Volkswagen Id.3 variants
Total price
Monthly payment
Figures are based on a 10% deposit

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £18,199. Borrowing £16,379 with a £1,820 deposit at a representative APR of 10.9%.

48 monthly payments
£260.60
Fixed interest rate
10.9%
Total amount payable
£23,757.78
Cost of credit
£5,558.78
Optional final payment
£9,429.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

You get a smooth, quiet driving experience with nippy acceleration. Electric cars can be cheap to recharge and are exempt from road tax for now, and the most popular ID.3 can manage over 250 miles between charges. It might look a similar size to a Golf but there’s much more space inside the ID.3. Meanwhile, boosting its green credentials is the fact that production of the ID.3 is carbon neutral.

Volkswagen ID.3 buying guide

What Volkswagen ID.3 trim levels are there?

There are a few too many trim levels, which we’ll explain here. But for some of its time on sale, the Life trim has been the only option, so you may find more of these than any other spec. All ID.3s get LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, auto wipers, heated seats, adaptive cruise control and a 10-inch touchscreen with sat nav and DAB radio.

Above the entry-level City and Life trims, it all gets a bit complicated. Volkswagen has grouped equipment into packs – Infotainment, Comfort, Design and Assistance, with ‘Plus’ packs of each.

The remaining trims are called Business, Style, Family, Tech, Max and Tour. All six get upgraded headlights, tinted windows and ambient lighting, while all except Style also come with a rear-view camera and keyless entry. Business and Tour miss out on the panoramic sunroof that’s fitted on the other four trim levels, but Family, Max and Tour get two-zone air con whereas the others don’t. Clear as mud.

Volkswagen ID.3 interior and technology

Stepping into the ID.3 for the first time might feel a little alien. It feels quite pared back compared to VW’s other cars, but without such a big screen as you get in the Tesla Model 3 or Ford Mustang Mach-E. Unlike the Tesla, there’s also a digital information display ahead of the driver, and this is also where you’ll find the gear lever toggle. Zany, huh? 

Moving it there and getting rid of most of the buttons has enabled VW to put a lot of storage cubbies between the front seats. There are sensible bits in the ID.3, for sure, but there are also some unusual things to get used to. It’s worth spending a bit of time working out where the functions are so you know exactly how to make the most of it.

Volkswagen ID.3 engine range explained

Volkswagen ID.3 150kW Pro Performance 58kWh

The Pro Performance has a 204hp (150kW) electric motor and it’s the quickest ID.3 currently available. With no gearchanges to interrupt progress and all the power instantly served up, the Pro Performance hits 0-62mph in just 7.3 seconds – quick enough to make a petrol-powered Golf GTI look over its shoulder. Its 58kWh battery enables a range of around 260 miles.

Volkswagen ID.3 107kW Pro 58kWh

Pro models have the same 58kWh battery and the same 260-ish-mile range as the Pro Performance. The difference is a 145hp (107kW) motor, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 9.6 seconds. It’s not as rapid as the Pro Performance, for sure, but it’s still reasonably quick and still very smooth.

Volkswagen ID.3 110kW Pure Performance 45kWh

Next up is the Pure Performance, with a 150hp electric motor for a sub-nine-second 0-62mph time. Its range stands at 217 miles, which is still a decent figure. The upshot of this version is that it takes less time to charge than larger-battery versions – a home wallbox will replenish the battery in 7.5 hours, compared to 9.5 for the Pro and Pro Performance.

Volkswagen ID.3 150kW Pro S 77kWh

It’s limited to the Tour spec so it’s not a common choice, but the Pro S powertrain brings VW’s biggest battery pack to the equation. VW says this car will do up to 336 miles between charges, so it’s a great alternative to the Tesla Model 3 for long-distance drivers. A home wallbox takes 13 hours to top up the battery. The Pro S uses the same motor as the Pro Performance, and is nearly as quick.

Volkswagen ID.3 FAQs

Launched in 2019, the ID.3 is a five-door hatchback that was the first car to use Volkswagen’s MEB platform for electric cars. That platform, and the powertrains available, have since been used in other VW Group EVs like the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron SUVs, as well as the Cupra Born – a hot hatchback take on the ID.3, if you like.

The ID.3 takes up the same amount of space on the road as a Golf or a Ford Focus, but it’s over 11cm taller than the Golf. That’s because its battery pack is mounted underneath the floor so it doesn’t impede on passenger space. The distance between the front and rear wheels is much longer than the Golf, freeing up lots of space in the rear seats especially. There’s a completely flat floor in the rear, making it easier for three people to sit side-by-side.

A 385-litre boot is fine for this size of car. It’s five litres more than a Golf’s boot and is a good, square shape. There’s no storage area under the bonnet like you get in a Tesla Model 3, but there is a cable storage cubby under the boot floor.

A lot of drivers aren’t familiar with the units of measurement of electric cars, and the ID.3 doesn’t do anything to make it clearer. There are a number of powertrains available, but look out for Performance versions which have more powerful electric motors and faster acceleration.

No, the ID.3 is rear-wheel drive, with its motor sat on the rear axle to power the wheels. An upcoming ID.3 GTX version is slated to have a second motor on the front axle to give four-wheel drive.

The ID.3 is very marginally shorter than a Volkswagen Golf – although you’d only notice if you got the tape measure out. The ID.3 is about 10cm taller than a Golf, due to the car’s battery pack being positioned in the floor. Inside, the ID.3 feels much more spacious than a Golf, as its electric powertrain has allowed VW to push the wheels right out to the edges of the car. In terms of boot space, the ID.3 has an unnoticeable five litres more than the Golf, at 385 litres.

With the most popular 58kWh battery, the Volkswagen ID.3 will manage up to 260 miles of range in good conditions. Note that you’ll see a lot less in winter and on motorways, as electric cars are less efficient in these situations. The 45kWh battery still offers over 200 miles of range, while the largest 77kWh battery enables up to 336 miles between charges.