Volkswagen ID 3 long-term test: report 6
When we group tested the Volkswagen ID 3, we were so impressed that we named it Small Electric Car of the Year. But does it continue to cut the mustard during the daily grind?...
The car Volkswagen ID 3 Pro Performance Family Run by Allan Muir, managing editor
Why we’re running it To see whether this electric hatchback has the versatility to be Volkswagen’s new people’s car
Needs to Be at least as comfortable and practical as an equivalent Golf and deliver on the promise of a better real-world range than its nearest rivals
Mileage 4515 List price £34,995 Target Price na Price as tested £37,270 Test range 175 miles
2 March 2022 – Seeing red
The compatibility issues I’ve been experiencing between my Volkswagen ID 3 and my home wallbox charger are, if anything, getting worse. Sometimes the charging process won’t begin straight away, and on a couple of occasions I’ve seen the dreaded red light next to the port that says there’s a charging error and my ID 3’s battery won’t be receiving any juice via the wallbox.
This could be a fault with the charger or its tethered cable rather than the car, because electricity flowed just fine when I tried plugging the ID 3 into a three-pin domestic socket instead, and I had related problems when I ran an MG ZS EV a couple of years ago.
However, my ID 3 still accepts top-ups from the wallbox sometimes (unlike the MG), and the device worked flawlessly with the Citroën e-C4 that I ran prior to the ID 3. I don’t know where the blame should lie at this stage, but either way this is becoming a rather frustrating issue.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
Read more on our long-term Volkswagen ID 3 >>
Read about more long-term test cars >>
Best plug-in hybrid cars 2024 – best and worst PHEVs named
Plug-in hybrid cars can reduce fuel consumption to an absolute minimum, but which models are the best all-rounders and which ones should you avoid?
