because they are at least backlit now so you can see them at night.” – Lawrence Cheung, Reviews Editor

There’s loads of space in the front of the VW ID 3. Even if you're well over 6ft tall you should be able to get comfortable.

As a bonus, the centre console features plenty of useful cubbies and cupholders. Plus, the glovebox and door bins are a decent size.

The ID 3 is roughly the same length as the VW Golf and about as roomy in the back. That means there's space for a couple of tall passengers to sit behind front-seat occupants who are similarly lanky and they’ll be more comfortable back here than in a Megane.

Unfortunately, the news isn't so good for anyone sitting in the ID 3's central rear seat. This features a raised base that significantly reduces head room, plus shoulder room is tight when you have three adults in the back.

Storage amenities in the rear are pretty sparse, with rear-seat occupants given smallish door bins to put things in and nothing else.

There’s not a huge amount to report here. You get 60/40 split rear seats as standard, which are not as useful as 40/20/40 seats, although the presence of a ski hatch does give you more options for carrying longer loads with passengers.

There's no option of sliding or reclining rear seats, which you can get in a (non-electric) family SUV of an equivalent price.

The ID 3 has 385 litres of boot space, which is four litres more than a VW Golf offers and fine for fitting in a buggy, your weekly shopping or a couple of large suitcases. We managed to squeeze in five carry-on cases, which matches the MG4 and is one less than the Born. The Megane managed a more impressive seven.

We’d suggest adding the optional height-adjustable boot floor, because it doesn’t cost very much but reduces the load lip and gives you a flat floor when the rear seats are folded. Better still, it provides somewhere to stow the charging cables away from the rest of your luggage. The ID 3 doesn't have any under-bonnet storage.

“Even though you've definitely drawn the short straw if you end up in the central rear seat, I appreciate the fact that the floor is flat, with no hump to get in the way of your feet.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

As a cash purchase, the cheapest VW ID 3, the Pure Essential, will set you back a little more than the MG4 SE Long Range and slightly less than a Renault Megane. Mid-level Pro Match is similarly priced against an entry level Cupra Born V1. Meanwhile, the more expensive ID 3 Pro S costs around the same as the Tesla Model 3.

PCP finance rates aren’t quite as competitive as an equivalent Cupra Born or a VW Golf eHybrid. You can make sure you're getting the best price by checking our New Car Deals pages.

As a company car the ID 3 will save you a heap of cash over a petrol or diesel model because the BIK tax on an electric car is very low.

The ID 3 Pure has a maximum charging rate of up to 145kW while the Pro is rated at 165kW, and the Pro S and GTX at 185kW. As a result, all versions can charge from 10-80% in around 25 mins. That’s about five minutes less than the Renault Megane and about 10 minutes less than the MG4.

If you want to keep costs to a minimum, you can get all the basics by going for the entry-level ID 3 Pure Essential. It comes with 18in steel wheels, adaptive cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and rain-sensing front wipers. 

We'd recommend upgrading to Pure Match. That version doesn’t cost much more but adds plenty of nice extras, including 18in alloy wheels, wireless phone-charging, dual-zone air conditioning and heated front seats. It also has sat-nav.

The Pro versions follow the same structure, but Essential trim gets automatic high beam assist and silver pedals. Pro Match gets keyless entry, matrix LED headlights and ambient lighting. Meanwhile, the Pro S Match comes with 20in wheels, while the GTX comes with additional ambient lighting, a head-up display, black alloy wheels and a black painted roof.

In the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey the ID 3 finished down in 13th place out of 18 electric car models, behind the Renault Megane (third), Cupra Born (seventh) and Tesla Model 3 (ninth). That said, it did beat the MG 4 EV, which came last.

VW gives you a three years, 60,000 miles warranty. That’s fairly typical in the class, but doesn’t come close to Kia's seven-year cover. The ID 3's battery is guaranteed to maintain at least 70% of its energy capacity for eight years and 100,000 miles.

There's an extensive suite of safety kit fitted to the ID 3 as standard, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and a driver fatigue monitor.

The ID 3 scored the full five stars when it was tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2020. The Cupra Born and MG4 also scored five stars, although the ID 3 provided stronger protection than the latter in a frontal impact.

“I find the augmented reality head-up display that you get in the GTX useful, because it can project sat-nav arrows onto the road, showing you where to turn.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

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