VW ID.3 gets facelift, but prices rise

The compact e-car VW ID.3 is getting a facelift, scheduled for March 2023. In addition to the revised software, the design will also have a new look. Furthermore, significantly higher-quality materials are to be used, which will ensure a hefty price tag.

VW ID.3 facelift coming in March 2023

In March 2023, the new VW ID.3 aims to impress thanks to its facelift. The software has been given a general overhaul and a lot is also happening on the outside. Volkswagen speaks of a “futuristic appearance” for the compact electric car, which is now shown in the first sketches.

Various magazines, including Auto, Motor und Sport, have already been given the chance to see and test-drive the new ID.3, but real pictures of the new compact car are not yet being shown.

“From the outside you have to look twice to recognize the revision,” judge the testers. For example, the bumpers at the front have been revised, which should ensure better aerodynamics. The hood was also revised and is now longer. In terms of design, the testers say that the car has taken its cue from the Golf.

There are also new lettering on the front doors (Pro, Pro S), as well as a silver strip above the side windows and illuminated split taillights in the tailgate ex works. In addition, the VW ID.3 is perched atop venomous 19-inch wheels.

Much new in the interior

Inside, however, quite a lot has changed, it continues. The somewhat cheap hard plastic look is now a thing of the past. Instead, the VW ID.3 relies on a tidier design and higher-quality and partly sustainable materials.

A new (and hopefully bug-free) software including OTA updates provides the basis. New additions include a twelve-inch screen in the center console, cup holders underneath, and a removable load floor in the trunk.

The door panels are covered in fabric or microfiber, depending on the version, and now feature contrast stitching, just like the seats. In general, Volkswagen has significantly increased the quality of the interior.

However, the sliders, which can be used to adjust the temperature of the automatic climate control system by swiping, for example, remain unlit. Here, an upgrade is not likely to be forthcoming until 2024, after it makes its way into the ID.Aero, ID.7, as well as other new models.

From a technical perspective, however, nothing changes. The ID.3 is still powered by a 150 kW electric motor on the rear axle, but a sports variant called the ID.3 GTX is to follow later in 2023.

The Life, Business, Style and Max models come with a 58 kWh battery, while in the ID.3 Tour it has a capacity of 77 kWh.

Significantly increased prices

However, the improvements in design and with regard to the choice of materials in the VW ID.3 also culminate in a hefty price increase. Accordingly, the 2023 facelift is set to start at a price of 43,995 euros, before deducting the environmental bonus.

A Kia Niro EV is also in similar price dimensions, and is even slightly more expensive at around 47,600 euros. The MG MG4, on the other hand, turns out to be significantly cheaper, and Foxconn is also working on two small, low-priced electric cars.

It is expected to be unveiled in spring 2023, before the ID.3 is scheduled for delivery in March 2023. However, pre-orders are already available at Volkswagen, even if the design still shows the old model.