VW expands the ID.3 range – with a new base model

Things had been quiet for a long time regarding the comeback of the ID.3 Pure. Around the time of the model update in spring 2023, VW had announced that a ‘smaller battery’ would follow. Since then, however, the Wolfsburg-based company has only presented the ID.3 GTX with more power and a larger battery – more on this model in a moment.

There are a few changes to the ‘new’ ID.3 Pure. The old 45 kWh battery is no longer offered; instead, VW installed a battery with a usable net energy content of 52 kWh – as in the basic version of the ID.4. The electric motor in the ID.3 Pure has an output of 125 kW and, according to VW, will be capable of a combined WLTP range of up to 388 kilometres. The WLTP consumption is stated as 15.2 kWh/100 kilometres.

The maximum charging capacity of the 52 kWh battery is 145 kW – however, VW points out in a footnote that this is ‘optional equipment.’ The standard equipment will, therefore, have a lower charging capacity. However, this basic version is also more expensive than the one with the ‘old’ battery. Prices for the ID.3 Pure start at €36,900 in Germany. Volkswagen currently offers an environmental bonus of 3,570 euros in Germany, bringing the price to 33,330 euros. However, even then, the new ID.3 Pure does not come close to the price of 30,000 euros once targeted for the ID.3.

A comparable Golf is hardly cheaper

For comparison: the Golf VIII is available at prices starting at 27,180 euros but only comes with an 85 kW petrol engine. To get roughly the same performance as the ID.3 Pure, you would have to opt for the Golf 1.5 TSI in the ‘Life’ trim. It offers 110 kW (but only with a manual gearbox) for €31,530. If you choose the 110 kW model with automatic transmission (7-speed dual-clutch gearbox) as a 48-volt hybrid, you must pay €34,480 for a Golf.

However, the ID.3 Pure also incorporates all the improvements that VW has now made to the compact model. In addition to the measures from the 2023 facelift, that also includes the latest interior changes. Since the ID.3 Pro S went on sale at the beginning of May, it has been clear that the ID.3 will also receive the new interior operating concept with a larger touchscreen and the latest software. The 12-inch touchscreen introduced in 2023 will be replaced by a 12.9-inch version, and the gear selector switch (previously located on the speedometer display) will be moved further down as a steering column lever. The touch slider below the touchscreen is now also illuminated.

These improvements are available for the ID.3 Pro S, the new Pure, and the mid-range option, the ID.3 Pro. In addition to the interior, the drive technology has also been slightly revised. There is an ‘option’ to digitally upgrade the power from 150 to 170 kW at a later date – in the ID.3 Pro S, the 170 kW is available as standard in Germany, while in other countries, it can be booked as a ‘power-on-demand’ offer at a later date. VW has not yet stated how much this will cost.

What is clear, however, is that the 170 kW (this is still the ‘old’ APP310 engine with 310 Nm torque and not the new APP550) improves acceleration from 0 to 100 kph to 6.6 seconds. The battery has also been slightly adapted and now has a net energy content of 59 kWh (previously 58 kWh). The range increases to up to 434 kilometres (instead of 426 km), and the maximum charging power from 120 to 165 kW – in this case, however, it comes standard and is not declared optional equipment with the footnote.

The revised ID.3 Pro costs the same in Germany as before—39,995 euros list price or 36,425 euros with the environmental bonus. Therefore, the price difference to the ID. 3 Pure is 3,095 euros.

The third variant of the ID.3, which is now available to order, is a good deal more expensive. That is the ID.3 GTX with 210 kW of power, which was launched in March. The version is equipped with the new APP550 and a 79 kWh battery (the ID.3 Pro S still has the 77 kWh battery). The ID.3 GTX starts at 50,795 euros in Germany. VW has yet to announce prices for the ID.3 GTX Performance with 240 kW.

The GTX models are not only characterised by the new battery (up to 185 kW charging power) and the APP550 (545 Nm torque, 5.9 seconds to 100 kph), but also stand out from the other ID.3 variants with the more independent GTX design. That includes, for example, the air intakes in diamond design and the daytime running lights with an X graphic.

Source: Info by mail