Volkswagen will soon start customer deliveries on the new ID.3 compact, an EV it once referred to as the “third revolution” in the history of the marque, after the Beetle and the Golf. If the ID.3 really wants to live up to the hype, it still has plenty of work to do, Germany’s leading test publication says in a scathing review.
Issues with the ID.3 have been highlighted before, but this review from Auto Motor Und Sport is the first one on the near production-series model, a car that is probably the closest thing to what customers are going to get. Frankly, the magazine writes, if that’s what Volkswagen is offering for €49,000 ($58,000), it should consider cutting the price in half – at the very least.
Among issues highlighted in the review are uneven and inelegant paint (the inner side of the hood is left unpainted, which makes the whole job feel unfinished and unprofessional, “like it was painted with a spray can”), the incorporation of hard plastics, uneven panel gaps, and poor quality of the seats, which already looked worn out on the test model.
The electronics weren’t up to par, either, the publication says. “There is a massive need for improvement in processing and electronics,” it writes. The infotainment system fired up with considerable delays, voice command wasn’t possible and the navigation system wasn’t responsive, and the ID.3 felt “unfinished” on the electronics part. Range was shorter than advertised, with Auto Motor Und Sport rating it at a real 260 km (161 miles).
On the other hand, the powertrain and the driving were good, with the reviewers praising the ID.3 for handling, braking power and overall smooth driving experience. But the bottom line is this: if Volkswagen plans to charge this much money for an all-electric hatchback, it needs to make improvements to it ASAP. As it is, it’s only worth half the amount on the sticker.
“VW has to make improvements here as soon as possible,” the publication says. “Unlike their competitor Tesla, the Wolfsburg-based company certainly doesn't have a ‘beginner’ bonus.”
Among issues highlighted in the review are uneven and inelegant paint (the inner side of the hood is left unpainted, which makes the whole job feel unfinished and unprofessional, “like it was painted with a spray can”), the incorporation of hard plastics, uneven panel gaps, and poor quality of the seats, which already looked worn out on the test model.
The electronics weren’t up to par, either, the publication says. “There is a massive need for improvement in processing and electronics,” it writes. The infotainment system fired up with considerable delays, voice command wasn’t possible and the navigation system wasn’t responsive, and the ID.3 felt “unfinished” on the electronics part. Range was shorter than advertised, with Auto Motor Und Sport rating it at a real 260 km (161 miles).
On the other hand, the powertrain and the driving were good, with the reviewers praising the ID.3 for handling, braking power and overall smooth driving experience. But the bottom line is this: if Volkswagen plans to charge this much money for an all-electric hatchback, it needs to make improvements to it ASAP. As it is, it’s only worth half the amount on the sticker.
“VW has to make improvements here as soon as possible,” the publication says. “Unlike their competitor Tesla, the Wolfsburg-based company certainly doesn't have a ‘beginner’ bonus.”