Currently reading: New Volkswagen ID 3: cheaper 'Pro' motor option goes on sale

New entry-level Pro 143bhp electric motor option brings base price down to £28,670 after government grant

A new version of the all-important Volkswagen ID 3 has been added to UK price lists, bringing the car's base price down without reducing the claimed range.

The ID 3 Pro electric motor option, available on Life, Business and Family trim levels, reduces the base price from the launch Pro Performance powertrain's £29,990 to £28,670, inclusive of the government's plug-in car grant. 

It puts out 143bhp and 203lb ft of torque, which, Volkswagen proudly states, is 18lb ft more than the venerable 148bhp 1.5 TSI petrol engine offers in models such as the Volkswagen Golf. The 0-62mph sprint is taken care of in 9.6sec.

The claimed range is 260-263 miles, depending on which of the three trim options is specified. A WLTP energy consumption figure of 4.2 miles per kWh is also listed. The lower powertrain still retains the ability to charge to 80% in 35min via a 100kW CCS charger. 

The more potent ID 3 Pro Performance powertrain uses a 201bhp electric motor and 58kWh battery. It promises 0-62mph in 7.3sec and a range of up to 263 miles - a figure that reduces slightly as you move up through the six variants because of weight-increasing kit additions and bigger wheels. 

Autocar's Volkswagen ID 3 2020 review

Base ID 3 Life features cloth seats with integrated armrests, an infotainment package that includes a 10.0in touchscreen with Discover Pro navigation, Bluetooth and DAB radio, and a solely black interior. It also has the Comfort package, with electric folding mirrors featuring a projection light, an auto-dim rear-view mirror and rain-sensing wipers, heated seats and a heated wheel. 

As with all variants, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, Car2X connected tech, front and rear parking sensors and 18in wheels or larger also feature. 

22 Volkswagen id 3 2020 uk fd static rear

ID 3 Business (£33,720) adds to that tally the Design package, with LED matrix headlights and LED rear lights with Dynamic Light Assist and lock/unlock animations, an LED strip running between the headlights, multi-colour cabin ambient lighting and tinted rear windows. It also includes the Assistance package, with a rear-view camera, keyless entry and illuminated door handles. 

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ID 3 Family (£34,650) builds on that kit roster with two-zone climate control, a variable boot floor and a 130cm-long panoramic sunroof. Alternatively, ID 3 Style ditches the first two features and costs £34,180. 

Next up, ID 3 Tech (£36,190) adds to Style trim with an augmented reality head-up display and upgraded sound system, plus safety kit such as Travel Assist, Side Assist and Emergency Assist. 

Topping the range of 58kWh models is the ID 3 Max (£38,220), combining the features from the Family and Tech models, plus 12-way electric front seats with lumbar support and a massaging function. Sports suspension and progressive steering are also included. 

But the range flagship is Tour spec (£39,290), which, chiefly, brings along the Volkswagen ID 3 Pro S powertrain option. It puts out the same 201bhp as other launch models but a 77kWh battery brings the range up to 336 miles. The 0-62mph time rises to 7.9sec with this fitted, but the maximum DC charging rate increases from 100kW to 125kW.  That means a 30-minute rapid charge can add up to 217 miles of range.

9 Volkswagen id 3 2020 uk fd cabin

The Tour spec is also the only model that doesn't ride on 18in wheels as standard, with 19in wheels fitted in regular guise and 20in wheels optional. All other models also have the option of 19in or 20in wheels.  

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Further options include six exterior colours and three interior colour combinations, alongside extras such as a heat pump and bike carrier. 

Volkswagen is quoting an energy consumption figure (like miles per gallon on combustion engine cars) of 4.2 miles per kWh for the Pro Performance and 4.1 miles per kWh for the Pro S. 

The first examples of these ID 3 variants will arrive at the end of the month. As with the limited-run First Edition models already being delivered to early adopters, Volkswagen claims that the entire production and delivery process is carbon neutral, even including the shipping. 

Following the Pro model an even cheaper, 45kWh Pure battery is expected to be offered with outputs of 125bhp and 148bhp, while the largest, 77kWh Pro S battery will use the 201bhp motor. Because of the extra weight of the battery, the Pro S model will be offered with a four-seat layout only.

Prices for the ID 3 in the UK could eventually start from below £27,500 before the government grant when the entry-level 45kWh Pure version is brought to market. 

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jagdavey 11 February 2021

Nice try Volkswagen. Price is still a bit too high but going in the right direction and the overall concept is good. But why on earth did they add all those really cheap looking white plastic parts to the interior. 

xxxx 11 February 2021

At last kwh per mile are being quoted. In this instance 4 miles per Kwh works out to around 260 mpg using economy 7, or 165 mpg on the high paying tarriff. This figures are based on petrol at 1.30 pound per litre. Obviously knock 25 percent off for real world figures. 

djhf 11 February 2021
I think they need a few more trim levels, give people some options