Volkswagen ID.3

The new Volkswagen ID.3 is a stylish, electric hatchback

Overview

The Volkswagen ID.3 was VW’s first serious electric car, launched in 2019. There was the e-Golf before it, but it was more of an early foray. In many ways, the ID.3 is the ‘electric Golf’ that the e-Golf never was.

And it was refreshed for 2023. What’s new? Slicker design, inside and out, plus better software and central touchscreen.

It’s actually got quite a lot of space inside for a hatchback, though weirdly the larger battery version only has 4 seats, whereas the smaller battery variant has 5.

Performance specs are pretty solid, as are its charging capabilities.

Check out our quick review below, covering realistic v. official WLTP range, top speed and 0-60, charging costs and times at home and in public, efficiency of the electric motor measured in miles per kWh, boot space, and more.

Prices, Trims & Variants

The price of the Volkswagen ID.3 starts at £35,700 for the base Essential Pro trim, and goes up to £40,050 for the top spec Match Pro S trim. Here are all the variants:

Batteries & Range

How far can you drive on a full charge of the battery in the Volkswagen ID.3? In ideal conditions, you should be able to achieve the official ‘WLTP’ range in miles. However in winter, for example, electric car batteries don’t perform as well, and actual range will be lower.

This table shows both the more optimistic WLTP range, and a rough, more likely ‘average’ range for the various versions of the ID.3:

Efficiency

We are all used to ‘miles per gallon’ of petrol or diesel when thinking about efficiency in traditional cars. With EVs, you need to replace ‘gallon’ with ‘kWh’. 1 kWh = 1 unit of electricity. So the ‘miles per kWh’ measure tells you how many miles you can go on 1 kWh of electricity – the higher the number the better.

Here’s data for the ID3, together with an equivalent in miles per gallon (yes, electric cars really are that efficient!):

Charging Times & Costs

If you have off-street parking, the best and cheapest place to charge your ID.3 is at home. Depending on your home energy tariff, you’ll either charge at a standard flat rate or at a lower off-peak rate. The 0-100% charge times below are a ‘worst case’ scenario – typically you will charge 1-2 hours a day, or maybe go for a longer charge on just a couple of days a week.

Charging at Home on an Off-peak rate of 5p per kWh

Charging at Home on a Peak rate of 15p per kWh

When you’re on a trip, you can get a quick boost at a rapid charger. These vary in terms of charging speed and you are also limited by the Volkswagen ID.3’s maximum charging rate. Take the 10-80% charging times with a pinch of salt – the charging rate will gradually decrease and times are often longer.

Charging in Public at a 50 kW Rapid Charger at a rate of 30p per kWh

Charging in Public at a 150 kW Rapid Charger at a rate of 30p per kWh

Charging in Public at a 350 kW Rapid Charger at a rate of 60p per kWh

Performance

The VW ID.3, like all pure electric cars, has its wheels turned by one or more electric motors. The motors themselves are powered by a lithium-ion battery. Battery + electric motor is a great combination, giving you instant torque with no gears to change.

You’ll find the ID.3 eerily quiet after an internal combustion engine. Here are the performance stats:

Boot Space & Dimensions

The Volkswagen ID.3 is a hatchback, and its boot space can be further increased by folding the rear seats down. Here are all the boot and dimensions measurements:

Boot Space & Cargo Volume

Dimensions

Next Steps

We hope you’ve enjoyed this brief analysis of the Volkswagen ID.3. We’ve tried to focus mainly on potentially unfamiliar electric car related items – such as batteries, range and charging – rather than trot out the usual “The car’s B-pillar is 3mm wider than the previous model.”

Where to next?

1. Narrow down your EV search in a systematic way using our Car Selector tool
2. Read more about the ID.3 at Volkswagen’s UK website
3. If you’re ready to go, consider leasing the Volkswagen ID.3 from a low-cost broker