High expectations and many pre-orders contributed to the Volkswagen ID.3 becoming the 3rd best-selling car model in 2020. It then fell into the shadows for a couple of years, but is now on its way back.
The year was 2020 when we described the Volkswagen ID.3 as a welcome offer for most people. A car in the Golf class for those who didn't need a huge SUV. Exactly what the market was waiting for, we thought. But Volkswagen had moved too fast. Several early cars were left in the workshop for a long time. The problem wasn't necessarily that the faults were big, but also that the dealers didn't know what to do. One could also add that Covid probably didn't make it any easier for them either.
Forget ID.3 – long live ID.4!
I spoke to several loyal VW customers who were far from happy with their ID.3 cars. I understood that our conclusion that the ID.3 would hit the market well was absolutely not true, even though it ended up in 3rd place in 2020. The car that had been hyped up the previous year as the start of Volkswagen's ID series of all-electric cars, and that many had pre-ordered, ended up in a kind of void – or more precisely in the shadow of the then brand-new ID.4. It can almost seem as if Volkswagen wanted the ID.4 to make people forget about the ID.3 – at least for a while. It was probably a smart move. According to the OFV (Information Council for Road Traffic), the ID.4 ended up among the 3 best-selling car models in 2021 and 2022, while the ID.3 ended up in 17th and 18th place respectively. There are always people who buy Volkswagens “no matter what”.
Facelifted and healthy
In the spring of 2023, the Volkswagen ID.3 came out in a facelifted version. Not a revolutionary facelift, really. The black area between the front hood and the windshield was removed. So were the “air vents” in the front bumpers. The decoration that was previously glued to the C-pillars is fortunately also gone now. Inside, all variants received upgraded materials in the interior and the center-mounted screen now changed images faster than before. Last, but not least, all variants received better battery capacity and better range. Cars with the largest battery pack are now registered for 5 people – not just 4 as before.
Everything now indicates that the new ID.3 can be considered a clean bill of health. Owners I have spoken to are happy with their new cars. Very happy, in fact. From 2023, the ID.3 will have captured a larger share of new car sales. That's well done considering all the new car models that have emerged from China lately.
Impressions of the new ID.3
One of the first impressions of the new model is the improved interior. The seats are much better both front and rear. More use of fabric instead of hard plastic has created better interior acoustics, which makes it significantly easier to have conversations while driving. Another good impression is the consumption and range. The figures given correspond well to reality, at least on the roads around Hertfordshire and Essex.
"Our" ID.3 is in production Pro S Match in black paint with black headliner. Further equipment includes keyless entry and start, rearview camera, 2-zone Climatronic, Discover Pro navigation, ambient lighting and LED Matrix headlights. The battery pack is 79 kWh with a stated range of 352 miles – or 566 km (WLTP combined). The batteries can be preheated before fast charging.
Can the ID.3 steal the show back?
Volkswagen launched the ID.3 as its first all-electric car model from the ground up. However, due to problems, the model received a lukewarm reception in the market. Volkswagen then decided to go all in for the next model, the ID.4. The market for medium-sized, high-built electric SUVs was good, and the ID.4 not only sailed high up the sales charts. One could say that it stole the show. The ID.3 ended up not only in the shadow of the ID.4, but also in the shadow of other electric car models from other car brands in the so-called "Golf class". This is an important class in the automotive industry that not can be filled by the ID.4. Figures from OFV show that the new ID.3 is taking an increasingly larger share of new car sales and is in the process of recapturing the Golf class.
The ID.3 with its large battery is actually a competitor to the ID.4. The ID.4 wins on luggage space and that you can get it with 4-wheel drive. ID.3 wins on driving pleasure. It is firmer in the chassis and more responsive in Comfort mode than the ID.4. On country roads, that counts for a lot. It is also worth mentioning that the new ID.3 has a sharper design that gives more character than the larger models in the ID series. Although it is a matter of personal taste, it must be said that the ID.3 still holds up well.
Market share of newly registered cars (figures from OFV):
Jan-Apr 2025: 4,2% for ID.3. For comparison: 6,1% for ID.4.
Previous years (ID.3): 2024: 2,8%, 2023: 2,5%, 2022: 1,6%, 2021: 1,8%.
Prices
The car in the review is an English Volkswagen Pro S Match Black EditionA similar edition in Norway will be Pro S Highline i Grenadilla Black Metallic and 20 inch rims. Stated range is 562 km (WLTP combined), 79 kWh battery. List price delivered Oslo is 405900,- kroner. Recommended additional equipment: Black Style (2000,-), Driver Assistance+ (15900,-).
Source: Volkswagen.no
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