Introduction
What Car? says...
Volkswagen ID 3 may sound like a new Star Wars character, but it’s a car. A very important one, actually – VW’s first electric car based on a bespoke electric platform.
The ID 3 replaced the e-Golf as its family-sized choice for those with a green conscience. It's so important that the 3 in its name represents its position as the manufacturer's third major launch of all time, after the original Beetle and the ever-popular VW Golf.
Whether you’re looking to make the swap to electric for the first time or you already own an electric car and are looking to renew it, read on for our in-depth review of the Volkswagen ID 3. Over the next few pages, we'll tell you all about its performance and handling, whether the interior is well put together, how economical it is and more.
When you’re ready to buy your next car, our free What Car? New Car Deals service can make the process as easy as tying your shoelaces and could save you a bundle of cash. It's where you'll find some of the best small electric car deals.
FAQs
The ID 3 finished in a middling seventh place out of 12 electric cars polled in our 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey – behind the Leaf in fourth but ahead of the Renault Zoe in eighth. Our experience with a long-term ID 3 did uncover software glitches with the infotainment system and occasional issues with charging. Read more here
The ID 3 is an electric car. If you’re after a half-way house hybrid solution for travelling long distances, you’ll need to look at either an eHybrid or GTE Volkswagen Golf. That said, there’s a bigger 77kWh battery version of the ID 3 that can officially cover up to 336 miles on a charge. Read more here
For the time being, you can only get one version of the ID 3 because of supply chain issues. Fortunately, it’s the spec we recommend: the reasonably priced 58kWh form with the higher output Pro Performance motor, which copes well with a car load of people and luggage. Entry-level Life trim gives you all the kit you need and keeps the costs down. Read more here
The ID 3 is a safe car, scoring five stars out of five when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2020. Testers noted that it puts the driver’s chest under more pressure than a Tesla Model 3 in a frontal crash, though. Every version gets automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a driver fatigue monitor and traffic-sign recognition. Read more here
In a nutshell, not very good. On the plus side you get a 10in touchscreen and the graphics look very swish, but the menu layout is confusing and the screen can be slow to respond. We’ve experienced the screen going blank on us in a test car. The sliders under the screen to adjust the air-con temperature and radio volume aren’t lit up at night and are therefore impossible to see. Read more here
Basically, think about the boot you get in the VW Golf and you’ll have a good idea of the space you’ll have to play with in the ID 3. It’s actually 5 litres bigger at 385 litres, and is a usefully square shape, making packing easier. Entry-level Life doesn’t get an adjustable height boot floor, but everything above Family does. Read more here
| RRP price range | £37,115 - £48,855 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 6 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 1 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | electric |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £74 / £98 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £148 / £195 |
| Available colours |
