6 Reasons to Avoid a Volkswagen ID.3 at All Costs

Key Points

• The Volkswagen ID.3 is not available in the US market.
• The ID.3 is not an exciting car to drive and has sluggish acceleration.
• The mileage available per charge on the ID.3 is not impressive.
• The ID.3 has a finicky touchscreen interface and confusing control implementation.
• The ID.3 does not offer much compared to its competitors.

What are some reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3? The all-electric hatchback from VW has made some drivers in the United States quite jealous considering it appears to be a fully-electric Golf for the masses.

However, the ID.3 isn’t a perfect vehicle by any measure. If you’ve been on the fence about potentially purchasing one, then this guide might help to dissuade some of those thoughts. There are plenty of viable and competitive EVs on the market today to serve as a suitable replacement.

What Is the Volkswagen ID.3?

The ID.3 is a fully electric hatchback manufactured by Volkswagen for the European market. Its exterior styling is very reminiscent of the Golf hatchback, but it has a roomier interior.

It’s great as a daily driver, provided you have a smaller family of course. The storage space available for the ID.3 is adequate, as you’d expect from a compact hatchback.

Specs

Reasons to Avoid a Volkswagen ID.3

Here are seven reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3.

Reason #1: It Isn’t Available on the US Market

This is likely one of the top reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3. If you live in the United States or Canada, there isn’t a way to purchase the ID.3 for yourself. You can purchase other VW EVs, sure, but the hatchback model isn’t coming to North American shores anytime soon.

VW has set its sights on the ID.4 as the flagship EV for the North American market, which does make sense given market trends. However, it is disappointing given how popular compact EVs have been with smaller families.

Reason #2: Boring to Drive

The ID.3 isn’t a terribly exciting car to drive. It isn’t going to set lap records. The acceleration is quite sluggish when it comes down to it, despite the lower curb weight. This might not be one of the best reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3, but it is something to consider.

Your daily driver doesn’t have to be a performance powerhouse to let you commute. However, having better handling and acceleration on tap makes things like highway driving a bit safer overall.

Reason #3: The Mileage Available Per Charge Could Be Better

The stock battery pack for the ID.3 isn’t the best. You’re not coaxing a ton of mileage out of the vehicle when looking at the cheapest trim options. EVs live and die by the mileage available, and you’ll have to spend a fair bit more to get that out of the ID.3.

When you consider that there are cheaper options on the market that offer more range by default, it doesn’t make sense to pick the ID.3. As such, if you’re looking for an EV with a high range, this is one of the better reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3.

Reason #4: The Finicky Touchscreen

If you’re keen on EVs, you’re no doubt familiar with the well-earned criticism towards the VW line of EVs for the less-than-intuitive infotainment system. The ID.3 suffers from this just the same as the ID.4. You’ll want to plan on using your smartphone to provide navigation and streaming.

There are other EVs on the market with far easier interfaces to navigate. Some, like the Kia Niro EV and Hyundai IONIQ 5, are dead simple to use. You’re already paying a premium to get into a new EV, you might as well get something that isn’t a laggy mess to access functions like seeing your battery life.

Reason #5: Confusing Control Implementation

One of the strange choices is the actual physical controls of the ID.3. The ID.4 also bears some of the same confusing design choices. Your physical controls in the ID.3 are haptic buttons, which look great but function poorly.

You’ve got a pair of controls for windows, just as an example. The ID.3 has four windows in total, but two controls to use all of them. As such, this is something VW really needs to go back to the drawing board and devise a refresh or facelift.

Reason #6: Doesn’t Offer Much Over Competitors

The Volkswagen ID.3 coasts by on the stellar reputation of VW’s gasoline-powered past. The first few EVs introduced by the German auto manufacturer have been a strange affair. The ID.3 doesn’t really offer much over the likes of a Chevy Bolt.

When you look at the pricing, you could easily slip into a Mustang Mach-E or Hyundai Kona. Those would net you more range, better controls, and an overall more uniform user experience. This is one of the biggest reasons to avoid a Volkswagen ID.3.

It is just a middle-of-the-road experience. It is a fine daily driver, but there are plenty of other EVs on the market that can handle commutes while offering more.

Alternatives to the Volkswagen ID.3

So, you’re probably wondering what the best alternatives to the ID.3 could be. Here are three of our favorites.

Tesla Model 3

The Model 3 is the most popular EV in the United States, and it isn’t a surprise to see why. You get a stellar range, great performance, and ample storage. Tesla does relegate most of the car’s functions to the infotainment panel, but it is a well-done design overall.

The Model 3 also benefits from getting access to the Tesla driver-assistive suite, which can also include the likes of AutoPilot. The only drawback is the lack of universal charging support, but that is readily solved by purchasing an adapter.

Hyundai Kona EV

The Kona EV is Hyundai’s most affordable EV option. It isn’t terribly exciting to drive, but makes up for that in other ways. You get access to a great range for its size, in addition to Hyundai’s well-implemented infotainment interface.

The Kona EV isn’t available in every state, but is a great choice if you’re in a supported area. This compact SUV also comes with quite a bit of storage and headroom. It drives like a hatchback and performs like an entry-level SUV.

Chevrolet Bolt

The Chevrolet Bolt is the cheapest EV on the market that you can purchase new. Despite this low price, it is a rather compelling choice for users looking for a dependable EV. The range isn’t the absolute best, but exceeds the lowest options on offer with the ID.3.

You’ll have to spend extra to get some of the more robust safety features with the Bolt. However, if you’re in the United States, it does qualify for the federal tax credit. As such, you can chop some of that additional expense off and get a robust and reliable EV.

Closing Thoughts

The ID.3 doesn’t bring much new to the market. Volkswagen has been slow to really embrace the potential for EVs, which is strange given how strong the Audi line is currently. As such, the ID.3 is a hard pass if you’re on either side of the pond.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Sport car hub/Shutterstock.com.