• 204hp motor is now the only option
• It’s quick for a non-performance car
• Handles well, rides comfortably

Electric motors

When the ID.3 was launched, Volkswagen used to offer it with a 150hp electric motor – but it axed that version when it facelifted the car in 2023. Now, the only motor you can have is a 204hp unit, which should offer more than enough poke for most drivers. However, there’s still no performance-focused GTX variant to compete with the MG 4 XPower.

There are two battery sizes available. The entry-level Pro model features a 58kWh unit, while the Pro S variant has a 77kWh version. Because they share the same electric motor, the two variants are remarkably similar to drive – although the Pro model is lighter and therefore marginally quicker from 0–62mph. Both cars feel quick off the mark, though.

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Traction is excellent, and the ID.3 delivers rapid response well into motorway speeds. You won’t get caught out on slip roads in one of these, and your ability to safely overtake slower traffic is never in doubt. There is occasionally the slightest of pauses between applying the accelerator and the vehicle’s reaction. The performance also doesn’t thump you in the back in the same way as a Tesla Model 3 Performance, which may deter thrill seekers.

The ID.3 offers two energy recuperation modes called D (for Drive) and B (for Brake). The system uses drag from the electric motor to slow the car down and top up the battery – and Volkswagen’s tech is pleasingly simple. In B mode, you can adjust the level of recuperation with the position of your right foot. The further off the pedal it is, the more regen you have. In fact, you can drive it around town all day and barely touch the conventional brakes at all.

What’s it like to drive?

• Responsive steering
• Engaging handling
• Quiet driving experience

Volkswagen pulled a clever trick with the ID.3’s ride and handling. It’s around 500kg heavier than a Golf, yet you rarely feel this heft in everyday driving. The ID.3’s well-weighted steering and rear-wheel drive means you can have surprising amount of fun with the car on a twisty road. It’s a lot more balanced and engaging than the Vauxhall Astra Electric.

A big part of why the ID.3 is so good is its weight distribution. This is normally discussed as a split across the car’s axles but here we’re talking about its verticality. Most of the ID.3’s weight is concentrated low down under the cabin due to the battery, which gives it a low centre of a gravity and a surprising amount of grip.

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You can escape its bulk entirely, though. Even in its lightest guise, the ID.3 weighs a whopping 1,821kg. That’s a lot of weight for the suspension to control and you can feel the chassis putting up a fight when you throw it at a corner hard. And while the car flows pliantly over most surfaces, those big wheels will thump into sharp ridges and drop heavily into potholes. Still, it’s more compliant than the related Cupra Born.

Overall, though, it’s a very satisfying car to drive. Easy going when you want it to be, but with more than enough performance to be fun should the mood take you. The ingredients bode well if Volkswagen gets around to introducing a high-performance ID.3 GTX at a later juncture to rival the Cupra Born and (more extreme) MG4 XPower.