Volkswagen ID.3

FIRST DRIVE We get behind the wheel of revised EV, which has enhanced interior quality and upgraded tech

- Sean Carson

VOLKSWAGEN'S ID.3 is the car that AE took the German firm into its third era, following on from the Beetle and the Golf.

It was a revolution for VW, focusing on software and tech for this bespoke EV. But it was also not without its flaws, because it was late, felt rushed to production and featured buggy software at launch.

To address many of these issues, revolution has turned to evolution with this updated ID.3, which focuses on improved quality inside, more advanced software and a subtly revised design.

But let's start with that first point - could you have imagined a decade ago the Golf being outdone when it comes to quality by cars from the likes of Kia? But that's what happened, so the revised ID.3 now features some double-stitched leather on the dash and doors, backed by soft foam where plastic was present on the original model.

Styling changes mean the ID.3 looks a little more premium outside, too, thanks to the removal of the black panel at the base of the windscreen. This new model gets a more conventional one-piece bonnet, so it appears longer and better proportioned, while the front bumper has reprofiled air intakes. VW says the ID.3 has a drag coefficient of 0.26, maximising range.

At the rear, the revised light units now feature an X motif when illuminated, with LEDs that run onto the bootlid. However, overall, the changes are minimal.

Software