It goes to show that the market doesn’t really want ‘techy’ solutions for normal car functions. VW thought they were doing the right thing, developing those silly controls to attract tech savvy people but the reality is most people just want solid buttons and simple controls for basic features. I think the basis for the car is pretty good given what Cupra and Skoda have made from the same platform. The only reason why I’m rooting for it is I want to see more electric hatchbacks instead of SUVs and the MG4 is ridiculously overstyled. Let’s hope the ID2 is better.

Four weeks ago I took delivery of a ID3 Pro 58kW with the latest 3.5 software. I have owned electric cars since 2014. I looked at the MG4 but a test drive showed the cheap plastic inside. Road noise more dominant than the ID3. Excellent value though but p/x offered by dealer not so good narrowing the price difference. The dealer was also 20 miles from me. VW dealer 2miles away and offered to collect the car for any work needed. I am disabled and that support is a major point in favour. I garage the car so where the charger is located is important. Kia, Hyundai & Renault all out for that reason. As for the VW ID3, it’s quiet, comfortable, spacious, well built, I love the use of recycled materials. I have no issues with the haptic controls & info screens. The latter are completely free from lag. The adaptive cruise control is excellent and the controls on the steering wheel do have feel. As for the air con, I check the temperature before driving and that’s it - why do you need to fiddle with it on the go, me I am concentrating on the driving conditions around me. No other distractions to affect that. The car delivers a excellent 4.2 miles/kWh at a steady 70mph, overall after a month of driving, the car is showing 4.7 miles/kWh. Lastly the VW app is excellent and connects instantly to the car. So is it worth it? For me yesterday it is.

It is always a pleasure to watch a review by Doug Revolta. VW should reduce the price.

My daughter has an ID.3, now 2 years old. Asked the dealer for a software update appointment in April 2023 and was given one in October 2023. This from a company that promised OTA updates. VW, please kick your dealers into action. Your early adopters deserve better than this!

'cause, you know, rushing things out worked really well for them last time.

Bought the facelift and love it to bits. 500 km of realistic range with my driving style, so far not a single software issue. Even all the phone & app stuff works 100%. Performance and comfort are two classes above the old BMW I drove before. The haptic touch buttons on the steering wheel work excellent as well. Never had an accidental input. I really dont understand the hate its by miles the best car I ever had and on par with much, much more expensive combustion cars.

Insane prices for the ID3.Brave purchase.

The ID3 is actually more expensive than a Tesla 3 when you include the essential options.

Always nice to see a review by Doug.

I’ve had a Cupra Born since October 22 and can clearly see the improvements still don’t fully close the gap. The overall look is subjective and I appreciate some will prefer the ID3 but I’m still happy with my choice.

VW really dropped the ball on this one. Probably due to the reported $34 billion loss from Dieselgate sandal.

The exterior actually looks decent now! Still not a fan of their infotainment screen (but then again, I don’t think any car manufacturers are getting those right just yet-we’re still in that liminal space where it’s obvious cars will have great infotainment systems eventually, but nobody’s learned how to do them right yet). And I’m afraid those touch buttons on the steering wheel would drive me absolutely batty. Switch those out for physical buttons and this could be a car I’d be happy enough to live with!

The VW comment regarding the four-seat only option when using the 77kWh battery being down to weight (mass) overload, is highly dubious, since an extended MEB platform is used for the larger, heavier, ID.4 / Skoda Enyaq / Audi SUV series vehicles with the same motor, none of which have this restriction. It's likely more to do with packaging, as the addition batteries have to be fitted into the central rear seat space on the ID.3 (as far as I know?). Which is also why the ID.3 cost is so high for a mid-range vehicle, it's main cost element is the same heavy-duty platform designed for the bigger higher-price-point vehicles, and why they had to cut costs on the interior to make it remotely affordable.

I really want VW to succeed, but this update feels pointless when it still has touch buttons on the wheel and the heating controls aren’t backlit.

Why is it so hard for VW to change the climate controls? They used to set the benchmark for cabin high quality, but in many car reviews now, on any platform, the reviewer will compare the climate controls to VW's awful system

£37k starting price. Want a glass roof? That'll be the "Exterior Pack Plus with Panoramic Roof" pack for £3k. Want speakers in the rear? That'll be the "Interior Comfort Pack Plus" pack for £4k. Add a heat pump (should be standard) for £970. Add those together and you're now at £45k. I like the car but way too expensive IMO

9:58 German car makers are very good at that… charge absolute fortune for extras which are included in many other similar cars.

I’m honestly not quite sure why but I just love this car lol

The car is good, its just a pricing issue. They need to reduce by 8k the price across the board to start with.

Wouldn't have one at all. They have duped their customers into buying a Beta model which they have payed through the nose for. Not trustworthy at all IMHO.

These cheap plastics are terrible, entry level cars have better materials. Who will pay such price when even the touch screen looks like a cheap gaming laptop...

I very like it but the problem is the big screen, the buttom on the steering wheel and the price. IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE!!!!

I’m deeply bothered by this refresh, as it’s not the full refresh, expecting owners hold fire, 6 months after the refresh vw is expected to launch a new motor and battery tech, also surrounding cameras are not unlockable even with the refresh, that comes with the motor, the screen size and hardware upgrades, even upgraded parking sensors are only after the refresh, this was a really bad move by vw they tried to do a t but fumbled, and still 3 years after launch, it still struggles to do over the air updates taking a whopping 6-8 hours that can’t be rescheduled

Beautifully shot video! Lovely footage and editing! Great review too, thanks!

Any new car WITHOUT a reversing camera as standard should automatically get a 0 rating in the NCAP - there’s no excuse for putting one in - most chinese cars now have 360 as standard & Tesla have dashcam & sentry mode as standard this is the benchmark - come on VW no excuse for not having cameras in an EV that costs almost £40k

Over priced car, still not resolved a lot of the problems,it's a definite pass from me.🤷

£10k of options, isn't that just a waste of money when it comes to resale? Also, lookswise I do think it looks bland compared to the Seat and Renault offerings...not to mention the new offerings from Smart and Polestar.

Hud Upo Disoplay in ID3 is one of the best one on the market. ''It'' drove me form Birmingham to Cannes, then to Corsica and back to uk. I nearly touched steering wheel an don't once I had to break or so. You wrong there my friend. The touch buttons are crazy annoying but driving for few months you simply get use to it. I have bigger battery on mine, 77kwh and I do around 350 miles in winter and 4000-430 in summer. I absolutly live the ride.

I do like the design of the iD3 and i never scratch on plastics below my knees ;-) But for less than 40K you buy a BYD Seal. Instead of fixing this VW is lobbying at the EU to blocks the Chinees brands and isn’t improving their line-up

Accurate analysis

so the elephant in the room has not been addressed yet. Wait until next year for the next update. But by then it will already be outdated. we will have lots of other better options from other manufacturers and China which will be cheaper, better built, why then an ID3 , 🤔

This fellow is such a good presenter. Too bad about the car though. Still looks so boring and why anyone would buy now knowing that more improvements are on the horizon for next year. Still too expensive. VW needs to get its act together fast given what China and South Korea are offering right now.

Model 3 is a similar price, and it's faster, nicer to drive, has better efficiency, is more practical, has a better warranty, and has a better charging network. The German/China built ones are also probably just as well built as this VW and with far better material quality. The only reasons for getting one of these over the Tesla is needing a hatch, preferring the looks or brand loyalty.

I’m sure VW will give all existing ID3 drivers a new model just to say sorry for selling them an under developed shoddy car in the first place🙄

Was there a different between Germany and GB? My first Edition had Apple CarPlay from the beginning. one of few parts that really works. The head up display has nothing to do with the Facelift. It was fully activated in the first edition (if you ordered it) end of 2021. I own an ID3 build in October 2022 and in includes the OS version 3.2 which is the same than 3.5. No lags, and a brilliant navigation (thinking of charging). Don´t get me wrong. From the interior the facelift ist the car which we expected. Check out aktual leasing rate. VW did increase the price in the marked, but if you calculate the actual leasing it is 20% cheaper that the car i bought in 2022 with the same options and the better material. I made a deep check of the navigation on my vacation trip to Norway. 5760 Kilometer. The only pickup was, after a ferry tour, to recognize that the car was in another country., This took a while or a reboot of the navigation. Charging calculation was flawless.

Why would anyone knowingly buy a bad car. The reviews of the older version were hardly kind. This one is only marginally better.

Which are the rivals that are quieter?

Don’t know if it’s just me but there’s something weird looking about the rear of the car. I think it might just be the black plastic spoiler over the rear window and the slope of the roof, but from behind it looks like the back suspension has collapsed and the front is up in the air.

What are VW doing? I just bought another new Polo GTI. I had the older version from 2019 and the heating controls and steering wheel buttons were the old type, and much better for it. I could adjust the heating without taking my eyes off the road and the wheel buttons were definite and precise. But the upgraded version has truly awful adjustment for heating, and the wheel buttons are like the ID3 in this video - dreadful.

I like my ID3. I commute long distances, no problem. The software isn’t perfect, but I can live with that considering the massive changes VW undertook to develop the ID range. It can only improve. The drive is really good. I understand the frustration of touch buttons not being illuminated, but I do get sick of hearing negative reviews about the touch concept in general. I don’t have any problems using them. I don’t think it should be underestimated what a big shift it is for a massive legacy auto maker to change how it designs and builds future mobility.

A moment of silence to all the people who have been tricked to buy the previous ID3 for 40k

I mean still not good enough is it? You spend most of the time inside the interior and if there are so many compromises, you wonder why VW has lost marketshare to the likes of Kia

In other words don't bother buying this until mid year 2024, the car will improve.

looks much better, i have the touch capacative steering wheel in my arteon and i have no problems with it whatsoever, and i think it looks better than physical buttons

It's too expensive, unfortunately

Never buying VW ever again. Terrible customer service and reliability.

nice summary of the latest updates

Only 2 people in the rear cause WHAT ? Overload the rear axel ? Why is this any different than 2 people with heavy luggage ? what could happen ? Overheating ? Engine failure ?

Why do motoring journalists moan about the Haptic buttons all the time ,I have an ID5 and can use them perfectly

Another reviewer who hasn’t got used to using the steering wheel controls. They are actually the best I’ve ever used because it’s not about pressing the button but sliding your finger along the button and the feedback is excellent but it takes a few times of use to gets used to it.

Vw have changed the buttons

Still has those terrible front electric window controls on the door armrests.....

The 4 seat "option" is the same as the Cupta Born

So, face lift and redesign but still not good enough??? Just cannot understand what VW are doing, seat and skoda are ahead of the parent company by a long way!!

Nice but flawed. You really would not want to buy a used first edition or whatever they call them unless the price reflects it.

Why not use Android software like others, for instance Volvo? There is no high quality proprietary EV software outside Tesla. Xpeng, NIO.

Have they introduced one pedal driving yet?

Where are the physical buttons for steering wheel and climate control? Without it, this car is unsellable.

Looks and feels like a toy 😂 And to think VW says it's a second generation is a total joke. The arrogance. Bet the South Koreans don't even see it as a threat 😂 As for the price? Talk about taking the piss. Do one VW.

Gah, love the look of this car but I need the bigger battery one and 5 seats

MG4

Sorry don’t get the problem with the steering wheel capacitive buttons. Work just fine and look better. Sensible to offer a choice but I have no beef about it and find the criticism regarding it or the volume slider to be silly

Mg4 10k plus less Maybe not as well rounded but 10k less simples plus better warranty to bout.

Another great video from Doug. What the f**k are they smoking at VW. The ID3 is an embarrassment. There’s going to be facelift to the facelift.🙄 Software still lagging behind rivals, cheap materials and ridiculous pricing. MG4 pretty much a much better value. I really hope VW turn things around with the ID2 otherwise it’s not looking good for them

these touch sensitive button are a nightmare... And the batteries are the same as in 2019... Still no speakers at the rear of the car...

VW was a genius in the 80’ & 90’ at engineering, why Audi E-tron interior are much nice … the problem is the software is way behind Tesla, even the Chinese made BYD is much better design on the interior, range is terrible short ! Poor marketing & software development !

Very expensive for what it offers.

1:23 how about the old model? that's not how you fix stuff

Tesla,is making there cars less understandable so VAG has been given a chance to grab some of the Tesla market share for a change.

Is it fixed? Short answer? No.

A great big heavy car with 4 seats and downright dangerous steering wheel controls? No thanks! Good video, thanks.

Annnnnd it will depreciate like a stone!

VW should be embarrassed by this car. No worries VW - Tesla and the Chinese OEMs will gladly take your customers.

The wheels are ugly

The Mercedes EQA is a better all-round car. The ID3 is just too quirky. Same as the new golf. I lived the old golf, not a fan at all of the new golf and it's ALL down to the media system and the stupid bloody steering wheel buttons. Don't fix what's not broken! 🤬

40k more for id3.... need a diehard friend support

Hot take I actually like the capacitive touch buttons on the steering wheel on my ID.4 better than physical buttons

MG is killing it with 4.. Although the design of the 4 is a little overkill. ID3 looks like a bar of soap, and M4 looks like an angry wasp with wings. Both to radical.

It’s staggering. They are literally more than 10 years behind Tesla. That screen looks like it’s from the 90s. Who would buy this!?

I love your videos, can I get a comment heart?

Too pricey for what it actually is. Also, in winter the range drops dramatically /as is the case with all EVs/. At this point, no EV offered new in the European market is worth the asking price. Probably Tesla is the only exception if you can get around the rather unconventional interior.

privacy issues with these cars are off the scale

VW at it as usual. People still buy it these for ridiculous prices

The MG4 Xpower costs less than the base model ID.3. LOL.

Well is it fixed? Are you watching this review for the first time just like me? In your first ID3 review couple of years ago you said it's a must-have electric car. What changed since then? You weren't sincere? So many question marks in the title. You guys have a self-esteem problem? And here one more question mark, just to have an even number?

The platform is too heavy, efficiency is not there, software problems galore, high prices. Forget it VW.

Best Brand in Europe ...best Brand in world . Volkswagen,das auto !

nice

Not vw standard😢

Buy a Renault MeganE, instead of this VW dud.

VW forgot to fix the interior, terrible touchscreen / slider ergonomics. Cost cutting madness.

I spent 100000 RMB, equivalent to 10000 pounds, to buy a low-end model ID3 , feels SO good. I come from China,HAHAHAHHA

Too expensive. Tesla offers more for the same price.

I hate that now they all set for this mediocrity of just sticking a screen and calling that interior. All because Tesla did it. It’s ugly and it’s a terrible experience for everyone in the front seats. And people still love overpaying for a screen and a steering wheel

This should be a sub £20k car with that design, fit and finish. Disappointing.

Worst value for money car.

It's still a crappie car

If this is the best German car manufacturers can come up with they are right to worry about the vehicles the Chinese are producing.

why would anyone buy this junk

It was never broken