Restyled Volkswagen ID.3 spied testing ahead of reveal later this year
The updated ID.3 won’t have a new body, but it will have a sleek new nose and interior
The Volkswagen ID.3 is about to go through a big round of changes this year, bringing an all-new interior, better tech and a new look to the Golf-sized electric hatchback. We broke the story last year, but our photographers have now snapped the new model in its late-stage testing, giving us even more of an insight into what’s in store.
The revised ID.3 will go head-to-head with other C-segment EVs such as the closely related Cupra Born and Skoda Elroq, plus the Renault Megane, Kia EV3 and the forthcoming Hyundai Ioniq 3. It’s still too soon to confirm pricing, but we suspect the VW will kick off at a similar price point to the existing model, which costs from around £30,860. If you’re in the market for a new EV, check out the Auto Express Buy a Car service for all the latest deals.
What are the main changes outside?
The ID.3 will retain its general body, with the changes focused around a new nose and tail, plus fresh wheel designs and colour options. We can see that, under the subtle cladding, the headlights now sit lower on the nose and connect to the badge via a larger graphic. This could be illuminated – as it is on the ID.Polo – and hide the latest matrix-beam LED headlight technology.
The lower bumper will be more sculpted, with larger outer vents to improve the aerodynamics, and a small central grille opening. It’s tricky to see under the clever GTX-like stickers, but the new design will certainly be more noticeable than the tiny changes introduced back in 2024.
These new spy shots join our exclusive images showing off the sort of styling changes that could take place. While the fundamental proportions won’t change, these images do show what the more contemporary lighting elements that we expect to be in use under the skin could look like when applied to the ID.3’s existing body.
Changes will be focused around aligning the pair to the brand’s new design philosophy, both inside and out. These should right many of the wrongs that Volkswagen’s former button-free interiors and minimalist, almost austere design represented for customers. We’ll have to wait a few more months until we see the cars in full, but these new prototypes give us lots of insight into what these updated models will look like.
VW’s development boss Kai Grünitz told Auto Express: “We will bring a re-skin for the ID.3, with a completely new design language going back to where we originally came from, and return to what Volkswagen is known for.”
His comments reference VW’s design head Andy Mindt, whose first all-new model will be the Polo-badged production version of the ID.2all concept. Our exclusive images show how the ID.2all’s styling could translate to the ID.3. We expect the updated family hatchback to feature a more defined two-box shape rather than the near-monovolume silhouette of the current ID.3.
What about the interior?
The exterior isn’t the only element likely to be revised, with more extensive changes planned for the cabin. A major part of this will be a reinvention of the dashboard and interfaces, with the introduction of some physical buttons, as seen on the ID.2all. A solid uplift in interior quality is also on the cards, with more textured and soft-touch materials to boost the ID.3’s image.
Volkswagen will also be making changes under the skin, with Grünitz telling us: “We also have a lot of improvements in terms of battery costs and performance, [and will] bring new features and driver-assistance functions. So there will be a huge improvement, both in terms of the cost for us, but also benefit for the customers.”
What battery and motor options will there be?
In current form, the ID.3 offers four battery sizes in the UK, from an ‘urban-focused’ 52kWh capacity through to the top-spec 79kWh battery pack on the hot GTX. The largest battery offers the longest range of any variant, at a quoted 369 miles, and we suspect this will only improve with new battery tech.
Fundamentally, the MEB platform will retain many of its key technical elements, including a rear-drive layout and sophisticated multi-link rear suspension. The switch to front-mounted motors and a more basic rear suspension will be reserved for the smaller MEB Entry models.
GTI or GTX?
Of less clarity is VW’s stance on what’s happening to a potential high-performance derivative. The German brand has shifted on its front-wheel drive-only policy, suggesting that it is open to using the GTI branding as long as the car’s spirit is intact.
Development boss Kai Grünitz told Auto Express: “Bringing performance to battery-electric vehicles is easy, you see that in all brands. But creating fun-driving vehicles is much more difficult, so the first question is ‘what’s the DNA of something like a GTI?’ How much power do we put in?”
Volkswagen will continue to refine both the GTX and GTI brands, potentially bringing with it e-motors that mimic gearchanges, as seen on the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
“We have a lot of ideas about what to do with this,” added Grünitz. “You will see this, both for GTI and GTX.”
So why rename the ID.Tiguan, but not an ID.3?
Putting it plainly, there’s just too much stock in the Golf moniker to use on what is essentially a refreshed ID.3. Volkswagen will instead keep its central nameplate specific to the ICE-powered Golf hatchback that’s currently on sale, and only use it on an EV when an all-new electric C-segment hatchback comes out later in the decade.
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