Volkswagen ID 3 review

The Volkswagen ID 3 might sound like the brother of R2D2 or C3PO from Star Wars, but it’s actually a car – and a very important one at that. It arrived in 2019 as VW’s first model designed from the outset to be purely electric.

As a result, Volkswagen called it 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 (as those other two icons did), but it faces stiff competition from a whole host of talented rivals.

They include the closely related Cupra Born, the Renault Megane E-Tech, and the significantly cheaper MG4. And it's also worth noting that cheaper versions of the Tesla Model 3 cost the same as the pricier ID 3s. 

Volkswagen ID 3 video review

In an effort to stay competitive, Volkswagen gave the ID 3 a facelift in 2023. That brought updated styling, more affordable versions, and it addressed some of the weaker areas of the original design, like its buggy infotainment system. At the same time VW launched a 'hot' version called the GTX, with more power and sportier suspension.

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...

What’s new?

- March 2024: VW unveiled hot ID 3 GTX model, which features more power and sharper responses. VW’s (at the time) most powerful EV setup offers 322bhp, and gets the ID 3 from 0-62mph in 5.7sec. Sports suspension and recalibrated steering enhance the driving experience

- April 2023: facelifted and upgraded ID 3 goes on sale in UK

- January 2021: VW ID 3 voted Small Electric Car of the Year by What Car?, while also earning the top Safety Award at the same ceremony

- July 2020: sales of all-electric ID 3 get under way. First Edition models feature a range of 260 miles, and 201bhp. It has the footprint of a Golf and the space of a Passat
 

All ID 3s have one electric motor driving the rear wheels. You just need to decide on how much range and performance you need. 

Pure is the entry point to the range. It has the smallest battery (52kWh useable) and 168bhp, which is enough oomph for 0-62mph in 8.2sec. That's slightly slower than the entry-level MG4 EV and Renault Megane E-Tech, and quite a bit off the pace of the cheapest Cupra Born. The Pure is quicker than the Vauxhall Astra Electric, though, and if you're not interested in bragging rights, you'll find its real-world performance sprightly enough for town and long-distance commutes.

The Pure's official electric range is up to 241 miles. Again, that's quite a way off the entry-level versions of the Megane E-Tech and MG4 Long Range – they'll officially do around 280 miles per charge. But the Pure is still our pick of the bunch, and if you're wondering why, it's because it offers the best value for money (more about that later in this review).

The Pro version costs considerably more for not a massive uplift in range or performance. The battery capacity increases to 59kWh, which pushes the official range up to 269 miles, and the power increases to 201bhp, so it'll hit 0-62mph 7.6sec. But the bigger-battery MG4 Extended Range costs less, does 338 miles (WLTP) on a single charge, and gets from 0-62mph in a much hastier 6.2sec. 

Next up is the Pro S. It has an even bigger 79kWh battery so the official range shoots up to 352 miles. The trouble is the motor produces the same 201bhp as the Pro but it's lugging around a much heavier battery. As a result, the 0-62mph time increases to 8.2sec – lively enough but outclassed by many of its rivals.

For an ID 3 that's hot hatch fast, there's the 322bhp GTX. That's enough power to blast from zero to 62mph in 5.7sec, even with the heavier 79kWh battery in tow. Oddly, the GTX offers a better range than the less-powerful Pro S – up to 371 miles WLTP. That puts its performance and range on par with the slightly pricier Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD. 

The heavy batteries in electric cars demand a fairly stiff suspension set-up, which is why the ID 3 doesn't equal the VW Golf's sense of suppleness. Still, the Pure and Pro versions (with the smaller batteries) are far from harsh. They take the sting out of most imperfections, particularly at faster speeds, but get a bit fidgety on patchy town roads. Even so, they're more comfortable overall than an MG4.

Drive the Pro S and you'll immediately feel the suspension is stiffer to cope with the battery's extra weight. Again, it's not uncomfortable, but the impacts are more pronounced as you pass over potholes and the like. On the plus side, it's still well controlled and doesn't float about on uneven roads inducing motion sickness.

The Pro S is also available with optional adaptive suspension, which allows you to soften or stiffen the suspension from a menu in the infotainment system. It doesn't add a huge amount to the ride comfort, though; even in the softest setting a Kia EV4 and Renault Megane E-Tech are more forgiving.

The GTX has adaptive sports suspension as standard. It's okay over speed bumps and other soft-edged imperfections, but the ride is agitated over a series of sharper intrusions.

With its light steering and excellent turning circle, manoeuvring the ID 3 around town is a breeze. And beyond the urban sprawl, the ID 3's measured steering response makes it flow better along B roads than the Model Y, which has over-eager steering. The ID 3's steering also weights up more consistently than the Kia EV4's. Some driver's might prefer even more weight than you get in the default Comfort driving mode, but you can add that by popping the car into Sport mode. 

Grip is decent, and, for an everyday electric car, the ID 3 handles very well indeed. For example, being rear-wheel drive means that you can feel the back end moving and tightening your line as you power out of tight bends on a damp road. It makes the ID 3 more nimble and engaging next to front-wheel drive rivals like the Hyundai Kona Electric. The Cupra Born is, however, set-up to feel even more agile.

If you were hoping the ID 3 GTX would crank up the fun to eleventy, you'll be disappointed; it doesn't feel like much of a step up dynamically over the rest of the ID 3 range. For an EV that handles like a hot-hatch you'd be much better off with the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N – yes, it's a lot more expensive, but it's also genuinely entertaining to drive. 

Even by electric car standards the ID 3's motors are ultra-quiet, so it's hushed around town. Wind noise – much of it whistling through the climate-control vents – is the most noticeable breach of the peace at 70mph, and there's some road noise, too. The ID 3 is still a more hushed cruiser than the MG4, but the Renault Megane is even quieter.

Much of the time the ID 3 is easier to stop smoothly than the Megane, though. Like the Peugeot e-308, the Megane's brake pedal is too soft and mushy; that makes both those models harder cars to slow smoothly. The ID 3's brake pedal is firmer, so you can modulate your braking more accurately most of the time, other than when the regenerative braking corrupts the pedal feel. It alters the biting point so the brake pedal sinks a little farther than expected; the brakes always work but the sensation can be quite disconcerting.

You can switch the regenerative-braking level up to slow you down more quickly when you lift off the accelerator, but the ID 3 doesn't have the one-pedal driving mode that the Megane or Tesla Model 3 offers. One-pedal driving will stop you completely when you lift off the accelerator without having to hit the brake pedal at all.

The ID 3 does have an auto regeneration mode, though. It varies how much the car slows when you lift off the accelerator depending on what's in front: if there's nothing in front the ID 3 will freewheel to maintain momentum; if the car in front slows the the ID 3 increases the regen-effect to slow you accordingly. 

“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 VW ID 3's interior is modern and clean without being revolutionary enough to scare away anyone who's averse to change. The small but easy-to-read 5.3in driver's display – showing speed, range and sat-nav instructions – is fixed to the top of the steering column. Being mounted to the steering column is a good idea: no matter where you position the steering wheel (using the standard rake and reach adjustment) it never blocks your view of the display. 

In terms of layout, the relationship between the driver's seat, steering wheel and pedals is good, and leaves you feeling very relaxed. The seats are supportive but it's a shame that you have to splash out on the GTX trim or add the optional Interior Comfort Pack to get adjustable lumbar support. It's an expensive option, although it adds lots of other features, including powered front seat adjustment, massaging function, and head-up display. 

Our biggest grumble is the lack of physical buttons – a problem that also afflicts the Cupra Born and Tesla Model Y. The few physical buttons you do get include the ones on the steering wheel. Everything is operated from the infotainment touchscreen or touch-sensitive pads, and both are more distracting than pressing an old-school physical button or twiddling a knob. If, like us, you prefer the old-school approach, the Renault Megane E-Tech has more conventional controls.

Seeing directly out the windscreen of the ID 3 is easy: the windscreen is deep and offers a great view straight down the road. The trouble is the blind spot created by its twin front windscreen pillars (per side). The pillars themselves are thin, and the window in between them helps you see what's coming from the left at T-junctions. But it's a different story looking diagonally right from the driver's seat, like you would do when turning right into a side street.

You can't see through the side glass between the pillars on the right-hand side unless you lean forward and crane your neck. If you're sat normally in the driver's seat, the angle of sight makes the twin pillars appear like one big pillar, which hides a multitude of dangers. It's at least as bad as the Tesla Model 3, which has one enormous pillar that delivers a similar result. 

The ID 3's rear pillars are wide and the rear screen a little shallow, making it hard to see over your shoulder or directly behind. At this point we'd normally suggest something that's better, but the trouble is these visibility woes aren't unique to the ID 3. Most of its rivals are equally bad or worse – you can barely see anything out the back of a Megane E-Tech and the MG4 isn't great, either. The Hyundai Inster and Vauxhall Astra Electric are about the best small electric cars when it comes to visibility. 

To make matters easier, front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard in the ID 3, and you get a rear-view camera with Match and GTX trims. Standard-fit LED headlights also give good illumination at night. If you go for Pro Match or Pro S Match (the bigger-battery versions), or the sporty GTX trim, you get matrix adaptive LED headlights. You can leave those on main beam all the time without dazzling other drivers.

Current ID 3s all come with a 12.9in touchscreen, which is bigger than the earlier models. It's not as big as the 15.0in display in the Tesla Model 3, though. 

Most of the icons are big – bigger and easier to hit than they are in the MG4 – and the ID 3's latest software responds quickly. It's also helpful that you can set some personal shortcuts along the top of the screen for your most often-used apps. 

Natural-speech voice control means you can 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. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring are standard across the range, along with high-power 45-watt USB-C ports and a DAB stereo. Match trim adds a wireless phone charger and in-built sat nav, too.

But – and this is really poor – the stereo only has speakers in the front and none in the rear, which is very 1980s but not in a cool, retro way. In fact, you have to layout over £45k for the GTX to get a better stereo, which is a Harman Kardon eight-speaker system with 480 watts. 

Quality was once a Volkswagen byword, but when the original ID 3 arrived it appeared that VW had forgotten that: it was a bit cheap-feeling inside. 

The good news is that the 2023 facelift added more soft materials, so many of the upper surfaces – the ones you’ll be looking at and touching regularly – are rather more tactile now. Mind you, there are still harsher materials used for lower areas of the doors and the centre console.

That's true of many rivals, like the Renault Megane, but the Megane does deploy a more varied mix of materials that make it feel even smarter inside. 

“As annoying as the ID 3's touch-sensitive climate controls are, they're better than they were. I used to find it baffling that they weren't backlight. Thankfully they are in the latest version so you can at least see them at night.” – Lawrence Cheung, Reviews Editor

There’s loads of space in the front of the VW ID 3 compared with other models in the small-electric class, which includes cars like the Hyundai Inter. So even if you're well over six-feet tall you should be able to get comfortable in either front seat.

You also get lots of storage space, too. The centre console features plenty of useful cubbies and cupholders, plus the glovebox and door bins are also a useful 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 in the back, even when the front seats are slid rearwards on their runners. It makes the ID 3 a lot better for carrying adults in the back than the Renault Megane E-Tech or Vauxhall Astra Electric. 

The news isn't quite as good for anyone sitting in the ID 3's middle rear seat. The middle seat base is higher than the outer rear seats, which significantly reduces head room. Shoulder room is also tight when you have three adults sitting abreast, but, unless you splash out for a mid-sized electric car like the Tesla Model 3, there aren't any rivals that are significantly roomier. 

Storage spaces 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 and rear passengers together.

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 basically what you get in a VW Golf. That's plenty of room for a buggy or your weekly shopping. We managed to squeeze in five carry-on suitcases in the boot, which matches the MG4's tally. If you need more boot space, the Cupra Born held six cases and the Megane managed an 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 beneath the main luggage area.

The ID 3 doesn't have any under-bonnet storage, which you get in the Tesla Model 3.

“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 completely flat, with no hump to get in the way of your feet.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

The VW ID 3 sits in our small-electric class, which includes significantly cheaper models like the Renault 5. But judged against cars of a similar size, the cheapest VW ID 3 – the Pure Essential – is good value. If you're paying cash it'll basically cost the same as an MG4 Long Range, and it's cheaper than a Vauxhall Astra Electric or Renault Megane E-Tech. That's why, on balance, it's our pick of the group.

The Pro Match, with the slightly bigger 59kWh battery, is priced roughly in line with the entry-level Cupra Born V1 (with the same 59kWh battery). The more expensive ID 3 Pro S with the 79kWh battery slightly undercuts the cheapest Tesla Model 3.

If you're paying monthly, PCP finance rates aren’t quite as competitive as an equivalent Cupra Born, or even a VW Golf eHybrid for that matter. To make sure you're getting the best price, check out our New Car Deals pages when you're ready to buy.

As a company car, the ID 3 will save you a heap of cash over a petrol or diesel model – like the Golf – because the BIK tax on electric cars is considerably lower than petrols, diesels, and, to a lesser degree, plug-in hybrids.

The ID 3's charging speed depends on which battery you plump for. The ID 3 Pure has a maximum charging rate of up to 145kW, the Pro charges at 165kW, while the Pro S and GTX are 185kW. They all charge from 10-80% in around 25 mins, though, because of the difference in battery size.

How does that time compare with its rivals? You'll be waiting about five minutes longer to charge a Renault Megane from 10-80% and about 10 minutes longer with an MG4. The Tesla Model 3 charges from 10-80% in a similar time to the ID 3, and has the added advantage of unlimited access to Tesla's more reliable and cheaper Supercharging network. 

The ID 3 is best viewed as a value proposition in entry-level ID 3 Pure Essential guise, where it offers decent driving dynamics and a roomy interior next to similarly priced alternatives. If you move on to the higher trims then it's competing against better all-round electric cars, like the Tesla Model 3.

That's why Essential is our pick of the trims. It comes with 18in steel wheels, climate control, 10-colour ambient interior lighting, auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, keyless start, power-folding door mirrors and adaptive cruise control. And you get all the infotainment and parking aids we've mentioned already. 

Pure Match is also worth considering because it doesn’t cost a huge amount more and adds extras including 18in alloy wheels, privacy glass, wireless phone-charging, dual-zone climate control, heated steering wheel and heated front seats.

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

In the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey the ID 3 was one of the least reliable small electric cars, finishing behind the MG4, Renault Megane and Cupra Born. As a brand, VW finished in 24th out of 30 of the manufacturers listed, below Tesla, Cupra and Renault. MG finished in last place, though. 

VW gives you a three-year, 60,000-mile 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.

The suite of safety kit that's fitted to every ID 3 includes automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, dynamic speed limit warning, lane-keeping assistance, and a driver attention and fatigue monitor.

The ID 3 scored the full five stars when it was tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP in 2025. The Cupra Born and MG4 also scored five stars overall, but the ID 3 scored better in the adult protection tests than the MG4.

“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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