Volkswagen's ID.3 facelift hasn't addressed its biggest flaw

Three-and-a-half years on from its launch, the time has come for Volkswagen to facelift the electric ID.3 hatch. A moment we were unusually excited for, as mild updates go, as it’s VW’s chance to at last consign those infuriating, non-illuminating temperature sliders from its system forever.

We have bad news. VW… hasn’t done that. A quick scroll across to the interior images above reveals that the touchscreen looks identical to that of the pre-facelift car, only the screen has grown from 10 to 12 inches. And even that won’t be available on RHD cars immediately. And exhale…

So what has VW done to the ID.3? Not a great deal of substance by the looks of it. Your battery options are still 58 or 77kWh units (although a smaller one is planned). The standard ID.3 Pro still packs 201bhp, and still hits 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds. The top speed is still 99mph. The boot still measures 385 litres. The range is (yep, you guessed it, still) 265 or 339 miles WLTP depending on battery size.

Which is surprising given that VW claims the ‘aerodynamics are improved’ with better flow around the wheels for a predicted drag coefficient of 0.263. Meanwhile the front bumper has been reworked and the black strip beneath the windscreen removed, plus the two-part tail-lights are also new.

Tweaks aside, there’s also a range of new colours to choose from to complement the black roof, including the Dark Olive Green you see above.

Inside Volkswagen says it has implemented a number of customer suggestions, which ‘among other things… has resulted in an optimised haptic experience.’ Which is another way of saying ‘The haptic buttons you don’t like are still on the steering wheel, mwahahahaha.’

As well as the screen and 5.3-inch driver display, the centre console now gets USB-Cs, the HUD gets augmented reality graphics and the driver assistance systems - an area the ID.3 was strong in - have been revamped, with over-the-air updates promising further improvements. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both present and correct too.

Oh and the interior is entirely free of animal materials, with a few more recycled bits woven in too.

No word yet on when the updated ID.3 goes on sale, or indeed at what cost (only one version on the UK configurator squeezes below £40k right now), and if it’s another 18 months before you head into the market for an electric hatch, VW says a new dash architecture is due in mid-2024 that’ll add yet another 0.9 inches to the touchscreen.

And maybe, just maybe, it'll remove those temperature touch sliders? Here’s hoping.