VW ID3 gets 'clean' design, software upgrades

Volkswagen has completed what it calls a “comprehensive upgrade” of the ID3 full-electric hatchback to address customer concerns about the design quality and the feel of the car.

The ID3, which was the first model to use VW Group’s MEB electric platform when it launched 2020, has been given largely cosmetic changes, but it does get a new approach to software and software subscriptions.

"We have systematically taken on board the wishes of our customers," Imelda Labbé, VW brand's head of sales and marketing, said in a statement.

Visually the new car gets a more conventional look with a new bumper and the removal of the black plastic strip below the windshield.

A cleaner approach to the design also sees the removal of the model identification strip behind the front wheelarch and the optional decoration applied to the rear pillar.

The car's interior uses more of the soft, foam-backed surfaces seen in the bigger ID4 SUV to address owners' complaints that the car fell short of VW’s traditional high interior standards.

For left-hand drive markets, a 12-inch touchscreen is now standard in the center of the dashboard in place of a 10-inch display. The 10-inch screen continues in the right-hand-drive market of the UK.

The software has been updated to the latest version of the ID. 3.0, which allows more over-the-air upgrades. However, the car has not been given the new ID 4.0 software due to be rolled out across new ID models later this year.

The software includes a redesign of the screen to give a clearer menu, with the charging menu now located on the first level of the touch display in response to customer feedback.

'Swarm' data access

The upgrade also includes more subscription options to purchase from the car's online shop, including adaptive cruise control, which in some markets and model specifications can only be activated once purchased from the shop.

With optional Travel Assist, the car can now access swarm data via the cloud if there is an Internet connection, which feeds information to driver assistance systems to help them make better decisions.

The car uses map data uploaded from other VW Group cars to allow features such as centering itself in a lane even when there is just one identifiable road marking instead of two.

The ID3 can also learn to position itself more to the right of the lane rather than correcting automatically to the center.

The facelift does not address all the outstanding concerns that have bothered customers. For example, there is still no illumination for the heater controls at night and also no change to the battery sizes and power outputs.