It is very unusual to proceed with the restyling of a model only two and a half years after its launch. The first Volkswagen designed as a 100% electric vehicle, the ID.3 may have been marketed at 250,000 units, but the German brand has decided to hasten its renewal. The sign that this flagship of Volkswagen’s new start after the “dieselgate” scandal, presented as the equivalent of the Golf on the electric market, has not achieved its objectives.
From its inception, the ID.3 had to deal with multiple bugs in its guidance and infotainment system, but it was its exterior line, which was a little clumsy, and above all its economically designed interior presentation that suffered. most of the reviews.
On the new version, the front part has been slightly redesigned and the disappearance of the unsightly black plastic strip placed at the foot of the windscreen allows the bonnet to be visually lengthened and to get closer to the silhouette of the Golf. Other cosmetic changes made to the taillights or bumpers help to smooth the look of the ID.3, which has become more conventional.
Find a commercial dynamic
The interior, too, has been treated. The dashboard receives as standard the 12-inch screen and foam coatings more in line with what one is entitled to expect from a car whose first price is established at 42,990 euros. Likewise, the rather confusing ergonomics of the original model have been partially corrected and the information system menu is gaining clarity.
“Customer comments have been taken into account”, ensures the brand. In the process, the power of the charger was increased from 135 kilowatt-hours to 170 kilowatt-hours in direct current in order to increase the capacity of the battery from 5% to 80% in thirty minutes. The model develops 204 horsepower and it remains available in two versions (58 kilowatt-hours for 427 kilometers of autonomy and 77 kilowatt-hours for 557 kilometers).
The ID.3 is counting on its slight facelift, a more attractive presentation likely to improve the sacrosanct ” perceived quality “ but also the upcoming arrival of a sports version GTX launched in the footsteps of the historic GTI version to regain a commercial dynamic. It is not certain that these modifications will be enough to transform a car which remains comfortable, pleasant to drive and displays excellent energy performance, but which struggles to fit into the outline of the Golf.
You have 46.38% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.