The 'NEW' VW ID.3 Driven - Is It Knocking On Teslas/MGs Door? 

Best quote of the video. "The software is much more responsive once it warms up!"😂😂

I have a Mokka e ultimate. Great car but got it because I'm on Motability and it was a very low advance payment lease. However this is my 2nd one because my original was involved in a 50mph head on collision (drug drivers on my side of the Rd) and it did a fantastic job of protecting us, it even rang the ambulance and police.

I've had my ID.3 for 3 years in December. At the time I got an incredible deal - was around £26-£27k with a heat pump and with alloys as they had all kind of discounts to clear stock before Christmas plus the government grant was another £3k at the time. For that price it was well worth it but god have I had some issues with it. I can finally say, as of 2 months ago, the car doesn't have any software issues with the 3.2 update. Only took 2 and a half years and really tarnished the whole new car experience I have to say. Personally I would wait a few more years before I considered VW again. The Kona/ Niro with better efficiency and now V2L looks more tempting than ever!

I've seen the VW advert where the old man doesn't twig that he's in an EV. Perhaps his daughter should book him a fitting for a hearing aid?

Must admit, been a VW user for 30 years!, but my 170 tiguan sport (58 plate - 1st ever in the country apparently), was starting to get a little tired. VW could only supply an ID3 in 12-24 months, so went next door, got an MG4 in 2 weeks (late sept 22), 10,000 miles later - absolutely no issues what so ever, I think I've saved around 1-2k / pa on fuel alone, plus it does provide V2L so last Dec / Jan., was great as used an extension lead in the evening to run an electric fire in one room rather than oil central heating for the whole house!

You are absolutely right, this is what the ID3 should have been from the start - which is why I bought a Born, and not regretted it 😁. I did price up a new ID3 vs my Born, and it gets VERY expensive very quickly - Born pano roof was less than £1k now on ID3 it's part of £3k pack !!! Over winter averaged 3.5 miles per kw, now getting 4.5 local (10 mile journeys) and 4.2 on mixed motorway journeys (admittedly on the M6 with roadworks and heavy traffic 😂). Just drives like a Volkswagen 😁.

The prices are not in the right ball park, they are £5k too much across the range. Unless VW sort out their pricing they will continue to struggle

Fair play to Volkswagen for reacting to criticism of the original ID3. It will have cost them money, and screwed up production cycles, but they did it out of necessity. People have expectations from certain brands, and the original wasn't quite there..... 4 miles per kw isn't bad going. VW's biggest problem at this new price is the Kia Niro e, as was pointed out in the video...... Plus there's the MG4. Although the issue of longevity and reliability remains a question with the MG4. It's still too new to tell......

I had a test drive today in the MG4 Xpower and was going to go to the VW dealer next door to arrange a test drive of the facelift ID3 - VW haven’t fixed the things that made me return the previous version 1 day into a 3 day test drive. I want to buy a European built EV rather than a Chinese one, but not at such a hugely inflated price to get a very basic car. I won’t be crossing the VW dealerships’ threshold having seen what little they have done to “improve” the ID3

I bought a VW Beatle in 1971. In those days it was a pretty expensive ar compared to Japanese cars like Datsun, Toyota and Mitsubishi. The same as now, these cars were bigger and better equipped but people like me choose VW because of their service network and German quality. I think this is still valid for many buyers.

When my Mrs bought her 2022 ID3 Pro 58kw back in Feb 22 she paid £29500 for it brand new, order from factory and included in that discount we optioned the heat pump, metalic Stonewash blue paint and safety pack, so just over £3300 discount. She commutes a 110 mile round trip to work in Motherwell from Kinross, so 70% motorway drive. She regularly gets 260+ miles from her battery in summer and 210 in very cold winter. It’s had the Version 2.4 software update and soon to get the new 3.2 v update. An absolute great drive. Very efficient. She took it with me in my Ioniq to John o Groats and stayed at Keiss last summer. On that journey up, around and back, with 4 persons and baggage she averaged 250 miles on a full charge up and down the A9. Software on hers has always been sharp and fast. Just goes to show.

Basic price £36k 😮. That’s £10k more than the MG4 for a more ‘frumpy’ looking car - and that’s before options to bring it to an equivalent spec of the MG4. That is why VW are loosing the plot and they are not selling well. The Tesla also wins hands down over the ID3.

I never had a problem with the external looks of the ID3, but the internals were cheap, the software was awful and the pricing was difficult to swallow. With the refresh, the interior is marginally less cheap (but still too much glossy black plastic and those stupid haptic buttons) and the software has been upgraded to useable but slow. Sadly for VW the pricing fails to reflect that the EV market has moved on. I just cannot see VW selling many of these when cars such as the MG4 and BYD are£ 7-10k cheaper. VW has done the bare minimum to make the car relevant and then shot themselves in the foot with the pricing.

Just for anyone considering buying. Worth noting the charging speed, efficiency and infotainment software improvements have come to all ID3s via updates. The differences between facelift and pre facelift cars now are confined to the interior materials and exterior aesthetics. Also worth noting you can currently pick up a brand new pre-reg pre facelift car for £30k!

I've had VWs all my life - 6 Golfs, Passat, Caravelle etc. I looked forward to the ID.3 coming out. Great Golf replacement, I thought. How wrong and disappointed I was / am with the ID.3. My 1981 1.3 Golf had a nicer interior. Actually, all my Golfs had a nicer interior. And the Fisher Price display? So, I got a Tesla instead. And now, coincidentally we have an MG4 as well. Wouldn't dream of paying £10k more than an MG4 for an ID.3.

The new prices are pretty wild. I bought the original ID.3 a couple of years ago (58 kWh, more powerful motor) here in France for 31000 euros. Even then it was expensive, but today it would be much more

Now there is nothing wrong with VW ID cars..... except the price. I would buy a Tesla any day - in Denmark I can essentially get a Model Y with the same range and many more features ...

To answer the question I still don’t think this is knocking on the door of Tesla and MG. Yes it’s got better but really would expect VW to have been ahead but MG, Hyundai and Kia just seem to be making better steps forward.

You say nobody can compete with the MG 4? VW can when they want - ID.3 now for sale in China for under $20,000. So VW *CAN* respond to market pressure when pushed.

Happy with drums, can't see them anyway with aero wheels

I got my ID3 in January of this year with software version 3.2, drove 14.000 km and did not had any problems so far! Great car.

It's bizarre because we bought a 2 year old 1st Edition and we don't find any "annoyances" with the haptics, the touch cobtrols or the surfaces. And as for the software, it seems fine and our car is still on version 2.4. I can name one annoyance but other than this we spend our time sitting in the car looking forward, talking, and generally doing what peopke do when on a journey. What we don't do is spend our time whilst on the move playing with the infotainment, fiddling with settings, using the haptics, putting the rear windows down, then up, then down, ... The car is capable, competent, comfortable, efficient, relaible. Our long term aberage (6 months) is 4.2 miles/kWh and up to 5.4kWh just now in the cool English summer of 2023. The 1st gen was not poor. You just expected too much because the car is a VW. This is our first VW but when it comes to replacing the car it will be difficult to buy any other brand now.

All i'm hearing is don't buy today, wait until they fix/finish the upgrades

Why do car manufacturers insist on making EVs look like EVs and not cars? I miss the e-Golf and the E-Up.

I think it’s improved no end, but just not quite enough for me!!

Good review. Thanks.

I bought my ID3 pro in Mar 2023 - never had an issue with it - corners well, holds the road and good acceleration when needed. The software side has locked up once, but it's easy to reset. Range is reasonable even in the winter. It is the first car I have bought in 30 years.

When you own a car, do you ever touch the dashboard other to clean it? I don't get the obsession with soft touch materials personally. All the actual touchpoints were soft on the old model. Unfortunately the price has gone up and it isn't the good value it used to be.

With its lower starting price the base Volvo EX30 will cause the id3 serious competition I think.

Pro life 58kWh at 12 months old

Would be good to see what Skoda can make of this.

You missed the Renault Megane Etech with 60kwh battery, looks better, drives better, Google Head unit, 455l boot space, tons of driver tech, Heated seats & wheel, recycled materials used, 98% recyclable & up to 130kw charging from around 36k too

I have a id3 55kWh for two years as company car so I'm less likely to complain but the only moan for me was the software. Numerous messages that forward assist got displayed but the 3.2 update - done by the dealer as part of z recall as the OTA couldn't be done - solved that issue. Compared to my own private Hyundai Ioniq 28kWh, i like the rear wheel drive, more punch and quieter driving.

How can the ID3 be knocking on Tesla"s door? VW are slowing production because they are NOT selling their BEVs!! Waiting lists have gone from months waiting to "in stock". Plus it is pretty worrying that VW are signing contracts to outscorce BEV production to 4 different Chinese manufacturers.

I'm glad I bought the MG4. Love it!

Still to expensive. Also put customer handling. Daughter called VW dealer for a software update on her ID.3 in June and was given a date in October. (For a car that was meant to have OTA updates!) VW need a good wakeup call.

Just had a test drive of the MG4 X-Power having never driven the standard MG4 previously. An excellent car. Full Stop. Chinese brand or not. Very Well equipped. Fun to drive. Spacious. And really well priced. Performance wise, it is off the scale. Almost Tesla M3P! The VW ID3, indeed any VW looks massively overpriced. It is just a very “average to good” car. But charging premium prices. This is improved but so is every other brand. The market is far more competitive and full of choice.

The awful quality of materials in the old ID3 made me walk away from the showroom. Maybe this facelift model could lure me back

heard somewhere that drum are used for less rolling resitance, not sure if true but make sence

Nice to see the 2 of you working together. Fisker Ocean is really hard to beat. Starts from £36k , has a nice spacious, practical interior,cool design and 270 mil range from the smaller battery.

I still prefer the Cupra Born! The MG4 is well specced but I find it fugly

The price though, you can see why MG have nailed it 135Kw charge speed on the Trophy £33.500. I do like the ID3 and Born but come on. 77Kwh MG4 coming soon same price as an Xpower.and that is £36,500.

Friend of mine works for the AA, and apparently they have lots of problems with MG Evs. Software mainly.

I’m guessing you haven’t seen the new Kona yet? Bigger interior, bigger boot. Other thing to consider is the Tesla insurance seems to be way higher than anything else of a similar price. At this price I’d personally be looking at the Kona or Niro… maybe an Enyaq if the infotainment isn’t as buggy as the ID3/my current Octavia…

My heart sank when you got in, and touch control steering buttons

This car is expensive. Asking more than 40k and then having the nerve to ask 900 for a heat pump and heaven knows what else for this and that kit is taking the wee wee. The small battery car is a city car. Yes it will do long journeys but if you are going on holiday with partner and luggage in all weathers it isn’t good enough. Nobody in their right mind will rely on a single charger which might be duff occupied or iced. Sites with multiple chargers are the future. The trouble is there are not enough of them yet. All this means that the anticipated 200 plus a bit range is a myth. The problem is made worse by only charging to 80% or 90% at a push and not going down below 10% before charging. 150 miles between stops? IMHO a bigger battery is a must. Great video.

Not quite all vehicles have 100+ kWh charging capacity!! Even today, the Renault Zoe can only take 50 kWh. I don’t mind in the least!! It’s still a daned good car!!

The VW is probably better than it was, however it still falls light years behind the 2018 Tesla Model 3. The standard range M3 will still be more efficient and has the heat pump, pano roof and leather interior included. Tesla model 3 highland is inbound too, so discounts are available for Model 3 at present.

In your comparison you missed the Renault Megane, which I don’t think you have reviewed.

Every review of the ID cars as mentioned how much they hate the window switches in the drivers door. And yet, VW ignores those criticisms and continues to install that two switch configuration. WHY?

Question. This new or a used id3 for about half the price even with fairly low mileage?

Interesting insight to the ID3 guys. I'm ok with haptic steering wheel controls as I'm used to them in my Golf. You didn't happen to notice if the heating slider controls illuminate?

Just ordered one on lease 8k miles p/a over 2 years for total of £7k, works out cheaper than an MG4.

After much deliberation, ill get the MG. The deciding factor was VW scrimping on not including rear window tints like the previous version.

There will be a German after market tow hitch, with 1500kg towing capacity, for the ID.3, coming this fall. That would be a huge advantage over the MG4, if you have the need to tow something of course. 😊

When are you going to test drive the MG4 X Power ? The one on Chorley MG forecourt never seems to move just took delivery of my Megane E Tech Iconic it doesn’t even have adaptive regeneration which my soul e had disappointed with it no way is it a £43,000 car I thought it came with self parking and massage seats it doesn’t 😢

Niro arrived yesterday - wouldn't swap it even tho its an odd colour

That'll be the ID5 then.. I saw one yesterday on the M1

I can see lots of people moaning about the Mg4. I really like mine (apart from the LKA). I just couldn't afford an id3.

They should have released this 2-3 years ago… and called it the Mk. 8 Golf, like Renault have done with the Mégane. That would have demonstrated the commitment to electrification that was needed post-dieselgate, not discontinuing the e-Golf and releasing a cheap-feeling sub-brand to avoid cannibalising their ICE sales.

Still nothing to beat the load space of the MG estate. I don't care about how fast it will go from the stand - in three seconds. On an average seven mile journey, on a typically clogged up pot-holed bendy British road, how many seconds do you save on the journey?

Supposedly VW are bringing their ID range to Australia sometime in the future believe next year they start probably with the ID.4 most likely. Not sure I'd have an ID series though due to the software although the ID.4 is good for road tripping from RU-vidrs in the US. VW the car for the people just fix their software properly.

This would pull the older end of drivers to the brand, who currently drive and don't want anything "Look at me I drive an EV" .... while they fill up the boot at the garden centre, after a coffee and cake afternoon

59 KWh Battery is enough i did 2000 km in an ID 3 Midle of July no problems there Thanks Tesla :)

No heat pump as standard??

A video on insurance prices for EV’s would be interesting. Tesla insurance costs in particular seem to have been affected disproportionately.

Anyone else notice the Pause and Play icons respectively on the brake and accelerator pedals?

I like this much more than the original one as it looks less gimmicky. However... optional heat pump in 2023??

Haptic buttons - instant pass for me. Just got a Kia Niro EV and blown away.

37k for the base model is ridiculous. It’s not 10k more car than the MG 4 Next

Excellent video gentlemen. Do you think VW will “spring clean” the complete ID range. Separate Question yesterday BMW has announced it will debut its Vision Neue Klasse concept early September , which will go on to form the basis of its next-generation of all-electric vehicles. They are moving to cylinder batteries and there has been rumours BMW and Tesla have been working together. Part of the announcement there was a concept car Vision Dee (less aggressive kidney grills I note), effectively a proper 3 series EV then the previous I3, but according to a statement made by BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, the concept will be “close to standard production and will be on the roads. Interestingly the quote states “Neue Klass will arrive in the market in 2025, and the first production model based on the new platform will be a compact executive saloon similar in size to the existing 3 Series. Rather than replace that model entirely, though, the new EV will sit alongside it in the BMW line-up.” So similar to the mini strategy of two Monocoque Model designs one for ice/hybrid and one EV.

For me vw are way off the mark Hyundai ionic 5 stole he show, it had more power, better and easier to use controls, separate heat controls, and a lot more power as well as 4x4 , with more range than the 77kwh id3 , for me externally the lack of a uniform single colour boot, and still the same naff infotainment (why we can’t have the bigger info screen even as an option, was a serious bad move , and still a dark interior, give us a match light trim upgrade option. It’s worse in the tour 77kwh because of the lack of glass roof, and still the daft light controls on the wrong side of the wheel, go back to the switch

ID3 only sold for 16-17K Euro in China, and it is a nice car.

While it’s not out ye, on paper the Volvo EX30 looks a winner in this segment, even more so than mg4

Still love my Cupra Born after 16 months 👍

Id.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

No way I would buy one of those over an MG4. Absolute joke pricing!

The main issue they had was the capacitive steering wheel buttons and they have not fixed tthat.

Brilliant digital dash on the e-Golf 🤣🤣🤣

Looks like they havnt backlit the buttons, still doesn't look as nice as an egolf inside, theyre not supposed to make it worse!

VW only listened because Cupra made a better car (bulit in the same factory in Germany) which out sold the ID3. I would have the Born over the base Tesla model 3 as the V2 spec has a heads up display plus lots of extras included. The Born looks better than the Tesla or the MG4 and there are so many Tesla's on the road they are as common as Ford Focus's. Lots of MG4 about as well. I would lease instead of buying as ID3 and Born can drop £11k in the first year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So for the price of a 2020 tesla long range model 3 direct from Tesla I can get this ??? Nope

It’s not even a competitor for the MG4 😂

Does the dash really need to be soft-touch?

Much better looking car - and it’s a Volkswagen!! It’s going to sell nicely.

Hello mate

OK, a big one... Should they rename this the Golf? or the ID2? or even the ID4?

nice car to expensive sales are stagnant

They’re not bringing interior updates properly to the Uk i thought… no bigger screen coming to UK?.. Europe gets a 12 display?

But they gone back to black on black interior my pet hate.

"sounds like a golf" it does not, the boot feels like a frisbee

I have the born and I have no issues with the haptic controls on the steering wheel.

Tesla has just brought the new model three base model for £39,990! Wow no contest!

When we will be able to rock up to a charging point, and just..buy some volts, without having to have a dozen apps installed..if an app is involved, then there is one, and only one, and it's connected to the car, not any 3rd party company...this is the only model that users will accept.

With those on the road prices no wonder VW are reporting no one wants their EVs. Re this one best buy used as value apparently crash after 2 years.

Looks nice. Too expensive perhaps?

I have an MG4. It is excellent. It is a better car than the VW ID3 and £8,000 cheaper

ID.3 😍

ID 3 is a nice car but outsidewise i prefer the Cupraborn.

I hear they’ve even gone to SAIC Chinese government car company, to have the new VWs built on the MG4 structure 😉👍