IMPROVED: VW ID.3 has become a bit cleaner and more elegant in its lines, and probably rid of all childhood diseases. All photos: TOMM W. CHRISTIANSEN
Test: VW ID.3
Finally, ID.3 has become as good as it should have been three years ago. But in terms of price, this is not a “people’s car”.
Volkswagen ID.3
Price from: 368,000 (incl. costs) Test car price: 368,000 (incl. costs) Driveline: 58 kWt (net), battery electric motor. 204 hp./310 Nm, rear-wheel drive, single-speed automatic. Range/consumption (WLTP): 425 km/15.5 kWh/100 km.Maximum charging speed: 100 kW0–100/top speed (factory figure): 7.3 sec./160 km/h.Tyre size: 215/55-18.Weight/payload: 1775 /420 kg.Luggage/trailer weight/roof load: 385/no/no.Length/width (incl. mirrors)/height/ground clearance (cm): 426/207/156/15.Competitors: BYD Atto 3, MG4, Tesla Model 3, Citroën e-C4, Peugeot e-2008
We regularly hear from owners of e-Golf, who could never imagine an ID.3. Fair enough, nostalgia and habits should not be underestimated. And the Golf – whether fossil fuel or battery electric – was after all one of the world’s most successful cars.
Better at everything
For a long time people also got far with arguments that ID.3 had a poorer sense of quality and a bunch of childhood illnesses.
But not anymore. In upgraded and clean condition, the ID.3 appears to be a very successful car. It is now better than the Golf in all important areas. That says it all.
76 points
The benchmark in the class for cabin space and driving characteristics, and otherwise maintains a consistently high level. The quality has improved noticeably. But as with all other electric cars, we miss several practical solutions.
Comfort 8/10
Excellent driving position and overview, small turning radius. Good rear seats. The haptic buttons on the steering wheel are – that is, were – more cool than functional. Better material quality gives more well-being. Stable and comfortable on long journeys, but from 70-80 km/h the wheel noise becomes louder than with the best competitors.
Design
8/10
Still modern and a little timeless, so a good design. The upgrade with new air intakes and a changed hood has made the front more harmonious. Inside, it is similar to all other ID models, and is not so exciting anymore. But most of it is functional, and the elegant gear selector is still cool.
Driving characteristics 9/10
Almost optimal weight distribution provides class-leading properties. Precise, stable and safe to far beyond the limits of reason. Good overview and small turning radius in city traffic. Rear-wheel drive provides zero tracking when the throttle is applied, and anti-spin – which cannot be switched off – engages lightning fast if the rear slips.
Environment and consumption 7/10
In the range tests carried out by Motor and NAF, we respectively got 340 km in the winter and 421 km in the summer with the equipment version that has a stated range (WLTP) of 418 km. This results in a below-average range loss, but we note a generally slightly lower consumption on the upgraded version.
Equipment 7/10
Several well-adapted equipment packages, but the car quickly ends up at half a million, without you having been unreasonably demanding. We would choose two fairly sober packages, exterior (21,000) with more advanced lights, and interior style (25,000) with, among other things, Head Up Display and electrically adjustable comfort seats.
Practical 7/10
Spacious and airy compartment. The luggage volume of 385 liters is average, and the lack of a sliding rear seat in cars like this is great. The floor can be adjusted in two heights, thus hiding the charging cables for everyday use. The absence of “frunk”, roof load and hanger, drags it down. So do the black lacquered surfaces.
Taken 6/10
Decent starting price and quite expensive extras, in typical VW spirit. But an upgraded Tesla Model 3 with almost 10 miles better range costs just over 440,000 including metallic and winter wheels. The ID.3 is losing the price battle against Tesla, just like everyone else. Also expensive compared to, for example, the MG4.
Operating costs 8/10
Service intervals every two years, regardless of mileage, result in relatively low costs. Rear drum brakes produce less rust. The childhood ailments that ruined too many owners seem to have been cured, and the build quality has been raised a notch on the upgraded version.
Safety 8/10
Five stars in EuroNCAP, and a generally high score in all disciplines. The adaptive cruise control is basically good. In combination with the navigation, it reads the road and automatically adjusts the speed towards roundabouts and bends. The file notification, on the other hand, is capricious, and many people turn it off at every start.
Resale value 8/10
Popular model that sold well as new, but suffered a setback with all the childhood illnesses. It affects the used price of first generation cars, even if most of the problems have been fixed along the way. Three years later, it should approach solid Golf levels on the used market.
Comfortable synthetic leather
You must have solid knowledge to see the visual changes on the upgraded ID.3 and the version that was launched just over three years ago. Everything is at the level of detail – and you can read more about the most important changes here.
We nevertheless mention some of the biggest noticeable changes – and the absence of changes. The most visible part of the instrument panel is now covered with a comfortable synthetic leather. It gives a quality boost, both visually and physically. The center armrest and parts of the door handles have also received a new fabric.
Most read on Motor.no in recent months:
Black lacquer
VW has therefore listened to the criticism of the material quality in the interior. We had nevertheless expected somewhat larger changes. We still find the black lacquered areas on the center console, around the switches in the armrests on the doors, and on the steering wheel.
These lots are impossible to keep clean, and we can’t fathom why so many car manufacturers think people want this.
TIMELESS: From this angle, you see no difference between the new and old ID.3, unless you see a slightly different rim design. The light strips that extend over the tailgate are now illuminated.
Cool at first
We had also hoped that VW put some money into a more functional operation of the rear windows. At the launch of the ID.3, it seemed quite cool with the minimalist solution, where the driver can switch between using the same two buttons to operate both front and rear windows with a small push of a button. In practical use, this works very poorly.
More strange: We had expected that, within three years of massive criticism, VW would be able to light up the sliders that regulate the heat, and which are located below the infotainment screen. In the dark, they are almost impossible to see. Fortunately, the climate can be adjusted in other ways.
LARGER: The center-mounted screen has grown from 10 to 12 inches, but it’s barely noticeable. The functions are the same. The overview and light penetration are very good.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT: The material quality – especially the underside of the instrument panel – has been improved. The climate control sliders, just below the big screen, are still small, gnarly and unlit. Fortunately, the climate control can be operated on the screen. The driver’s display follows the steering column, clever!
No improvements
The wheel noise is only average for the class, but better than the fairly noisy e-Golf. Rarely have we been more deceived by the asphalt quality than when we test drove the ID.3 for the first time in Germany. Like everyone else, we reported exceptionally little wheel noise.
On domestic coarse-grained and worn asphalt, the impression was different. At speeds from 70 to 80 km/h, an undefinable rumbling sound occurs, regardless of tire manufacturer and tire size. Here there are no improvements on the upgraded version.
AVERAGE: The luggage volume of 385 liters is good enough, but does not match the good space in the compartment. A sliding rear seat would have done, but the battery pack destroys this option on electric cars of this size. Solid ski hatch is a plus.
Good mood
The general level of comfort is nevertheless high. Many will probably upgrade to electrically adjustable comfort seats, and get the same seating comfort as in a fully rigged version of the old e-Golf. The overview from the driver’s seat is very good, and the turning radius puts you in a good mood.
The driving characteristics are outstanding. The dedicated electric car platform provides an almost optimal weight balance, and the electronic assistance systems keep wheel spin and skidding under control. The stability is significantly better than on the front-wheel drive and fairly rear-heavy e-Golf.
But the file alerter, which is activated at every start-up, reads lines that the eye does not perceive, and can sometimes be downright frightening.
CLASS-LEADING: The rear seat space and seating position are very good for two in an ID.3. The cabin is impressively spacious for such a short car.
Increased competition
When we tested the ID.3 of the first generation in 2020 (read the test here), we concluded that the price alone could ruin this car. Then of course we had not taken into account all the childhood diseases that were to come, and which destroyed more.
Three years later, the price is still a topic – despite the fact that it has been reduced. Competition has increased sharply, and ID.3 is threatened from several quarters. Especially from the obvious side, i.e. from Tesla.
NEW AND OLD: The new ID.3 (tv) has, among other things, a slightly smaller horizontal air intake and two vertical slits, and a more natural shape on the hood instead of the black cover between the hood and the windshield. Photo: ØIVIND A. MONN-IVERSEN
Range
The recently upgraded Model 3 – which has almost 10 miles better range, 79 more horses, better luggage space and standard equipment such as a glass roof and artificial leather seats, costs NOK 429,000, including winter wheels.
If you add a metallic paint other than white, as well as a trailer hitch (1,000 kg) – which cannot be supplied for the ID.3 – then you are at NOK 451,000.
A LITTLE NOISY: ID.3 can be had with 18-19- and 20-inch tyres, all with 215 mm. width. In terms of noise, there are no audible differences between these, which means that they all make a little more noise than is desirable.
Regular size MG4
You won’t sit for too long with the configurator of the ID.3 and approach Tesla’s level of equipment, before you are up to – and quickly past – these prices.
From the opposite side of the price lists, we pick up even-sized MG4s. It has a slightly better range and a slightly higher charging speed – and a surprising number of qualities that suddenly lift MG into a tough competition with arguments other than price. With winter wheels and metallic paint, this costs roughly the same as a fully ribbed ID.3.
Have you read these cases?
Takes over from Golf
We still fully understand those who rise a little above the fine calculation on the calculator, and end up with an ID.3.
German cars – especially Volkswagen – still have a position that is not immediately threatened by Chinese low-cost products or the mood swings of Elon Musk.
And people have for years paid a little more for a Golf. It suited all strata of the population and in all driveways, and had obvious qualities and a large network of dealers and service points.
Now the ID.3 is ripe to take over that position.
2023-09-10 10:57:59
#Forget #Golf