New ID.3 Neo is the electric hatchback VW should have built first
Developed exclusively from the ground up as an electric car based on the dedicated MEB platform, the VW ID.3 became an important model for the brand, shipping around 628,000 units since its introduction in 2020.
VW seemed to have the right idea from the start with the ID.3, which represented a significant evolution in the electric hatchback market. Though we haven’t driven it, overseas reviewers criticised the cabin execution, frustrating ergonomics, and material quality that didn’t match the ambition of the platform underneath.
With the new ID.3 Neo, VW seems to have gone back, ironed out the flaws, and delivered the version of the car it should have been from the get-go.
So, everything in the ID.3 Neo is new. It follows the brand’s ‘Pure Positive’ design language, worn by the brand’s ID products, which definitely does look stunning, and is complete with an illuminated light strip and logo. At a time when EVs are competing to look as aggressively futuristic as possible, the ID.3 Neo looks like a car. A good-looking one.
Inside, physical buttons are back, material quality is up, and software responsiveness has been reworked. It’s the same set of corrections that redeemed the Golf 8.5 GTI, and it’s welcome here too. As for the retro-style instrument cluster, which takes clear visual cues from the Mk1 Golf, it’s a particularly nice touch.
The powertrain lineup is flexible, with three electric motors on offer: 125kW, 140kW, and 170kW. All are paired with battery options of 50, 58, and 79kWh respectively, with the entry 125kW/50kWh combination slotting into the Trend grade. The 50 and 58kWh packs support DC charging at up to 105kW, while the larger 79kWh unit steps up to 183kW. VW claims up to 630km of EV range from the top configuration, a figure that, if it holds up in real-world conditions, would make the Neo properly competitive in the electric hatchback space.
The original was too rough around the edges to win hearts, and this one looks like it has what it takes. It’s what the ID.3 should have been from the start. VW has taken the criticism to heart and returned with a product that, on paper at least, looks well packaged.
