Review of the VW ID.3 electric hatchback

VW ID.3 electric hatchback review

The Volkswagen brand has consistently been a car for the people; indeed in July 2022 the VW T-Roc and Golf were the 4th and 5th most-popular cars registered in the UK (https://www.smmt.co.uk/2022/08/new-car-registrations-fall-as-supply-issues-continue-to-bite/). VW really do set the bar for what constitutes a good or bad car - “It looks like a Golf. It sounds like a Golf…” springs to mind.

The German manufacturer have seamlessly bridged that gap between price and quality, appealing evenly to those customers with frugal budgets as they do to those customers looking for something a little more special. And in the world of automotive electrification Volkswagen have thrown their hat into the mix with their early innovations, the e-Golf and e-UP!, being recognised as credible options between 2018 - 2020.

But in a maturing market, VW were forced to offer more robust vehicles with more adequate range and charging capabilities. The truth is that the electric Golf and UP! were really only suitable for low-mileage leasing customers and were not the cars for the future. It was unsurprising therefore when the ID range of vehicles was announced, with the next generation of all-electric VW’s to be produced under this title.

So is an ID.3 just a pure electric Golf?

Yes and No. The ID.3 is almost certainly a replacement for the combustion and electric Golf product and at just one cm shorter than the current Golf (but 2 cm wider), there is clearly a sizing parity. But unlike the e-Golf, the ID.3 is something more unique and bespoke, with a completely different external and internal aesthetic feel.

Where VW are perhaps subject to critique is that their product is often reserved and understated compared to their competition and many manufacturers have been busily establishing some excellent electric platforms. As VW state on their ID.3 homepage - “welcome to the electric era” - there is something more exciting and flavoursome with this affordable city car. Sitting alongside the SUV estate and coupe ID.4 and 5, plus a MPV in the form of the ID.Buzz, choosing a new electric car from the VW group might actually be tough.

What battery options are there with an ID.3?

As at August 2022, VW are only offering just one option for the UK personal and business market in the form of the Pro Performance 58 kWh usable battery format. With recent delays, rising costs and parts shortages, short-term product simplification is something many manufacturers have had to undertake to keep their products moving. Before recent alterations, there were a number of great battery configs to adopt including:

Pure Performance - 45 kWh battery with 110kW (150ps) - range on a full charge of 140 miles in colder weather with warmer weather allowing for 195 miles. Charging times of 7.5 hours from 0 - 100% on the 7.2 kW AC max and 28 minute 10 - 80% DC / rapid charge times on the 118 kW max. On performance, this delivers 0 - 62 times of 8.9 seconds and 99 mph to speeds. The vehicle fuel equivalent is 153 mpg;
Pro - 58 kWh battery with 110kW (150ps) - range on a full charge of 180 miles in colder weather with warmer weather allowing for 250 miles. Charging times of 6 hours from 0 - 100% on the 11 kW AC max and 33 minute 10 - 80% DC / rapid charge times on the 100 kW max. On performance, this delivers 0 - 62 times of 9.6 seconds and 99 mph to speeds. The vehicle fuel equivalent is 150 mpg;
Pro Performance - 58 kWh battery with 150kW (204ps) - range on a full charge of 180 miles in colder weather with warmer weather allowing for 250 miles. Charging times of 6 hours from 0 - 100% on the 11 kW AC max and 33 minute 10 - 80% DC / rapid charge times on the 100 kW max. On performance, this delivers 0 - 62 times of 7.3 seconds and 99 mph to speeds. The vehicle fuel equivalent is 150 mpg; and
Pro S - 77 kWh battery with 150kW (204ps) - range on a full charge of 235 miles in colder weather with warmer weather allowing for 320 miles. Charging times of 8 hours from 0 - 100% on the 11 kW AC max and 33 minute 10 - 80% DC / rapid charge times on the 135 kW max. On performance, this delivers 0 - 62 times of 7.9 seconds and 99 mph to speeds. The vehicle fuel equivalent is 147 mpg.

And until recently VW were not lacking on specification options either with some (or all) of the following setups being allowed on each of the battery options noted above:

Life - standards with 18” aero steel wheels, exterior e-sound, LED headlights, black roof, body coloured mirrors, fragment cloth seats, ambient interior lighting, digital dashboard, DAB radio, wireless smartphone charging, alarm, air conditioning, keyless start, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, parking sensors front and rear, electrically foldable and adjustable door mirrors, heated front seats and the Discover navigation pack;
Style - this adds the 18” East Derry alloys, 30-colour ambient lighting, IQ LED lights, illuminated door handles, keyless entry, rear view camera and climate control;
Family - the more bullish specification pack contains all of the above plus a panoramic glass roof, rear tinted glass, rain sensing wipers, x2 USB in the rear of the vehicle and proactive occupant protection; and
Max - the list-topper adds lumbar support for the driver and front passenger, load-through provision in rear seats, augmented reality HUD, sound pack, Discover navigation pro, dynamic chassis control, progressive steering, side assist and travel assist.

To be clear, as at August 2022 there is only one option to build on the VW configurator being the 58 kWh Life model. While a base model, you can still enjoy a host of 7 colours, one steel wheel and 3 alloy selections plus options like the energy efficient heat pump system (compresses refrigerant under high pressure to produce heat that is used to heat up flowing cold air. This uses less energy from the battery for the high-voltage heater, beneficially delivering greater range over electric vehicles without heat pump), a 3-pim charging cable, transport hitch for carrying bikes and the upgraded carpet mats for front and rear. But with total OTR of £36,860 for a standard model, should you or your business buy or lease this car?

Leasing v buying an electric car is not a new debate and it’s fairly simple to set out the key facts so you, or the company, can make a clinical decision on which finance product is best for procuring your new ID.3. In summary, leasing is a usership product based on a contract of your choosing.

Effectively you select from a 2, 3 or 4 year term (18 months and 5 years can be made available), annual mileages of between 5,000 to 30,000 per annum (with most increments available in-between) and based on an initial rental / deposit of your choosing. By a usership product, we mean that the vehicle is owned and registered to the finance company and at the end of the contract the vehicle is simply collected, after undergoing an inspection.

There is no right to own the EV but this does protect you from any deprecation concerns. Other key details include excess mileage - if you go beyond the contract mileage, a charge will be levied at the contract end. Early termination - if you wish to exit the lease early on the EV, you will be pay a penalty to do so (often half the remaining rentals). For a company, leasing is a tax efficient and cash-flow efficient finance product. With the leasing broker industry centred around bulk deals and discounts, you will often find that the deals are more competitive.

In contrast, many purchase style products, like hire purchase, finance lease or personal contract purchase are centred around ownership. For those individuals or businesses who have the opportunity to purchase an electric vehicle, then these products should be reviewed in more detail.

Regardless of how cheap the monthly price is on the ID3 when leasing it, should you wish to own the vehicle, this would be wholly unsuitable for your needs and requirements. Whether you want to utilise a big deposit, or no-deposit, many of these purchase products do allow you to build an arrangement which suits you. And with EVs continually increasing in price, plus reducing in discounts, there may be a good argument to buy your vehicle while the supply and pricing uncertainties are managed.

And for those customers who like to sell their vehicle, as part of gaining from any profits, or who do not wish to go through a vehicle inspection process, then they can undertake the associated risks. For companies, you need to speak to your accountants regarding write-down allowances compared to monthly rental offsets against corporation tax as part of tax computation.

Volkswagen ID.3 Hatchback 150kW Family Pro Performance 58kWh 5dr Auto Pure Electric Vehicle

In terms of the car shown, the Volkswagen ID.3 Hatchback 150kW Family Pro Performance 58kWh 5dr Auto Pure Electric Vehicle, this is based on the following configuration:

Glacier White Metallic paint
Flow design/Art velour microfleece cloth - Dusty grey/soul black
18" Aero steel wheels
Mode 3 / Type 2 Charging Cable (Public Charging & home wallbox charger – Fast charging)

Volkswagen ID.3 Hatchback 150kW Family Pro Performance 58kWh 5dr Auto Electric Car Lease Best Deal