Volkswagen ID 3
What Car? UK|October 2023
Well-rounded electric family hatchback receives minor tweaks to boost its appeal On sale Now Price from £37,115
Dan Jones
Volkswagen ID 3

CHARGED WITH THE task of becoming as familiar and well regarded in the small electric car sphere as the Volkswagen Golf is in the family car world, the ID 3 doesn't have things easy. The brand's first bespoke electric car has made a good start, though, scoring higher in our reviews than its larger, newer and pricier ID 4 and ID 5 SUV stablemates.

And now, a minor update aims to rectify a few notable weak areas relating to interior quality and infotainment. Has it worked? Well, kind of.

The tweaked ID 3 makes more liberal use of soft-touch materials; they're found atop the dashboard, on the door panels and pretty much everywhere within your immediate eyeline. The thing is, you'll quickly notice the same old scratchy plastics in less prominent places, such as low down on the centre console that runs between the front seats. It's disappointing when you consider that the entry-level ID 3 costs BMW 3 Series money.

This story is from the October 2023 edition of What Car? UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2023 edition of What Car? UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WHAT CAR? UKView All
BEST FAMILY CAR
What Car? UK

BEST FAMILY CAR

TOYOTA COROLLA 1.8 Hybrid Icon

time-read
2 mins  |
Awards 2025
BEST SMALL CAR
What Car? UK

BEST SMALL CAR

RENAULT CLIO 1.0 TCe 90 Techno

time-read
2 mins  |
Awards 2025
Playing the long game
What Car? UK

Playing the long game

A new generation of family-friendly electric SUVs with lengthy official ranges and keen pricing has arrived. Let's find out which of them is best prepared to meet your needs in the years ahead

time-read
10 mins  |
Awards 2025
Ford Puma Gen-E
What Car? UK

Ford Puma Gen-E

Small electric SUV builds on the petrol-engined Puma's talents when it comes to practicality On sale Spring Price from £29,995

time-read
2 mins  |
Awards 2025
Toyota Land Cruiser
What Car? UK

Toyota Land Cruiser

Latest iteration of this 4x4 gets chunky new looks and a modern interior but mostly sticks with a proven formula On sale Now Price from £74,995

time-read
5 mins  |
Awards 2025
Coming around again
What Car? UK

Coming around again

The Mini Cooper has seen many reinventions during the past seven decades, and now Renault's much-loved small car of the 1970s is following suit-exclusively with electric power. We test the two back to back

time-read
7 mins  |
Awards 2025
WHEN A BATTERY MEETS ITS MAKER
What Car? UK

WHEN A BATTERY MEETS ITS MAKER

End of life isn't necessarily the end of the story for electric car batteries, as Claire Evans finds out

time-read
5 mins  |
Awards 2025
Honda O Series SUV
What Car? UK

Honda O Series SUV

Distinctive SUV with advanced driver assistance spearheads the brand's new electric line-up On sale 2026 Price from £46,000 (est)

time-read
3 mins  |
Awards 2025
Mercedes-Benz EQE 500
What Car? UK

Mercedes-Benz EQE 500

The EQE 500 bridges the gap between the long-range 350+ and performance-focused AMG 53 On sale Now Price from £82,605

time-read
2 mins  |
Awards 2025
Toyota Urban Cruiser
What Car? UK

Toyota Urban Cruiser

Versatile small electric SUV brings a 249-mile official range On sale Autumn Price from £36,000 (est)

time-read
3 mins  |
Awards 2025