[Atsoc15]

I had the opportunity to test drive the ID3 at the weekend and thought I would shares some thoughts.

Positives

• It is a lovely drive, very smooth over bumps, around city streets and cruising on the motorway are all very nice.
• It is quick enough, you get plenty of response when you press the accelerator and it pulls nice and quick
• There is almost no wind noise at all
• It has plenty of space inside. I could comfortably sit in the back with the seats in front.
• It has lots and lots of headroom
• You have a really good view around the car for driving - other than out the back but with the rear camera that's not an issue

Negatives

• One of the main attractions for me in considering a VW as a replacement for a Tesla was the internal finish of the car - this was my biggest disappointment. It didn't have the nice feel of sitting inside a VW, it felt much much cheaper than a VW should and more like being in a Renault or Citreon
• Navigate via chargers - for me it is a must for any EV that when you select a destination further away than the charge you have that it navigate you via chargers, the ID3 doesn't do this, hopefully something they can address in a software update.
• It is more like a small MPV rather than a hatchback. Why this I mean it is quite a tall car, and narrower than I expected so both inside and outside it has quite a tall narrow look to it. This also means that inside you have quite a high driving position - a lot of people will like this but not for me.
• Regenerative breaking. This is perhaps something that might improve as you get used to it, but I couldn't quite get used to when the car was going to break or not when I took my foot of the accelerator. One of my favourite things about EV driving is single foot driving. I am sure many other people wouldn't like single foot driving, so for me this should be a setting you can choose a default for, rather than having to select every time you go in to the car
• The same for creep when you are in drive. I prefer not to have creep, but I am sure others prefer to have it, so again it would be good to be able to set it in the software as a default.

Overall I think it is a very good EV, but it just doesn't appeal to me as it doesn't deliver on what I would expect from VW. I think it will sell really well and be successful as it is a very nice car, but not a car that my personal preference would have me buying.

 

[cah197]

it felt much much cheaper than a VW should and more like being in a Renault or Citreon

I'd say the current incarnation the Zoe is at least as good as a VW Golf, if not slightly better, when it comes to interior trim.

Looks like VW are trying to ensure the ID.3 is profitable.

 

[Jimlad]

Im interested in the regen on the ID3 and if its the same as the egolf i have...

When yo are in D and let of the accelerator does it coast? The egolf does and i prefer it that way. I only want it to regen if i press the brake or select B mode

 

[Big277wave]

It coasts when you're on the open road, but if you are approaching a junction it applies a bit of regen. I haven't worked out exactly when it's going to apply the regen but it seems reasonably intuitive.

 

[Atsoc15]

Im interested in the regen on the ID3 and if its the same as the egolf i have...

When yo are in D and let of the accelerator does it coast? The egolf does and i prefer it that way. I only want it to regen if i press the brake or select B mode

Yes it does on a straight - approaching some junctions it applied regain, but its not consistent. For example on a roundabout that has traffic lights in the middle of the roundabout it didn't apply regents, but the junction that approached the roundabout it did apply it.

Like I said I think people will have different preferences, which is why I would like to be able to set a default either way. I you can set it one way, and I can set it another as a default then that keeps everyone happy right.

 

[UKTechie]

When they make the software improvements and offer driver selectable regen then I might be interested but it seems a good car apart from certain things experienced EV drivers want. I have had to compromise but I love the one pedal driving so much I could not get an ID3

 

[dk6780]

I'd say the current incarnation the Zoe is at least as good as a VW Golf, if not slightly better, when it comes to interior trim.

Looks like VW are trying to ensure the ID.3 is profitable.

Interesting to know - the previous incarnations weren't as good as the Mk7 Golf. Is your comment about profitability implying that the new Zoé isn't?

 

[dk6780]

Yes it does on a straight - approaching some junctions it applied regain, but its not consistent. For example on a roundabout that has traffic lights in the middle of the roundabout it didn't apply regents, but the junction that approached the roundabout it did apply it.

Like I said I think people will have different preferences, which is why I would like to be able to set a default either way. I you can set it one way, and I can set it another as a default then that keeps everyone happy right.

Presumably the traffic lights on the roundabout aren't included in its data (I assume that it would normal use Regen if you had your foot off approaching traffic lights and this isn't a "they aren't always against you" decision). Altogether too clever for its own good - you need consistency, even if the map is wrong for some reason, e.g. a hazard like a slow moving vehicle/cyclist that isn't marked on any map but you want to slow down slightly to avoid.

 

[ivand911]

Navigating via chargers is coming in next updates, they will also update navigation map(maybe to include more chargers). This is what VW said. I think you can turn off "smart" regen somewhere in the options. So it will not regen strongly going to a junction. At least Bjorn managed to do it.

 

[Atsoc15]

When they make the software improvements and offer driver selectable regen then I might be interested but it seems a good car apart from certain things experienced EV drivers want. I have had to compromise but I love the one pedal driving so much I could not get an ID3

the good thing that a lot of things can be improved with software updated- so I hope they improve this over time for sure.

 

[ivand911]

VW will not do one pedal driving. They want ICE drivers to get in the car and feel familiar. Not to bang their heads at the steering wheel.

 

[mad_rich]

I've heard this about the ID - that it doesn't have the quality or 'solidness' you'd normally expect from a VW. They've had to build cheaply, which is a shame

 

[Mr_G]

I've heard this about the ID - that it doesn't have the quality or 'solidness' you'd normally expect from a VW. They've had to build cheaply, which is a shame

Which might have something to do with all the litigation and fines VAG have to fund.

 

[Jimlad]

It coasts when you're on the open road, but if you are approaching a junction it applies a bit of regen. I haven't worked out exactly when it's going to apply the regen but it seems reasonably intuitive.

Exactly like the egolf then, perfect.

 

[Padrino]

Thank you for providing us with your view of the ID3. Personally I haven't "seen it" in a flesh so far but as you mentioned the quality of the cabin doesn't seems to be very VW. I've watched perhaps 10 different reviews and strangely enough the one thing that everyone commented on was the interior and the "cheep" feel inside the car. Really disappointing considering the fact that the Germans as a whole always produced cars with very good (and bland) interior. I have a friend with a 1995 Mercedes E300D and 420K on the clock that he bough brand new and after all the miles and years still free of any creaks or loosed trim inside the cabin.

 

[cah197]

Interesting to know - the previous incarnations weren't as good as the Mk7 Golf. Is your comment about profitability implying that the new Zoé isn't?

Yes, the previous versions of the Zoe 40 weren’t as good. Although I’m comparing last years Golf, not the latest one. I’ll let you know when Avis give me one.

 

[First Draft]

By many accounts the new Golf interior is cheaper, too.

 

[MrPaulus]

By many accounts the new Golf interior is cheaper, too.

in my experience, it was the difference between sitting in a Skoda or SEAT rather than an Audi. There has definitely been some cost-cutting in the Golf 8 and the ID.3

 

[First Draft]

If it is SEAT quality, that wouldn't worry me, I had a Leon for five odd years and it was solid

 

[eagerv]

Yes it's a minimalist interior, yes some of the plastics are hard.
I have been driving mine now everyday for 3 weeks exactly, I can assure you it's a nice quality interior, not premium, but easy on the eye. The plastics look good and all the touch materials are very nice. Refinement is first class, especially drivetrain, regen and wind noise.