Facing electrification, VW is perhaps the traditional car company with the strongest belief in the transition. The four chimneys symbolize industrial civilization and witness the change from oil to electricity. Situated behind the chimney, Autostadt is the largest car delivery center in the world. Once, Golf was the star of the show here, but ID.3 has rewritten history.
After two years, the ID.3 has finally been introduced to China. Unlike the previous ID. models, the ID.3 is only produced at SAIC Volkswagen. The ID.3 has an overall mass of 1760 kg and a significantly narrower wheelbase than the ID.4X and ID.6X, giving it more flexibility. The minimum turning radius is 10.2m. The ID.3 has a MacPherson front and five-link rear suspension, the same as other MEB models. The front/rear wheel frames and the upper control arms of the rear suspension are made of aluminum, effectively reducing the under-spring mass.
VW designers chose to break with tradition and bring a more sensual and ethereal design to the ID.3. How many people would believe that the ID.3 is a VW creation if they saw the front face without the VW logo? A black trim panel at the rear end of the front hatch is a visual extension of the front windscreen, which gives the front end a more compact look and reinforces the small, agile feel. The wipers are of a counter-rotating design. With a large scraping area, they are effective in reducing blind spots in the rain. With the optional heat pump, the windscreen nozzles also have a heating function. The design of the front and rear of the car echoes the black high-gloss trim that takes up a large area. With the white paint job, the black and white look just like a panda. The ID.3 has a wind resistance of 0.27. Although VW designers could have designed a lower wind resistance, this would have required lowering the body, which would have had an impact on headroom. For a family car, the sacrifice of space is somewhat more than worth it. The spot pattern on the C-pillar makes the whole car more lively. id.3 This group of dotted trim is actually a sticker, unlike the trim on the Audi Q2L.
The front windscreen, front side windows, and A-pillar corner windows are large, the driver sits high and the visibility performance is even better than many MPVs. The door panels have a simple shape with a light-colored soft material in the middle for decoration. The armrests can be adjusted at any position so that users of different body shapes can easily find the right position. The ID.3 is equipped with a panoramic canopy with a large glass area, which improves the light in the cabin. The sunshade rollers are located in the front section of the canopy so that the rear headroom is not compromised.
There is plenty of space in the front, with a headroom of one punch for a 175cm tall experience. Space in the rear is similar to that of the ID.4X, with four fingers of headroom and over two fists of legroom. The backrest is moderately angled and the cushion has a high angle of recline. The luggage compartment is satisfyingly deep and high by two-seater compact car standards. The rear seats can be lowered in a 4/6 ratio, but there is a step when they are lowered, so they are not fully flat.
The ID.3 has a rear-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout and no front compartment. This is because the 12V battery, air conditioning compressor, coolant, and other components are arranged in the front, filling the cabin to the brim.
In Wolfsburg, visitors only remember what the four chimneys look like, but few wonder what they were used for. Decades ago, the reason Volkswagen erected the chimneys was to build a power plant to supply electricity to the entire headquarters site. Today, Volkswagen’s stride towards electrification seems rather like destiny. When the traditional juggernaut is determined to make the transition, this courage deserves everyone’s respect.
Is the ID.3 good enough to fight back against the new energy rivals? In my opinion, the car has shown enough sincerity. Before the test drive, I thought the ID.3 was a new-age “Golf”, but the reality shattered the empiricism. The ID.3 is better than any generation of Golf I can remember, no offense. The handling? Well balanced and fun to drive, reminiscent of an old BMW. Practicality? Compact, yet spacious to the eye in the back.
