Volkswagen ID.3 MY2023

Because the ID.3 measures less than 4.3 metres in length it feels relatively compact and agile, and it offers an excellent overall driving experience around town and on long motorway journeys, although the brakes could do with more feel.

Like most new cars, there are virtually no physical buttons on the dashboard – the vast majority of controls are on the touchscreen. Once you’ve lived with the ID.3 you’ll get to know your way around the infotainment system, but it has to be said that the design of the user interface isn’t the most well thought-out.

There are four buttons under the touchscreen: P Menu, Clima, Assist and Mode (the latter button giving the drive mode options of Eco, Comfort and Sport). There’s a blue square on the right of the touchscreen, and pressing this is the secret key to accessing other car controls. Instead of the existing buttons, we’d prefer to have more conventional buttons such as for Home, Navigation, Media and Phone. As it is, the button for navigation is quite hidden away rather than being easily accessible at all times.

Heating and ventilation controls are accessed via the ‘Clima’ button, which is under the touchscreen. If you select this button, the climate controls take over the screen and block out, for example, satnav directions. Most of the latest cars have a permanent strip of climate controls running along the bottom of the touchscreen, which is what the ID.3 needs.

Under the touchscreen is a small plastic panel with red and blue lines for increasing and decreasing temperature in the cabin, with the volume control for the media in the centre. These are ‘haptic’ buttons, in other words they don’t give you the feedback of a click like normal buttons, so it’s hard to know if you’ve pressed them correctly.

An Augmented Reality Head up Display helps with satnav directions.

The Volkswagen ID.3 Pro S 77 kWh has an official WLTP combined electric driving range of 347 miles. You can expect a real-world range of 300 miles.

The ID.3 can ultra-rapid charge at up to 170 kW, giving a 10% to 80% charge in 30 minutes.

Three-phase 11 kW workplace charging will give a 0% to 100% charge in 7 hours 30 minutes, and a 7.2 kW home wallbox will take 12 hours 40 minutes for a 0% to 100% charge.

‘Plug & Charge’ is now included in the ID.3 as standard, which means that the driver can stop at a charge point, plug the car in, and the EV automatically authenticates itself and starts charging without any action being needed by the driver to use an app, a charge card, or make any payment.

An Electric Vehicle Route Planner can also select charging stops on a route, with the ability to identify if the chargers are in use or not.

The Volkswagen ID.3 is a super-efficient small family car, offering a long range of 347 miles (WLTP), and it’s also excellent to drive, being extremely refined, with very comfortable ride quality, and responsive acceleration. If you live with the car you’ll find your way around the infotainment system, but we’d prefer to see improved shortcut buttons to make it easier for the driver to access basic car controls.#

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