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Electric Golf: Volkswagen ID.3 review

Volkswagen's first bespoke electric car is also intended to be a mainstay model, the typical family hatch.

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The Volkswagen ID.3 was for its manufacturer a pioneer, the first VW designed from the start as an electric vehicle and kicking off the ID range that has become the core of the German brand’s electric ambitions.

The ID.3 was immediately dubbed the ‘electric Golf’ and for a while it even looked as if it would kill off the Golf, until VW’s new boss realised just how much valuable heritage was contained within that particular nameplate.

First on sale in 2020 and updated in 2023, the ID.3 continues to be a popular option for those looking for a family car with electric propulsion, and business drivers looking to maximise their tax benefits on a quality EV with a sizeable range between charges.

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First impressions

VW’s first bespoke EV is a five-door family hatch and in its styling makes clear that this is something different, with its slippery exterior and a bluff look to the front end thanks to there being no need for a grille – the stylists adding to the impression with pencil-slim headlights.

Generally Volkswagen has done a good job in establishing a look on the ID.3 which is both up to date and recognisable as a Volkswagen – a visual style that has since been replicated on a host of further ID models, ranging up to the ID.Buzz minibus with more set to come. And the ID.3 has to have some long-lasting presence as it faces a lot of rivals, both from traditional Western European manufacturers and the new breed of Chinese arrivals.

Interior

The insides of the initial ID.3 came in for some criticism with suggestions that in parts it was not quite up to the standards one expects of Volkswagen, and the 2023 update sought to answer these critics with improved materials and more functional controls.

Generally it is a good quality environment in which it is easy to get comfortable in the driver’s seat – the view out front is particularly impressive with little in the way of obtrusive pillars to get in the way. The rear view is not quite as all-encompassing but parking sensors and a rear camera do come as standard so there should not be too many issues.

The driver’s environment is a bit spartan, with a distinct lack of proper buttons – most actions are carried out via the central touchscreen. While this is efficient, it’s quite small in standard form, at 10 inches, and even if one goes for the optional 13-inch job that comes as standard with the potent GTX model, commands through a screen are less user-friendly than simply pressing buttons.

Generally the ID.3 is a spacious car – for four. If you want to carry five and one of them is quite short, ensure they sit in the central rear seat. The boot is reasonably-sized, at 385 litres slightly larger than a Golf’s though electric rivals of the ID.3 do offer more.

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Equipment

Standard equipment on the ID.3 range is generally impressive and even the entry-level Essential model comes with such features as adaptive cruise control. Generally our Pro Match test car ticks the box for the best combination of equipment and price – wireless phone charging, keyless entry and starting and dual-zone air conditioning are among the equipment supplied without troubling the options list.

Going against most recent trends there is plenty to choose on that options list and our test car comes with close to £5,000 worth of extras. These do include some safety features, extra driver assistance electronics contained within a £2095 ‘Driver Assistance Pack Plus’.

Safety

The safety package of the ID.3 is typically extensive, and the car earned a five-star rating when tested by Euro NCAP in 2020. The standard equipment includes a wide selection of ADAS driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise, control, lane assist, collision warning and parking assistance.

Powertrain

There are three battery capacities available for the ID.3 with outputs ranging from 170hp to the 326 horses of the range-topping GTX Performance model. The Business Motoring test car sits in the middle, the Pro Match trim combining a 58kWh battery and single motor driving the rear axle, putting out 204hp.

In terms of performance, our car can reach 62mph from rest in 7.4 seconds and go on to a maximum speed of 99mph.

Volkswagen claims a maximum certified range for the car of 266 miles – choose the Pro S and this jumps to 344 miles. Both cars can use a 120kW DC rapid charger, taking 30 minutes to add 180 miles of range. With a 7.2kW wallbox completely recharging a depleted battery will take 9 hours 30 minutes.

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On the road

This particular example of the ID.3 might not have the most powerful motor/battery combination but this doesn’t stop it feeling quite sprightly, quick and smooth to accelerate especially when completing a rapid overtaking manoeuvre – while carrying out its actions in almost complete silence.

The car is quite stiffly suspended, required by the heavy battery pack, but it remains comfortable at most speeds, especially when eating up motorway miles. The steering is light but not too much, which makes for really easy traversing of urban environments – on an open twisty B road it remains competent in corners but without feeling particularly sporty.

Regenerative braking is fitted and the amount of retardation it applies can be dialled up – one-pedal driving is possible though you will need to caress the brake pedal for the final stop. Overall the ID.3 is both simple and pleasurable to drive, making it a car easy to live with.

Costs

Volkswagen ID.3 prices start at just under £31,000 and while that is quite expensive, most of the range manages to stay below the £40,000 marker of the Expensive Car Supplement tax hike, unless one indulges too much in options – our mid-range model has a £36,560 price tag but the options fitted push it way past £48,000.

Of course being an EV it comes with all the advantages of very low benefit-in-kind tax rates, 3% in 2025, and with fewer moving parts servicing costs should be cheaper too.

Summary

While any initial idea that the ID.3 might completely replace the Golf might have been abandoned as Volkswagen follows the rest of the industry by dialling back on its electric ambitions, the ID.3 is a very effective example of its type. It performs effectively, is generally well built and has no inherent vices – owners will generally have little to complain about.

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Business Motoring First Drives are the initial test of a new vehicle, of usually between 50 and 100 miles. Business Motoring Full Reviews are usually conducted over a full week, completing several hundred miles.

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