Volkswagen ID.3 Real-World Review: For The Price, It Needs More Range

Harry's Garage features the all-new Volkswagen ID.3. What's it like own? How far will it take you on a single charge? Harry got to live with the ID.3 for a week to find out.

Volkswagen has been talking about diving headfirst into electric vehicles for years now. After many announcements and delays, its first two ID electric vehicles have arrived: The ID.3 compact hatchback and the ID.4 crossover. Sadly, the ID.3 isn't coming to our shores. However, the ID.4 is, and it's helpful to learn more about VW's ID family of electric cars as a whole.

Harry says Volkswagen is expecting the ID.3 to become the new benchmark for electric family cars, much like the VW Golf years ago. While that may not be the case with this car even if it did come to the U.S., it could certainly prove true in Europe, where smaller family cars are a big deal. The ID.3 checks the right boxes for that market since it's little on the outside and large on the inside.

According to Harry's official paperwork for the ID.3 he's reviewing, it has 260 miles of range based on the WLTP testing cycle. However, when he gets into the fully charged car to check the range, it says 198 miles. At one point, before he even starts driving, the range displayed on the screen changes to 179 miles. It's important to note that it's cold and rainy outside.

At any rate, what really matters is how far the car will actually travel before needing a charge. Harry takes it for a long drive in mixed conditions. He really likes the car as a whole, but he's not happy with the range at all. In fact, he wonders how the WLTP could even suggest such a number when he struggled to go 185 miles. Harry says he had to be careful to set the cruise control and not exceed 70 mph, not turn up the heat, and leave the heated seats off, just to barely make it to London and back.

See More Volkswagen ID.3 News:

Nextmove Discovers Heat Pump On VW ID.3 Makes It Less Efficient

Volkswagen Says The ID.3 Software Is Now Fixed And Fully Functioning

Check out the video review for all the important details. What do you think of the ID.3? If it was coming to the U.S., would you buy one? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.

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