Volkswagen ID.3 Facelift first look and impressions

Introduction

Volkswagen first debuted the ID.3 in the beginning of 2020 and it was the brand’s first fully electric vehicle on the new MEB platform. The hatchback was somewhat of a test product for Volkswagen, all first generation ID.3 customers being aware that it's an imperfect product. VW was using it to collect data and reports about what needs to be changed or improved in the future models.

The changes on the outside are subtle and the general design is kept.

And not even 3 full years after the first batch of ID.3’s hit the streets, a facelift is already out and available to order. Our team was at one of the official premiere events of the updated ID.3 and we managed to spend some quality time with the car. Our complete and thorough review of the model is coming soon, but for now let's look at the obvious changes.

Exterior

On the outside, the ID.3 remains relatively unchanged. The only modification were done to reduce drag and in turn improve range. The front looks meaner now, thanks to the new more streamlined bumpers. The hood is also one single piece, which makes the lines of the car flow together significantly better. The headlights now offer Matrix-LED technology to improve visibility during the night.

Moving on to the side profile of the ID.3, it remains unchanged except for the wheels, which gain more options, although the existing ones are still available. Body colors options have been expanded with a bunch of new hues.

The back of the ID.3 got fewer changes as there wasn't much wrong with it in the first place. The bumper is different and the tail lights got updated, which about sums up the changelog.

Interior

The inside of the ID.3 is the place where most of the changes are. The quality of materials has vastly improved and now the car definitely feels more upscale. What was previously covered in hard plastic and cheap fake leather is now upholstered in much softer and better-feeling materials.

The overall outlook of the interior remains the same, but the infotainment system is now bigger and improved. Among the many problems with the outgoing model, the screen was arguably the greatest. Small and laggy, it was simply unfit for a car in this price range, let alone one that aims to show VW's vision of the future of mobility.

The facelift comes with a new 12" screen with higher resolution and better performance. Sadly, we aren't very convinced by the latter promised as in the few seconds we played with it, we experienced a lot of lag and unresponsiveness.

Volkswagen did update the infotainment to calculate routes with chargers and charging times along the way. It will also prefer the faster chargers, minimizing total travel time. The company also added some subscription service that can be activated on a monthly basis.

Another issue with the original ID.3 the outgoing model were the touch buttons on the steering wheel and for the climate controls that offered no haptic feedback. Unfortunately, there are no changes to either of those, so facelift owners will have to get used to those.

The questionable touch controls remain present in the facelift

On the road

The updated styling allows for up to 347 miles of range in the 77 kWh version of the ID.3 facelift. And if you are looking to make those more fun a potent GTX version is coming soon with a power output of around 220 kW (299 hp). Supplying all of that to the real wheels, that little Volkswagen should become a real hoot to drive.

The ID.3 remains a compact useful hatchback, now with even better range and quality