The VW ID.3 is up for an update this year and after the company previewed it with a series of official sketches, our spy photographers caught a lightly camouflaged prototype of the EV during winter testing.
The white prototype of the 2023 VW ID.3 didn’t come with a full camouflage wrap, but some cleverly positioned black stickers trying to hide the changes from the untrained eye. The most obvious change so far appears to be the redesigned bumper, which now features a pair of vertical intakes on the sides for improved aerodynamics. The central intake has also changed its shape, losing the honeycomb pattern above it, although the black tape on the prototype tries to make it look like the pre-facelifted model.
Read: VW Has Hiked ID.3 Prices By A Whopping €6,000 To €10,000 Since 2020 Launch
Another visual update is a new single-color bonnet, ditching the black panel of its predecessor making it look longer and cleaner. Again, VW added a black sticker on the hood of this test car in a bid to trick us. Judging from the sketches and from the prototype, the rest of the bodywork will be carried over from the current ID.3.
The interior of the model was covered, hiding the larger 12-inch infotainment touchscreen with the updated software which will be a standard feature for all trims. The small digital instrument cluster, the climate vents, and the center console will also be updated, while the fancy gearshift lever of the outgoing model will be replaced by a more conventional one. VW also talks about improved interior quality, using sustainable and animal-free materials for the upholstery. As for the highly criticized touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel, the automaker has pledged to get rid of them but in they will likely be carried over in the 2023 VW ID.3 until the next model year update.
Volkswagen tries to convince us that this is the “second generation” of the ID.3 although it is clear we are talking about a facelift of the compact hatchback. The EV was originally introduced in 2018 as the first model to ride on the widely used MEB architecture and the first member of the fully electric ID. family.
The mechanical bits of the 2023 VW ID.3 are expected to be carried over in the updated model, but the range figures will be improved by 2% thanks to the more aerodynamic bodywork. VW has also confirmed the upcoming ID.3 GTX hot hatch with increased power output from dual electric motors, sportier looks, and a spicier chassis setup sitting at the top of the lineup.
While the 2023 VW ID.3 hasn’t been properly revealed, the automaker has already started accepting orders for it. Prices start from €43,995 ($46,336) for the ID.3 Pro Life, all the way up to €56,500 ($59,230) for the ID.3 Pro S Tour, with both figures calculated before government incentives. Production will take place in Zwickau, Dresden, and Wolfsburg plants, while the first deliveries of the facelifted model are scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2023.
2023 VW ID.3 Scoop
Image Credits: Baldauf
2023 VW ID.3 Official Sketches
