Where would Volkswagen be in the hit list of electric cars if the ID 3 had been a good car right from the start? Visible and tangible stinginess is unfortunately no longer cool. This mentality has scared off many interested parties. Because the electric counterpart to the Golf drives well in itself, the Wolfsburg chassis can of course do something, and the drive crew has also done a smooth job.

Holger Appel

Editor in business, responsible for "Technology and Motor".

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The now not so new CEO ordered various changes immediately after taking office, some of which can be implemented relatively quickly, others need more time. So it happens that now a first facelift is pending, at the turn of the year a second round will be started.

From now on, the front takes off its chubbyness, interventions on the cooling openings and the front apron as well as the omission of the black strip under the windscreen stretch and sharpen the front end. At the rear, split taillights shine into the flap. The effect is a gain after a first inspection.

There is probably even more need for action in the material presentation inside and the finish at many corners and edges. Here, revised door panels and seat covers are used, some over-hard surfaces are now gently foamed. Important for electric driving is a clever route planning of the navigation, the identification at the charging station should be as easy as with Tesla. VW is getting both off the ground. We will try out the advances in fashion and technology in a test car as soon as possible.

The installation of larger screens as well as the correction of the deppert buttons on the steering wheel, the bulky gear selector lever and the lack of lighting of the sliders for climate control and radio volume require a little more lead time. This can be expected at the beginning of 2024. By then at the latest, the ID 3 will finally have an appropriate level. However, the purchase now hurts badly. With the medium-sized battery, 44,000 euros can be calculated, which is a surcharge of around 5000 euros.