V.W. e-Golf vs. ID.3: Which used EV is the Smarter Choice?

[@Lee1188UK]

I picked up a used 2019 e-Golf at the end of September and I love it. The charing speed doesn't particularly bother me and it's an easy compromise when you look at how well built it is compared to other brands, or even the ID3.

[@scottvessey915]

I had an ID.3 for 16 months, and have now had an e-Golf for 18 months. There are a few things I miss about the ID.3 - the power, the battery capacity, the speed of rapid charging, the rear wheel drive (avoiding the wheelspin issue of the e-Golf), and the touchscreen being positioned higher up. Other than those things, the e-Golf suits me very well, and I've been saving about £240 per month on my PCP compared to the one I had on the ID.3.

[@stajpi]

i have 1st gen egolf, for 18 months now, my daily drive is around 100 miles, i enjoy every second driving it :)

[@SteveJulien]

They are brilliant fun!

[@emmanuelosatohanmwen1027]

Thanks to your reviews, i got my e-golf today. It was an easy decision after watching your previous review and this one. Once again thanks steve for the real life reviews

[@SteveJulien]

Great to hear!

[@Mhti92]

Do you like it so far?

[@quetzal4042]

Good points. I think VW made a big mistake in discontinuing the eGolf. How difficult could it be to simply continue it, when all the design work etc has already been done? To me, it wins on looks hands down. Like most EVs with a skateboard platform, the ID3/4 just looks too bulky and out of proportion. If I ever buy another EV, a used eGolf is a likely candidate but I'd never even consider an ID3/4.

[@ajbrannigan4223]

Had an ID3 on loan but couldn’t get past the areas where they had cheapened things out like the speakers. Space is good but the interior felt low quality. Went for an egolf as it was cheaper, the interior was better and we didn’t need the extra range of the ID3. Think it is the best car we have owned. Interested in how the ID2 turns out hopefully like an E-golf. a 60kwh battery and faster rapid charging speed and it would be perfect.

[@yorkshirepud3030]

Excellent review, I have an e-Golf and love it, as a Yorkshireman I call it my “Ee ba golf. The car is soo cheap to run. Just to add a point on charging, I use a smart plug and let it take care of charge times rather than the car's software which I found far to much for my Yorkshire brain.

[@ellasalmone]

Nice summary 😊 same here. We have enjoyed petrol cars but now drive a white egolf and red model Y… and true for longer trips we use the Y. But the golf is such a fine car to drive. It only VW would offer an egolf 8 …

[@NIKAS07]

"The old guy in the parking lot"...lols, so true.

[@john_dee1431]

I couldn’t agree more about the fun factor in the eGolf. It would be great if new EV R&D committees were required to drive the eGolf before starting any new projects to benchmark with.

[@SteveJulien]

Now thats a great idea!

[@roodick85]

Just imagine the new Golf aka ID 2 when it comes out! It's gonna be a fun drive i just wish they worked on the eGolf to get that range up a bit

[@hughmarcus1]

Isn’t the ID2 a replacement for the Polo?

[@John-f8l1m]

Another great video Steve. Had my egolf a year now, bought after seeing your video. All l can say is thanks for your recommendation. Absolutely love my golf. Had a 2.0 litre golf gt prior which l also loved. But the egolf is just amazing and with solar panels and a Zappi charging device, in the summer I'm driving around for free on local runs and for literally pennies in other seasons with cheap octopus rates. Thanks again Steve. 😊

[@SteveJulien]

Sounds like the perfect set up! Really pleased the videos helped, it’s a great car and EV.

[@marvinsamuels1237]

Thanks for sharing Steve. Been considering a replacement for our Ioniq 38kWh and a 2nd EV one for low use (occasional school runs, etc). Looked at cars like the E-Up and Zoe, but the e-Golf might be a better option, especially when doing the school run as we sometimes have to give the kid's friends a lift too. Definitely one to add to my list.

[@SteveJulien]

Glad to help

[@SquareoftheyearFM]

Thanks for the vid, seems like a balanced point of view. I got an eGolf on two year lease because I wanted an ID3. Ended up keeping it on lease for just over three years then bought it a few months ago from Arval for just over £13k. It’s a brilliant car. I do wish the range was a bit more but because it’s not that big it doesn’t spend long charging when you’re on a public charger, even only being able to charge at 43kW.

[@roodick85]

I loved my eGolf before it got destroyed. completely different cars but for pennies to pennies the ID.3 is far superior but for fun to drive the eGolf is king

[@timscott3027]

Thanks for your thoughts on these, im thinking about getting a e-golf as an upgrade for my skoda which excels at town speeds as thats where most of our driving is. I dont want to loose the fun aspect. X

[@avidviewer1]

Thanks, Steve. Another extremely useful video. It's so refreshing to watch a real-world review, by a user/driver, of things that actually matter to the everyday user/driver. Thanks so much!

[@SteveJulien]

Glad you liked it! Hope you’re well.

[@mk1photography62]

I drive a 2019 E golf and its a brilliant EV for us. I wont be selling

[@jaypr69]

I recently bought an EV and test drove an iD3 and and eGolf and bought the eGolf which was way more fun, had better brakes, better regeneration options and felt much nipper too.

[@SteveJulien]

💯

[@ObiePaddles]

Really enjoyed your review. I was pleasantly surprised by your comments on the eGolf. We’ve owned 4 golfs and not the e. Shame on us! My first watch of your channel. Subscribed.

[@stevehulbert]

Always wondered after you purchased the Id3 if you liked it, I thought it was great as you never posted thoughts on the change up and posted more towards Peleton Videos 😂.. I drove an Id3 and hated it,i used to own a mk7.5 GTE, changed that for a 2020 Egolf now and absolutely love it, such a fun car and will be difficult what to replace it with in years to come.

[@jstokvis]

Excellent video well presented very useful information

[@barryw9473]

Thanks for comparison, Steve! I agree with you that it is fun to drive and I really like driving it, and I usually drive it in Eco mode to improve efficiency and reduce the chance of me spinning the front tires with too much torque. No ID.3 available in the USA, and no other EVs similar to the e-Golf, though I suppose the Volvo EX30 may be close. I had a chance to rent a Tesla Model 3 for several days and while it drove really well and was super efficient (pretty close to e-Golf efficiency) considering its power and range, I had a tough time getting used to the lack of driver binnacle and physical controls. I have 70,000 miles on my e-Golf and it is a great commuter car, as well as great for up to ~250 mile journeys, but the battery pack does get hot after two DCFC charge stops in warm weather and then the DCFC speed really drops off (to ~25 kW) - I know because I make a 2 DCFC stop 250 mile trip (last 50 miles are driving up a mountain to 1 mile elevation destination) - but since I only make this trip once a year, it's not a big issue. While my daily driving has not been impacted by battery degradation, when I tap into the car's BMS data , I can see the as new ~31.5 kWh usable energy is down to about ~28.5 kWh usable today, so about 10% loss, and seems to have been somewhat steady at this level for about the past 20,000 miles. Battery warranty covers 30% or more capacity loss, and at the rate the pack is degrading, I don't expect I'll be able to make any claims (warranty good for 8 year/ 100,000 miles). Enjoy your new e-Golf! I am envious that you have the LED headlights - those are very nice.

[@Tomkn8]

Thanks for this video, very useful! Did you had chance to drive on snow with both of it ? I guess e-golf would be better since it is front wheel drive ?

[@SteveJulien]

Glad it helped! The e-Golf can wheel spin when pulling away in ice in the standard tyres. (This can be resolved with different tyres) The ID.3 was good from memory.

[@Tomkn8]

@@SteveJulien Thank you 🙏

[@ajbrannigan4223]

We’ve got bigger wheels on ours, factory option and non eco tyres and don’t get any issues with wheel spin unless really provoked. I felt the electric motor was good at sensing slipping in snow and ice, guess the electric motor can react faster and lower torque without cutting power like an engine.

[@李成越]

I own an egolf and would definitely agree if it’s got better build quality and it’s more nimble. Curious how would you compare noise and ride quality between these two?

[@solandri69]

I own an e-Golf and VW Touraeg (pretty much a luxury SUV). The e-Golf is *much* noisier inside than the Touareg. Not really noticeable in city driving. But obvious on the highway. And deafening when I take it through the car wash. The 2.5 ton Touareg also corners with less tire squeal than the e-Golf. That really surprised me, but I guess I shouldn't be since the e-Golf has skinny low resistance tires. It made me realize that although the e-Golf is a very well-built car, the Golf is still one of VW's lower end models. And they've made some compromises to reduce cost (e.g. the keyless entry only activates for the front door handles, not the rear). The e-Golf is a lot more fun to drive than the Touareg though, if you ignore the tire squeal when cornering. I'm tempted to put fatter non-EV tires on it, range be damned.

[@conormcgowan3018]

I recently test drove both models and decided to go for a 2020 higher spec executive e-golf. Quick question, should the charging green light on granny charging pack not come on when you plug into socket? I tried three different sockets ports and reset the battery pack on charger? Light is showing red, thanks Steve, greetings from Dublin.

[@SilverShux]

Hi Steve, great review! I must agree as a eGolf owners with everything you’ve said. I check out the ID3 locally, but unfortunately they are all built and imported from China. My eGolf was built in Germany for the American market. Not sure if that has something to do with the cheap feel of the id3 interior. The Golf feels much better built and the finishing is top notch. I really hope that I am able to replace the batteries in the future with something that has a lot more density, because I intend to keep it. I actually enjoy it more than other German cars that cost me 4+ times as much!

[@李成越]

It’s to do with VW’s cost cutting because how much the iD3 MEB platform and battery cost, whereas egolf could benefit from mass production of the already mature MQB platform.

[@mrBytemare]

Just bought my self a 2020mod e-golf and very happy with it. It also has a "heater pump" ? not sure what it's called but I was wondering, I hear many have issues with the sensors controlling the heater. Have you had any issues or is not that common? Thanks for great video btw, really like your inputs and tips! :)

[@barryw9473]

I have ~70,000 miles on my 2017 e-Golf (purchased in early 2018) with heat pump. The car had one issue: a faulty charge flap lock (would not lock), replaced under warranty within the first year.

[@mrBytemare]

@@barryw9473 min also had the charge flap lock broken, warraty fixed it :)

[@mrniceguy6050]

Thanks for these reviews. I love VW but the software and control issues on the ID.3 really prevents me from buying one.

[@mitford603]

when the golf MK 9 e-golf is released it will sell by the bucket load, until then im sticking with my egolf

[@satnammann8232]

Hi, I am looking to purchase and e golf or a bmw i3. Both my 2020. What would you recommend? I only drive 30 miles daily and not fussed about practicality. Great videos many thanks.

[@SteveJulien]

Haven’t driven an i3, but do really like them. 😊

[@garethgwilliam]

Hey, just discovered your channel, we've been torn between getting an eGolf and a Zoe. Did either of your eGolfs have the heat pump option fitted which improves the winter range? We've got a GTE and would love to get an eGolf, but the winter range is slightly marginal for one of our regular journeys.

[@SteveJulien]

Hi. Neither of our e-Golf’s were fitted with heat pumps. From memory, it was a £1k upgrade so not many people went for it. 👍🏽

[@garethgwilliam]

@@SteveJulien Ideal, it was an expensive option, but those who did are probably being rewarded as it's really reflected in the resale values, hindsight is 20-20 and all that, and of course if you don't need that extra range it's probably not worth it. The heat pump might just give us that extra 10-15 miles of range we need to be a little more comfortable with the commute. Thanks!

[@hughmarcus1]

No comparison between an E Golf & a Zoe. You wouldn’t compare a Golf to a Clio if you were buying an ice car.

[@ajbrannigan4223]

I’d avoid the heat pump E-golf, they are very reliable cars but that is one area where there have been expensive issues. From memory the cost was c.£1k fix. Unless you live in Norway it’s not worth it. If you need more than c. 100 miles in the winter id look at something else.

[@TheVisitorX]

I can only confirm your experiences. All in all, the e-Golf is the much better car. Incidentally, VW also knows this, because they have already announced to return to old "values" in the future. A new e-Golf is also being discussed. The GTI should probably come back as an e-variant, too. However, the e-Golf is better finished, it drives better and above all, it's not an SUV! You sit much lower, which alone makes it feel much sportier. You are simply closer to the asphalt. The car simply drives much smoother, more easily. The lower weight of the battery probably pays off here. We've been driving the e-Golf for 3 years now and our lease will expire next year. We will miss the car. The only real points of criticism are the range, charging speed and the lack of battery air conditioning. Anyone who can charge at home and does not drive long distances (and as little as possible on the motorway) will still get a car here that is just plain fun. It's incredibly quiet and comfortable, and incredibly agile, especially at lower speeds. I can therefore only agree with everything and recommend buying if you get a good one and it fits the circumstances.

[@mnhsty]

GTI is coming back as a FWD ID.2. Ugh.

[@presidente8822]

So do you suggest purchasing e golf in 2023? I can charge the car at home for free with solar panel and the max distance I will have to cover is around 120 km. Is the battery enough?

[@ajbrannigan4223]

Egolf will do 120km no problem.

[@mnhsty]

@@presidente8822 Do it.

[@radioa3sthetic]

@@ajbrannigan4223yeah it's do 120 easy

[@mnhsty]

As a compliance car, VW didn't make the car to a tight price point, and it shows..

[@monkey555500]

great review of them both im glad you preferred the e golf

[@SteveJulien]

Thanks 👍

[@herr7979]

E-golf

[@Adam-lx4et]

The ID3 charge scheduler is a joke, how did they fail to write the software to start charging in a given time window.. anyway we ended up using the PodPoint scheduler to get around that issue. The e-golf always worked as expected when we had it.

[@olaflanfermann7343]

You missed the rapid gating of the E-golf. In addition to missing range and low charging speed, the charging speed decreases every charge. So i expect you never did a real long trip with the E-Golf(with several charging). On the other hand, the Id3 seldom reaches the announced charging speed. I checked it on my journey from the middle of Germany to Norway (5750 Kilometers) and it worked well. I bring it to the point. If you need occasionally long distance the ID3 is a must have. For commuting and as a second car with your own Wallbox it is up to you. From the interior the E-Golf might be the better decision. With the newest Software the ID3 is more agile, has a good navigation. Software issues should be gone in the newest software. My experience based on 2 ID3 (one 1st edition with the whole mess of Software issues) and the pe facelift model from 2022 with the newest Software which works absolute fine. 70000km in 3 Years.

[@utubegosis]

I wholeheartedly agree with you. We’ve had e-Golfs since 2016 and love them. Unfortunately our current one got recalled two years ago and had to spend a few months with the dealer. They loaned us an ID.3 which we didn’t like at all. My wife usually drives the e-Golf while I drive a Tesla (which she doesn’t like), but while we had the ID.3 she would drive the Tesla and I would bicycle for my errands rather than taking the ID.3. If that doesn’t explain how different the experience of these two models is, nothing will.

[@Bbill2k2]

ID3 is cheap and nasty having had one for a short period as a courtesy car. The MK7 e-Golf is build well and feels plush inside. Not to mention it was a cheaper car! The GTE is the best all rounder. The recent news from VW says it all. Least the Cupra Born looks decent

[@fitness4thought824]

That ID3 is so ugly ..they need to bring back the egolf