Volkswagen ID 3 facelift priced from £37,115 in UK
The ID 3 now features Volkswagen's latest-generation ID software package
Electric hatchback gets revised tech and subtle redesign; orders open 27 April
Orders for the facelifted Volkswagen ID 3 will open on 27 April after the keenly anticipated revisions to the electric hatchback were brought to market earlier than planned.
Well-publicised issues prompted Volkswagen to take "a significant and noticeable leap forward in terms of quality, materials and system stability”, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer told Autocar in October last year. He added: “We’ve listened very carefully to the ID 3 community. [The facelifted ID 3 is] a car that delivers what the Volkswagen brand promises.”
Prices will start at £37,115 for the standard ID 3 Pro and £42,870 for the Pro S. In a bid to streamline production, the ID 3's line-up has been slimmed to just those two models.
Both versions of the ID 3 now feature the latest generation of Volkswagen’s ID software package, with revised menus that are intended to reduce complexity and make it easier to operate.
The previous car's 10.0in central touchscreen has now been replaced with a 12.0in screen, and the optional cloud-based speech recognition system has been upgraded to provide it with faster reaction times. The optional head-up display now supports augmented reality functions, giving the driver live directions and traffic information when they are due to make a turn. This was first seen on the Volkswagen ID 4.
Higher-grade materials and re-patterned better-quality plastic are also used inside. Upper-trim models also receive new materials for the top section of the dashboard.
The ID 3’s exterior has also been given a refresh, with a reprofiled front bumper, vertical air ducts and a reshaped bonnet combining to give the ID 3 an elongated appearance and slightly improved drag coefficient to boost range.
The tail-light designs are all-new as well, including distinctive X-shaped daytime-running lights and refreshed scrolling indicators. The car is still based on the MEB platform, so it retains the same rear-mounted motor and batteries as before.
The update is aimed at increasing the appeal of the hatchback, which has accounted for a claimed 300,000 sales since the start of deliveries during the third quarter of 2020.
The problems that plagued the previous ID 3 – concerning usage of the safety features and touch-sensitive icons, in addition to charging issues and range discrepancies – are so significant that they are widely rumoured to have been the reason for Herbert Diess stepping down as Volkswagen CEO last year.
Software development delays led to early examples of the ID 3 using basic versions of the ID operating system, but this proved to be an “absolute disaster”, according to company insiders.
Volkswagen has since been trying to rectify the wide-ranging issues. As such, the updates were brought forward to take place just three-and-a-half years after the ID 3 was first revealed, at the last Frankfurt motor show.
Both specifications are available with 204bhp and 228lb ft, with the Pro and Pro S delivering 0-62mph times of 7.3sec and 7.7sec respectively. The Pro S features a 58kWh battery, giving it a range of 265 miles, and the Pro has a 77kWh pack for 339 miles.
In line with changes made to the larger ID 4, Volkswagen has increased the ID 3’s maximum DC rapid-charging rate from 125kW to 170kW.
Volkswagen says there are plans for a successor to the previous price-leading ID 3 Pure, which had a 148bhp electric motor and a 45kWh battery, but it won’t form part of the initial facelifted line-up.