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The Volkswagen ID.3 had big shoes to fill. Billed as the third icon in the brand\u2019s great history after the Beetle and Golf, it led VW into the electric era, but it didn\u2019t quite hit the mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clunky ergonomics, questionable tech and above all, a shortfall in the sort of perceived quality VW buyers expect have forced the firm to introduce updates sooner than planned. Does the new car we drive here address all of the issues convincingly?<\/p>\n
To find out, we\u2019ve put it up against a car that might be the biggest thorn in VW\u2019s side. The MG4 competes in the same class, and has plenty of appeal. To find out which is best, we\u2019re putting both through our Real-World Road Test.<\/p>\n
| \u00a0<\/td>\n | Volkswagen ID.3 Pro S<\/strong><\/td>\n| MG4 Trophy Long Range<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Price:<\/td>\n | \u00a342,870<\/td>\n | \u00a332,495<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Powertrain:<\/td>\n | 1x e-motor\/77kWh lithium-ion battery, 201bhp<\/td>\n | 1x e-motor\/64kWh lithium-ion battery, 200bhp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 0-62mph:<\/td>\n | 7.9 seconds<\/td>\n | 7.9 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Test efficiency:<\/td>\n | 3.8mi\/kWh<\/td>\n | 3.8mi\/kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Annual VED:<\/td>\n | 293 miles<\/td>\n | 234 miles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n |
Volkswagen ID.3<\/h2>\nThe ID.3 we have here is in top-spec Pro S trim. At \u00a342,870, it\u2019s quite a significant price for a five-door family hatchback \u2013 even one with an electric powertrain. With options, the car in these images comes to a chunky \u00a351,215.<\/p>\n Tech highlights\u00a0<\/h2>\nThe Volkswagen Group invested heavily in an all-new platform to carry its brands into the electric era. The ID.3 was the first production car to feature this tech, and the on-paper specs are still strong when compared with newer rivals.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the model we\u2019re testing, energy is supplied by a 77kWh battery, which according to WLTP figures is enough for the ID.3 to travel up to 347 miles between charges \u2013 that\u2019s 77 miles more than its rival here. When the time comes to plug in, a speedy 170kW charging rate can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent (that\u2019s 243 miles, WLTP) in 28 minutes.<\/p>\n An on-board 11kW charger also means that it can make better use of destination chargers (or if you have access to a three-phase electrical set-up) than the 7.4kW-rated MG4. A full charge takes seven-and-a-half hours, compared with nine hours for the MG.<\/p>\n As before, the ID.3 has a rear-mounted electric motor, and the Pro S version sends 201bhp and 310Nm of torque to the back wheels. The compact motor and gearbox weighs just 90kg, although an overall kerbweight of 1,933kg for this 77kWh model is hefty for a five-door hatchback.<\/p>\n Safety:<\/strong> When the ID.3 was tested by Euro NCAP in 2020, it scored 89 per cent in the Child Occupant category \u2013 the best mark awarded to any car tested that year. This contributed to a five-star rating overall. As well as having two sets of Isofix child seat mounts in the back, there\u2019s a third set on the front passenger seat, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n We've never taken issue with the way the ID.3 drives, and that still holds true. It feels much like a Golf \u2013 solid and secure, in other words, if not much fun \u2013 but with the added benefit of a smooth, near-silent electric powertrain.\u00a0<\/p>\n Around town:<\/strong>\u00a0 The lack of driveshafts up front mean there\u2019s plenty of steering lock and a tight turning circle. Add in short overhangs front and rear, and positioning the ID.3 at low speeds is easy.\u00a0<\/p>\n Along with the technical improvements, VW has also treated the ID.3 to a minor cosmetic boost.\u00a0<\/p>\n The new bonnet loses the large, black panel that used to sit ahead of the windscreen, so the front end doesn\u2019t look as stubby as before. Beneath this sits a revised front bumper with enlarged intakes that channel air more smoothly around the front wheels. This minor adjustment has reduced aerodynamic drag ever so slightly; it now stands at 0.263Cd, down from 0.267Cd pre-facelift.<\/p>\n We criticised initial examples of the ID.3 for not feeling quite as posh as one would hope for a car with a VW badge on the nose. The company has listened, and introduced foam-backed materials on the top of the dashboard and elsewhere.<\/p>\n The door trims have been reshaped to give a little more elbow room and more comfortable armrests, too. There\u2019s also soft fabric here in place of the previous hard plastic, so the new material gives a much more tactile feel to a part of the car that is touched regularly.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, this facelift hasn\u2019t addressed all of our criticisms. One of the biggest letdowns is the touch-sensitive panel below the main screen that controls the heating and audio volume. It\u2019s still not backlit, which makes it all-but impossible to use at night. The fiddly dual-purpose electric window switches, which require another button press to switch their function from front to rear, also remain.<\/p>\n Storage:<\/strong> With no centre console controls to worry about, the area between the driver and front passenger is dedicated to storage. The centre console houses an enormous storage bin with an adjustable partition, and ahead of it there are two deep cupholders and a small netted area at the base of the dash. The large front door bins are carpeted at their base to stop things rattling around, too. The only downside is a small glove compartment; its space is robbed by the fusebox.<\/p>\n Even though the ID.3 has a smaller footprint than the Golf, clever interior packaging has delivered a car that is much roomier for passengers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rear Space: <\/strong>The cabin is more than big enough for four adults, with those in the back just as comfortable as the two up front. The Pro S trim\u2019s rear bench is strictly for two occupants, though, which will be a sticking point for those who might occasionally want to carry a third.\u00a0The Isofix child seat mounting points are easy to access within plastic housings.<\/p>\n Boot: <\/strong>At 385 litres, the boot is perfectly usable for a car in this class. The load lip is quite high, but once you\u2019ve overcome that, the space is neatly shaped. A false boot floor is a \u00a375 option. When equipped and set to its highest position, the seats fold almost flat to provide a level loading area with a volume of 1,267 litres.<\/p>\n Which configuration we\u2019d choose<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The entire MG range is cheap, although some of its models feel as if that\u2019s for a good reason. The MG4 starts from \u00a326,995 \u2013 exceptionally low for a car in this class \u2013 and at \u00a332,495, this Trophy Long Range, which we\u2019re currently running on our long-term test fleet, is still competitive. Once options are added to both the MG and VW, there\u2019s a staggering \u00a318,025 gap between the two.<\/p>\n Mechanically the MG4 has a lot in common with the ID.3; not only in its specs, but also in the fundamental approach to its overall design.<\/p>\n As with its rival, the MG4 uses a platform designed specifically for electric vehicles (the brand\u2019s other EVs \u2013 the ZS and MG5 \u2013 share their underpinnings with combustion models), and it features a wheelbase that is stretched to the extremes of the car\u2019s footprint. This helps to both accommodate the battery and maximise cabin space.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another thing these two share is the powertrain layout; both have a rear motor driving the back wheels. At 200bhp, the MG is just 1bhp down on its rival, but its 250Nm of torque is also 60Nm behind the ID.3\u2019s. The 64kWh battery charges Safety:<\/strong> The MG4 was tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, and it chalked up a maximum five-star rating. It scored consistently strong marks across all four categories, which included a 78 per cent score in the Safety Assist category.\u00a0<\/p>\n While its collision-prevention systems comply with NCAP\u2019s requirements, its lane-keep tech seems too intrusive, because it tugs violently on the wheel to keep the car within the lines. This isn\u2019t always possible on narrow UK country roads.\u00a0<\/p>\n For what is meant to be an unassuming daily hatchback, the MG4 is really quite good fun to drive. Nippy electric performance is a given, but setting the powertrain aside, the MG4 is among the most engaging family hatchbacks around.<\/p>\n Around town:<\/strong> At any speed, the MG\u2019s lower weight relative to the ID.3 can be felt from the responses of the throttle, steering and chassis. As a result, it feels sprightly around town. Despite this, softer suspension and a larger tyre profile than the VW\u2019s mean the ride remains fairly compliant, too. The noise from the suspension is well isolated from occupants, but the ID.3 is quieter.<\/p>\n A & B-roads:<\/strong> In terms of straight-line speed, there is nothing to separate these two, on paper (a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds is quoted for both cars) and on the road. The MG\u2019s throttle response and lower kerbweight make it feel livelier off the mark, but the ID.3\u2019s extra torque means its performance tails off less at high speeds. In both cases, the margins are small. The VW\u2019s motor is quieter, though \u2013 a little more whine enters the MG\u2019s cabin under hard acceleration.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the MG4 is more enjoyable to drive. The steering feels much sharper than its rival\u2019s, and it\u2019s pleasingly weighted, so you can really direct that pointy nose into a turn. There\u2019s more body roll than in the VW, but that only helps to feel the car load up through a turn, while making it more adjustable when you\u2019re there.<\/p>\n Motorway:<\/strong> High-speed stability isn\u2019t as solid as its rival\u2019s, but the MG is still a comfortable place in which to cover long distances. Its tyres emit less road noise than the VW\u2019s, yet there\u2019s more wind noise \u2013 especially around the door mirrors.<\/p>\n The MG4 was always going to betray its budget price point somewhere, and it\u2019s the car\u2019s overall build quality where the penny pinching is most obvious. The body panels feel a little flimsy, the paint is very thin (the smallest stone chips manage to reach bare metal), and the cabin doesn\u2019t feel as sturdy as the Volkswagen\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n These factors contributed to a very disappointing score from owners in the 2023 Auto Express Driver Power satisfaction survey. MG finished last out of the 32 manufacturers covered, and, value aside, had a rather weak showing across all other categories. However, those scores cover the brand as a whole, not the MG4 specifically.\u00a0<\/p>\n On the plus side, should you encounter any issues with an MG4, a seven-year, 80,000-mile warranty is included as standard \u2013 much more comprehensive than the VW\u2019s three-year, 60,000-mile cover. The ID.3 has a three-year breakdown package, though, while MG owners will need to pay for their own after 12 months.<\/p>\n The MG4\u2019s all-black interior is a little dreary when compared with the ID.3\u2019s, but the overall layout is still functional. As with its rival, we\u2019d appreciate some physical controls for the air-conditioning, but the driving position has plenty of adjustment and the squared-off steering wheel, although a little odd looking, is good to hold.\u00a0<\/p>\n Storage:<\/strong> The cabin looks a little bare at first glance, but the MG is loaded with nearly as many useful cubbies as the ID.3. Much like its rival, there\u2019s a low but long covered storage bin between the front seats (with a little netted bag at its leading edge), but this raises up at the back to form a central armrest with a deep bin inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n The front door bins are impressively large, too. As with the VW, only the glovebox is a disappointment \u2013 although in this case it\u2019s due to its very shallow depth.<\/p>\n The MG will be perfectly usable for most families, but the ID.3 is the more spacious of the two.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Rear Space: <\/strong>There is one key benefit that the MG4 has over the ID.3, which is a third seat in the second row. That extra versatility will be enough for some, but otherwise the MG lags a little behind for passenger space. Kneeroom is the key area in which the VW holds an advantage, yet the MG4 also has slightly less headroom. It does have a little more foot space underneath the front seats, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n Boot: <\/strong>The MG\u2019s boot is also smaller, with its 363-litre volume falling 22 litres behind the VW\u2019s. There\u2019s no space to hold the charging cable, either, so that will take up some space. The 60:40 split rear seat doesn\u2019t fold level, but the floor is virtually flush with the boot lip, which is slightly lower than the VW\u2019s.<\/p>\n Which configuration we\u2019d choose<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Which car comes out on top?<\/strong><\/p>\n Once again, the MG4 proves itself to be a fabulous electric car. We\u2019re impressed with the way that it rides, handles and steers, performance is more than good enough for a car of this type, and it\u2019s got enough range to easily work as many buyers\u2019 only car.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are flaws, but it\u2019s so cheap compared with rivals that making a few concessions is easy. With an ever-expanding range, the MG4 looks set to get even more versatile; we don\u2019t see it relinquishing its crown any time soon.<\/p>\n The\u00a0ID.3 is a capable all-round family EV. As ever, it\u2019s refined, comfortable and impressively spacious inside, while this new model has bumped up the quality.\u00a0<\/p>\n Based purely on the way it drives and feels, it is a superior package to the MG4 \u2013 but it\u2019s not enough to overlook the massive gulf in price between the two, especially when you consider how easily the VW\u2019s price can spiral with optional extras. As it is, the VW is still not quite the affordable people\u2019s car expected.<\/p>\n The MG4 wins our twin test, but what else is out there?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n What the Auto Express test team would do\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Sean Carson, associate editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe new, bigger-battery MG4 Extended Range wasn\u2019t quite available to drive at the time of our test. It gets a 323-mile WLTP range, bumps power up by 42bhp to 242bhp, yet it\u2019s still \u00a35 per month cheaper than the ID.3 \u2013 before you dip into the VW\u2019s pricey options list.\u201d<\/p>\n John Mcllroy, deputy editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cSince we took delivery of our long-term MG4, MG has added a rear wiper to the standard kit list. It may seem like a very minor addition, but given the way that we\u2019re regularly needing to rinse the rear screen of our car during the UK\u2019s rainy weather, it\u2019ll be a very welcome extra.\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn Grant, picture editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThere are still a few pre-facelift ID.3s left in stock. If any of the mid-life updates don\u2019t sound that vital to you, then the zero per cent finance deal Volkswagen is offering on the outgoing model \u2013 not to mention no lead time on orders \u2013 will make the older car a tempting option.\u201d<\/p>\n Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cVW isn\u2019t the only brand to offer tempting finance contracts, because MG is currently touting zero per cent finance on the MG4. There are catches, though: it\u2019s only on a two-year PCP deal, and you will need to stump up at least 30 per cent of the car\u2019s list price as a deposit.\u201d<\/p>\n Dean Gibson, senior test editor<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cIf there\u2019s one thing MG has proven, it\u2019s that EVs really don\u2019t have to be unaffordable. If other makers want to compete, they\u2019re going to need to react \u2013 and fast. Hopefully, it\u2019ll mean we\u2019ll see fewer bloated electric SUVs, and a few more compacts that make better use of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n Which would you buy? Let us know in the comments section below\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n |
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