2024 Volkswagen ID.3 review: International first drive
Volkswagen Australia's first electric car is a Golf-sized hatchback called the ID.3. Here's a taste of what we can expect when it arrives in local showrooms by this time next year.
- Design inside and out
- Comfortable to drive
- Good roadholding
- The infotainment system is fiddly to use on the move
- Tesla Model 3 has better efficiency and range for similar money
- Penny-pinching on power window switches
2024 Volkswagen ID.3
German automaker Volkswagen has been rather vocal about the rollout of electric cars and the need for motor vehicle emissions reductions in Australia.
However, despite the metaphorical flag-waving and fist-banging at a political level, it is yet to launch an electric car with a Volkswagen badge locally.
The closest the company has come to launching an electric vehicle here is via the Volkswagen-owned Spanish performance offshoot Cupra with its Born hatchback.
Which brings us neatly to the Volkswagen ID.3. It's a Cupra Born twin under the skin, but with a new nose and tail and unique cabin highlights. And a slightly different electric motor output.
Volkswagen Australia says it has waited for the updated version of the Volkswagen ID.3 before launching it locally. The changes bring a few upgraded interior appointments and refinements.
We got a taste of what to expect from the Volkswagen ID.3 before it arrives in local showrooms this time next year.
How much does the Volkswagen ID.3 cost in Australia?
Prices and the model range are yet to be outlined for Australia, but using the Cupra Born as a guide, the Volkswagen ID.3 is expected to cost somewhere close to, or in excess of, $60,000.
In Europe there are at least three model grades, two battery capacities (58kWh and 77kWh) and one power output (150kW/310Nm). This compares to the 170kW/310Nm version of the Cupra Born currently offered locally.
Volkswagen Australia is expected to initially opt for dearer versions of the ID.3 with most options already included, given early adopters of electric technology tend to go for vehicles with a long list of luxury equipment.
Key details | 2024 Volkswagen ID.3 |
Price | $60,000 plus on-road costs (estimated) |
Colour of test car | Costa Azul Metallic (light blue) |
Rivals | Cupra Born | Tesla Model 3 | Polestar 2 |
How much space does the Volkswagen ID.3 have inside?
Think of the Volkswagen ID.3 as an electric Volkswagen Golf hatchback.
It is, of course, based on an all-new, electric-car platform and has nothing in common with the petrol-powered Volkswagen Golf beyond the general proportions.
While cabin space is similar to a Volkswagen Golf, we did notice the Volkswagen ID.3 has a smaller boot.
However, thanks to the flat floor design, there is more room for back-seat passengers than in a petrol-powered hatchback.
The large window area provides an excellent view of the traffic around you, and the large front 'quarter' windows also aid visibility – mostly.
During our test drive, we found the thick windscreen pillars could block the view of pedestrians when approaching crossings, and they also impeded the front three-quarter view on tight and twisty roads.
The centre console is narrow but still useful. Our favourite feature: the wireless smartphone charger is large enough to accommodate big phones with bulky cases, and positioned at an angle to stop it moving around and ensuring a more consistent charge.
On balance, the Volkswagen ID.3 has a comfortable cabin environment and good levels of storage for a small hatchback. Alas, it's not perfect, though (see infotainment).
2024 Volkswagen ID.3 | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 385L |
Length | 4264mm |
Width | 1809mm |
Height | 1564mm |
Wheelbase | 2770mm |
Does the Volkswagen ID.3 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Regular readers will be familiar with our criticism of Volkswagen's current infotainment system, so apologies for the repetition.
For those discovering this for the first time, please allow us to recap.
The large infotainment screen has a clear, high-resolution display and includes embedded navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And it delivers a crisp, clear view when the rear camera is activated.
However, the functionality is all over the shop, and the touch tabs below the display (instead of volume dials or buttons) are hard to use when on the move – and next to impossible to find at night because the tabs below the infotainment screen are not illuminated.
Volkswagen is working on an updated infotainment set-up (with illuminated tabs and a redesigned display layout), but these improvements are still not as good as physical buttons and dials, which are easier to locate with your fingertips without taking your eyes off the road.
Is the Volkswagen ID.3 a safe car?
The Volkswagen ID.3 earned a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2020.
Based on a range of destructive tests – as well as assessments of crash-avoidance systems – the Volkswagen ID.3 was awarded 87 per cent for adult occupant protection in the front seats, 89 per cent for child protection in the back seats, 71 per cent for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and 88 per cent for crash-avoidance aids.
2024 Volkswagen ID.3 | |
Euro NCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2020) |
Safety report | Link to Euro NCAP report |
What safety technology does the Volkswagen ID.3 have?
The Volkswagen ID.3 has a lengthy suite of advanced safety technology including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), radar cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera.
However, oddly it lacks speed-sign recognition, rear AEB, and the tyre pressure monitoring system, in fact, measures tyre deflation via wheel rotation sensors rather than calculating the actual pressure in the tyres.
In the event of a crash, airbag protection includes a centre airbag, front and side airbags, and head-protecting 'curtain' airbags.
How much does the Volkswagen ID.3 cost to maintain?
Volkswagen Australia is yet to publish servicing costs for the ID.3 electric car. However, as a guide the service intervals for the near-identical Cupra Born are listed at 12 months/15,000km (whichever comes first).
Prepaid service plans offered by Cupra for the Born are quoted as $990 over three years and $1590 over five years, but for now these are estimates only. Final service pricing will be announced closer to the Australia launch of the Volkswagen ID.3.
No insurance estimates for the Volkswagen ID.3 are currently available, but the insurance premium quoted for the related Cupra Born is $2082 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW.
At a glance | 2024 Volkswagen ID.3 |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months/15,000km |
Servicing costs | $990 (3 years) estimated $1590 (5 years) estimated |
Energy cons. (claimed) | 16.2kWh/100km |
Energy cons. (on test) | 17–19kWh/100km |
Battery size | 77kWh |
Driving range claim (WLTP) | 475km |
Charge time (11kW) | 7h 30min (claimed) |
Charge time (50kW) | 1h 45min (estimated) |
Charge time (max rate, 170kW DC) | 35 minutes (claimed) 5–80 per cent |
What is the Volkswagen ID.3 like to drive?
The Volkswagen ID.3 is stress-free and easy to drive.
It is quiet, refined, has good roadholding – and it has a comfortable cabin for the daily commute or long drives.
It's a good size for inner-city or suburban driving, though of course it's not as roomy as an SUV.
The overall balance of the car, and the tight turning circle, make it feel particularly nimble. The steering is light and easy.
However, acceleration is middle-of-the-road by electric car standards.
The 0–100km/h claims for the Volkswagen ID.3 range from 7.3 to 7.9 seconds (depending on the size and weight of the battery pack), which is a touch slower than its peers.
That doesn't make the Volkswagen ID.3 sluggish (it will feel perky for anyone coming out of a basic petrol hatchback), but it's worth calling out the performance deficit since we're splitting hairs.
This could also be because the Volkswagen ID.3 has a 150kW/310Nm electric motor versus the 170kW/310Nm electric motor offered locally in the Cupra Born.
Despite the overall positive impressions, we had three main concerns based on our preview drive.
The brake pedal had an unusual feel, a bit like earlier, old-school electric cars. The initial brake pedal pressure feels light before it suddenly gets heavy about halfway through the pedal motion. There are two distinct levels of braking pressure – even when the driver's foot is applying linear pressure to the pedal.
The latest electric cars we have tested don't have such a pronounced two-stage brake pedal feel, so we reckon there is room for improvement in the Volkswagen ID.3 in this regard.
The regenerative braking in the Volkswagen ID.3 wasn't as aggressive as we were hoping – nor as aggressive as it is on some other electric cars.
The 'B' mode (for extra regenerative braking) in the Volkswagen ID.3 falls short of being strong enough to equate to 'one-pedal' driving. So electric-car enthusiasts who enjoy 'one-pedal' driving may prefer to consider another car.
Our other bugbear with the Volkswagen ID.3 is the flawed and fiddly touch controls on the air conditioning and infotainment systems (see relevant section above for more details).
Key details | 2024 Volkswagen ID.3 |
Engine | Single electric motor |
Power | 150kW |
Torque | 310Nm |
Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
Transmission | Single-speed automatic |
Power-to-weight ratio | 77.6kW/t |
Weight | 1933kg |
Spare tyre type | Tyre repair kit |
Tow rating | Not rated |
Turning circle | 10.2m |
Should I buy a Volkswagen ID.3?
The Volkswagen ID.3 will be a welcome alternative in the booming electric-car class when it finally arrives in Australian showrooms almost four years after it went on sale in Europe.
Our main reservations with the vehicle are price (yet to be announced), the inconsistent brake pedal feel, and the flawed infotainment system.
Be sure to take it on a decent test drive – and sample the air conditioning and audio controls when on the move – to check if these elements are deal-breakers for you.
How do I buy a Volkswagen ID.3 – next steps?
If you want a Volkswagen ID.3, you need to pump the brakes for a little while longer. It's not due in showrooms until the second half of 2024 (pending any further delays).
Can't wait? Consider the related Cupra Born, which is sold at non-negotiable, fixed prices.
As this article was published, dealer sources say after some initial delays there is now a good supply of the Cupra Born – and more stock coming – for close to immediate delivery.
The next steps on the purchase journey are to check the Cupra website for stock of your preferred Born variant. You can also find examples of the Cupra Born for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.
If you want to stay updated with everything that's happened to this car since our review, you'll find all the latest here.