Updated 2024 Volkswagen ID.3 Gets Three New Trims, Aims For BYD

The Volkswagen ID.3 is certainly an enticing piece of forbidden fruit for those of us in North America. Small, relatively cheap, and seemingly less anodyne than the kind of dour ID.4 crossover, the ID.3 has been finding homes in the driveways and car parks of everywhere else but here since its introduction in 2019. But, it looks like Volkswagen isn’t content to let the ID.3 languish in its lineup, the brand has introduced three new models and cut the price some to broaden the car’s appeal.

Of course, this is hot on the heels of Volkswagen’s recently unveiled ID.3 facelift. The 2024 ID.3 has a few minor stylistic changes, like a new front bumper and a revised infotainment screen. The real story is the brand’s three new trim levels for the ID.3: Pro, Pure, and GTX.

Starting off at the top of the line, we have the GTX. The hot-rod GTI-like electric hot hatchback has officially reached sale here. This car comes with a performance-oriented 285 horsepower motor, fed by a 79 kWh battery. Together, the two can deliver up to 375 miles of range, albeit on the somewhat easier European WLTP cycle (as are all of the range ratings cited in this story, unless otherwise noted.)

To show off how sporty the GTX is, it’s chock full of red-outlined badges on the inside and out, and a GTX-specific front bumper. The 20-inch wheels are also GTX-specific. The ID.3 Pro S gains the same infotainment and visual upgrades as the rest of the lineup, but now the rear motor is rated for 228 horsepower.

Volkswagen has also introduced a new entry-level model: the ID.3 Pure. Sporting only 168 horsepower and 52 kWh of battery, this 241-mile range EV rounds out the bottom of the ID.3 lineup. Pricing starts at €36,900, well below the Pro.S’s €47,595 price. 

Also, the ID.3 now has battery preconditioning enabled, something owners in the past have complained about. It can be activated manually, or will turn on automatically when the car is en route to a DC fast charging station. This preheating allows the ID.3 to reach up to 175 kW of power, much quicker than the old car’s 120 kW max power.

Although I think it’s a grave misstep for VW to not sell the ID.3 here in the U.S. and Canada to capture the surprisingly large amount of affordable EV buyers in search of something that isn’t a crossover, these updates show that VW is attempting to fend off the onslaught of reasonably priced Chinese EVs.

At a base price of €36,900, the new ID.3 is within a stone’s throw of the similarly sized BYD Dolphin and MG 4, both of which start within the €33,000 to €35,000 range. 

Will Volkswagen win out with the updated ID.3? We’ll just have to wait and see, especially since BYD and MG are making serious inroads into Europe’s EV market.