VW ID.3 vs BMW i3 - Which would I buy? My BMW i3 or the new Volkswagen ID3?

[@mamadouaziza2536]

Thanks for the upload. Your opinion is greatly appreciated! The i3 is nearly 7 years old and comparing it to the modern iD.3 is interesting and it goes to show you that BMW did an amazing job engineering the i3 if you agree that the i3 and the iD.3 are equal in a lot of categories.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Totally agree! BMW need an update tech wise but otherwise it’s still an amazing car. For pure city use id still say i3 too as the turning circle is incredible. Thanks 😊

[@mattetjus]

This. My (just a few month old) i3 is in for a service at the moment (Martens(?) Some rodents...) have chewed on some wiring :-( ) and I have a brand new Zoe as a loaner - in Germany, when trying for similar specs, they are about equally priced (price incl. Battery and after dealing, not list price) - if you do not necessarily need the 50kWh (Vs 40kWh), the i3 is pretty much better at everything. I sat in the ID3 and the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa-E at the 2019 German auto show as well as trying out the Corsa before ordering the BMW. The ID3 might grow on you and be a good drive, but I was really put off by it at the IAA - the Corsa(!!) felt a league above the ID.3 in the "premium" department, both of course no where near the i3.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@mattetjus damn rodents! Hope it’s an easy fix. Good luck

[@mattetjus]

@@ElectricPetrolhead Thanks!

[@edv888YouTube]

Engineers that designed the VW ID 3 &4 are the same engineers that designed the BMW i3s

[@bjornlundgren1811]

Great, many thanks for this very interesting comparison. I have an 6 months old i3s and agree with many things you raised. The i3 is not perfect but somehow grows on you with its personality...

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Agree! It’ll be a hard one to sell for sure... as in we won’t want to 😂

[@lauriemiles1842]

You need to look at the rapid charging curve, as well as just the max charging speed. The i3 has a flat curve up to 90%, only tailing off after that. The id3 150kw charging starts throttling back at *35%*! (see ev-database.uk)

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Thanks for this. Useful info. I tried to jump on BPChargemasters 150kw charger at their head office but as it was outside of office hours the security guard just have been asleep as I couldn’t get entry. Shame as wanted to test the curve. Appreciate the input Laurie. Thanks!

[@petergrant7127]

Interesting comparisons Andy, and fair comments. I think if you haven't yet , you should take a look at the Zwickau factory. The zero carbon production of the id3 was a big plus in our choice of next ev. Have been driving an e-Up! for the past four and a half years, but looking forward to a longer range for enjoyable road trips. Can't wait to travel this beautiful land with a reasonably small carbon footprint.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Ooo thanks for this Peter. I’m yet to research the factories so I’ll look into Zwickau and do a video on that too. I drove an eUP recently. Am yet to edit the video. I enjoyed it but you’ll enjoy the ID3 even more. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻

[@stefanvanvuuren3931]

Great video, fantastic summary. Thanks.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Thank you. Appreciate that :) Andy

[@The_Jimrod]

One point ALWAYS overlooked on the charging - the i3 is one of the few cars which will charge at max speed to 100% full - nearly all others slow down once they get past 70+%, the BMW will probably be charging faster at 90% than many.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Agreed but 50kw vs 100kw here. Would be interesting to have a charging race and see how they compare actually! Good point well made James. Thanks

[@The_Jimrod]

@@ElectricPetrolhead True, haven't looked into the ID3 specifically but just having a quick browse (certain Nordic channel) could see at 90% it had dropped to 22Kw, he said that was better than most! My i3 lease is up in November and the "s" is affordable at the mo - such a shame they haven't given it the 50kw battery bump this time as most rivals now have, especially as it's running until 2024...

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@The_Jimrod Yep agreed. Surprised it hasn't had more battery added. BMW keep teasing they will but never do. Frustrating!

[@belgianbuzzer]

I had a BMW i3 for 3 yrs and 33.000 km. Then it burned down along with our house: arson! Although the BMW had very good quality overall, the most important thing was lacking: it sailed all over the road. You could not take your eyes for more than a second off the road or the car would be all over the place. Alone for that reason, I was in a way happy that it perished in the fire. Then I bought an eGolf, now also 3+ yrs old and 50.000 km. What a delight. The eGolf is an absolute top class electric car, very underrated and at least on a par with the ID3 from VW: just as quiet etc. etc. but stable like a rock on the road. You can take yr hands off the steering wheel and 1 km farther it is still in its lane. A masterpiece - no longer produced, however. Why so good? it is simply a Golf,a car that has proven itself decades long, but electrified. With real knobs and lots of info right on the screen without having to hoop through many screens on the infotainment, like resetting the trip odometer to zero: one single real-life knob! Additionally some €8k cheaper than the BMWi3 and much larger with normal doors; because of the battery weight, it feels like a much larger sedan. I drove the VW ID3: nice car and modern with internet etc. But I prefer my eGolf. Get one while you still can. Of course, the BMW i3 I had was one of the first ones (2013); they may be better now; regeneration is certainly better in the i3, and the Harman Kardon installation is perfect. But driving pleasure in the eGolf (and in the ID3 as far as I know that car) is definitely miles above the BMWi3.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

The best and worst part of the i3 is the narrow tyres. Great in town centres but as you say on main roads. My 2019 was like tonight at 70mph. Have to take things very easy. eGolf I need to drive. I’ve driven eUP and ID3 and enjoyed both. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻👍🏻

[@kubiyoshi2744]

But egolf is much slower and have a cadmium (cancerous) in the charger thats why they are not doing it anymore. I think VW didn't do any recall on that (nothing on the Internet) they just stoped making them.

[@colindavies6030]

Thank you. Your video couldn't be better timed as we're currently choosing between an i3 and an id.3 as a second car to complement a Model S which we've had for three years. We're currently favouring the i3 mainly because we think it drives more like the Tesla in term of regenerative braking and instant throttle response which we like. Even driving the id.3 with B mode and sports mode engaged it didn't seem to be as responsive as the i3 so we were a bit surprised the you rated the id.3 better for driving. That said we've driven an i3 for four days and an id.3 for only an hour because the EV centre at Milton Keynes is currently closed because of lockdown. Do you think a longer test drive in the id.3 after lockdown be likely to change our view on braking and throttle response. We greed with everything else you said.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Hi Colin, You're right with the regen. The i3 will feel more like a ModelS in that regard. Infact we ran a ModelS alongside the i3 and they complimented eachother really well. The brake pedal in the i3 feels better. Have you watched my two Love/Hate videos? I talk about the ID3 brake feel in that video and how it felt a bit fake. Over servo'd or similar. The ID3 does feel more planted due to the wider tyres and this brings a confidence to the driving. Take it down a backroad and the ID3 is more enjoyable than the i3. What's your usage for the i3? When we had both, we'd use the i3 just for nipping around MK and used the ModelS for long journeys. I went through the whole driving experience with the ID3 thinking it was faster than an i3. I try not to read tooo much before driving as it leads to a bias. Prefer to review as I see the car. But driving it back to EVEC with Kate in the i3 we both floored it from 10mph and they were practically the same acceleration wise. I know EVEC had to cancel test drives due to lockdown, but worth an email to them to see if you can get it for a longer drive. I'm here if you have more questions. It's why I always encourage comments as I can tailor a response to your scenario, whereas in a video I'm more general. You can't really go wrong with either tbh. Cheers!

[@G4IVV]

Thanks for the video, its very helpful. I've had my i3 now for 3.5years and 42000 miles, and starting to think what to go for next. I would like more range (really 200miles would be good - I have the 94Ah REx i3) and a little more space. Also want to lose the REx, as it gets more use on maintenance cycles at the moment, but have need for some longer journeys over the next few years. Choice is probably coming down to e-Niro or ID.3 - our driveway access is a bit tight so a Model 3 would probably be a bit tricky for everyday use unfortunately. I do love the i3 but concur with all your comments. Its fantastic around town, love the interior. But catches cross winds on the motorway and last year I had a string of punctures (one new tyre had to be replaced after less than a month due to another puncture). Hopefully that was just bad luck! Otherwise its been great. I think I'm leaning towards the ID.3 (if it had i3 steering controls and volume knob I think I would have already ordered one) as it ticks most of the boxes. But if I do sell the i3 I know that I'll miss it!

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Yep I think we're very alike in our experiences and views. ID3 would suit you well. Especially once they sort out the early issues. I was surprised to find out just now the eNiro is narrower than an ID3. ID3: 180.9cm eNiro: 180.5cm Model3: 184.9cm So I've learned something today! Thanks! Really need to drive the Niro and Kona next year. I didn't like the haptic controls on the ID3 but I've had plenty say they got used to them. So hopefully it won't be a dealbreaker for you. Have you driven one?

[@G4IVV]

@@ElectricPetrolhead Unfortunately I haven't had chance to test drive before we went into tier 4 the other week (just over in Cambridgeshire), so I may have to wait for a little while to finally decide, but videos like yours do help a lot in the meantime. Do you have any thoughts on the heatpump? I like the possibility of better efficiency in winter, but to be honest I don't think I'll be doing long journeys in winter and I understand its a high pressure CO2 system - which is greener but more new tech - how far do you chance your luck on rev. 1 of things? I wonder if there's enough new bits to sort out without adding that as well :-)

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@G4IVV thanks! Nice comment to receive. Maybe keep in touch with EVEC and see if you can get a week’s rental? Get a proper go in one. Heat pump - afraid I haven’t enough experience to comment either way. Sorry. Cheers

[@Ronin585]

The doubt offends ... of course I would buy the best BEV in quality, price, equipment and autonomy that there is today, the Kia e-Niro 2020 with the 64 kWh battery and all the equipment.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Great cars!

[@scottvessey915]

If you want an SUV. My neighbour loves his Kia but it's definitely not for me!

[@Ronin585]

@@scottvessey915 The Kia e-Niro is not an SUV, but a crossover. It's a matter of taste, for me it is the best BEV today in equipment, autonomy, quality and price.

[@petergrant7127]

@@Ronin585 You're absolutely right with it being your own taste, and obviously yours is for the Kia. But the big difference for me is that it's still an ice body and fwd.

[@autobahngringo]

The question is would you buy another BMW i3? We have just ordered our 2nd i3 after two years. This time with the "S" on the badge. The car is very special :)

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

I'd happily have another i3. Really do love them. Due to the road conditions near us (bumpy) and our girls getting older (5/7 now) I could be tempted by the ID3. Kinda glad I don't have to make a decision as its close!! Ha. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@stuartmitchell6331]

Having had your i3 for 2 years can you detail how it handles in snow/ice and do you have winter wheels and tyres, if so what size and spec are they

[@autobahngringo]

@@stuartmitchell6331 Hello, the winter wheels and tires are all 155/19 :( - the only size you can get unfortunately. I believe the "S" has 155/20 winter tires all the way around. I must say however that the skinny tires cut through the snow and traction is very good. Norwegians love the car in the snow. It's one of the best selling E-cars in Scandinavia. We live in Germany, where it doesn't snow as much. We love our I3. We now have the I3 S Blue Ridge Mountain with black wheels on order. It should arrive in late May.2021

[@stuartmitchell6331]

@@autobahngringo thanks for the reply. Think the Norwegians are required to put winter tyres on their vehicles, hence the enjoyment, summer tyres would be an issue with snow and ice deposits.

[@mamadouaziza2536]

The i3 has a much smaller battery so charging it from zero to 80% pretty much evens out with the 100kw charging speed of the iD.3 from zero to 80% with the bigger battery.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

True! Always need to take in the battery size. 44 vs 58 isn’t a massive difference though. Biggest issue in the UK is most rapids are 50kw so it is irrelevant for the time being for most charges. Thanks for watching and commenting 🥰

[@markj702]

Fantastic stuff. Helps for the decision-making for sure

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Pleasure to help Mark. All the best 👍🏻

[@davelocktalk]

Can you preheated a vw id3 ? I cant find this out? And are the batteries liquid cooled?

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Heya. Have checked with EVEC and yep. There’s an app to warm the car. This usually does the batteries too. More reading on liquid cooling etc here insideevs.com/news/387078/volkswagen-id3-battery-pack-in-brief/ Cheers!

[@DrMatthewhannah]

Nice content, deserves more subs

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Wow thanks mate. Lovely to hear that! Any ideas how? Haha

[@Sanjiocom]

Hi there, great comparison. Does the BMW i3 or VW ID3 have isofix mount for the front passenger seat?

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Thanks for watching i3 only has isofix in the rear (only 2 rear seats too) ID3 appears to have it in front as well but I would double check as there’s some variety in specs and not sure if that covers isofix or not. Cheers

[@Sanjiocom]

@@ElectricPetrolhead thanks!

[@carol-annefrazer2549]

Thanks for this

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Pleasure. Let me know if I can help further Carol-Anne 👍🏻

[@stuartmitchell6331]

Having had your i3 for 2 years can you detail how it handles in snow/ice and do you have winter wheels and tyres, if so what size and spec are they

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Hey Stuart. Afraid we haven’t had much snow where I live since we’ve had the car so I’ve not had a need for winter tyres. Possibly getting some snow in next few days so will do a video if so! 🥰 Thanks for commenting and watching

[@stuartmitchell6331]

@@ElectricPetrolhead Thanks, we have snow up here today hopefully where you are too, only to give the i3 a blast

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@stuartmitchell6331 I wish. Overcast here and no snow. Forecasts changed too. We often miss it in North Buckinghamshire 🤷‍♂️😢

[@michaelmuntzenberg7887]

Ich habe an einen I3 gedacht, aber nächste Woche bekomme ich meinen ID3

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Herzliche Glückwünsche! Ich hoffe dir gefällt es. Andy

[@janhoogendijk8604]

100% untherstand you for me the i3 is the winner but me are a granddad once a week I drive with my 5 yo grandson who loves the BMW brand.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I agree the BMW brand is very cool. Thanks for getting your grandson into EVs already! My two daughters only want EVs for us now. Ha

[@janekelly6363]

Have tried ID3 really liked it, I3 on Tuesday- thanks for video I have taken your points onboard.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Pleasure. Hope you enjoy the i3 and can choose your favourite. 👍🏻 Thanks for watching and commenting

[@janekelly6363]

@@ElectricPetrolhead really like the i3 it’s has personality and although id3 has benefits over the i3, the i3 is a fun car and suits my needs.

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@janekelly6363 yep agreed. Did 120 miles in ours today and still love it 2 years on.

[@rupprechtknecht3103]

In 2005 we bought a brandnew VW Caddy 1.6 Life as family car- after 4 years and 70.000 Km it had a complete engine breakdown due to broken piston rings. We got no money from VW so we decided to install an used engine for lots of money. Some years later there had been fist size rust holes in both sides of zinc coated rocker panels. Lots of needles defects like a broken ignition lock and engine sensors and four exhaust silencer plus defective brake calipers on all wheels over the years. It was the worst car ever we had. Never will have a thought to buy another VW in this life. Anyhow - in April 2020 I bought a new BMW i3 with sport package to use it as commuter vehicle. Absolutely no issue so far. Today it has 12.000 Km on the odometer. The main reason to buy an i3 : After seven years of production it is well engineered and the CFK cell plus aluminium chassis is priceless if you want to drive it for years. No general issues on engine or battery. Very low degradation on the battery. Now we plan to buy onother one in 2021. If you think about an i3 do not forget the easy entry option and the Harman Cardon sound-system. You will love it !

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Yep we're big fans of our i3. Very well made car. The legacy car makers often do have a history of issues and they put people off the brand. I'm unlikely to buy a Volvo due to how they treated some friends of ours.

[@rupprechtknecht3103]

@@ElectricPetrolhead you're so right - the whole cumbustion technology arise obsolete due to downsizing and emission control killing the engines - compared to BEV it's stoneage technology....

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@rupprechtknecht3103 Do you like the new BMW iX? In the UK most people are not a fan of the front grill. 1) its not needed and 2) too big. Shame as a lot of i3 owners were hoping for something cool to replace their cars with another BMW. Cheers

[@rupprechtknecht3103]

@@ElectricPetrolhead hell yeah the ix will continue to polarize for some days and if I remember it was the same when the i3 was introduced. I did not like the i3 look and it took some days to get the details and to understand the genuis behind the package. Nevetheless the ix will be a brilliant car and if you sit inside you do not take care about the grill 😆. Anyhow the ix is not in my personal scope. The i3 is perfect for daily use and for all longer routes we use our mobilhome or one of the funrides ( Mustang 1968 Fastback / Mustang 2005 GT / BMW E30 convertible )

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

@@rupprechtknecht3103 that is true! We didn’t like the i3 at first either. Thanks!

[@jimmyriders2536]

Had a i3 sideways said no one ever 😂

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Well its no pro drift car but its still reasonably lightweight, undertyred and rear wheel drive. The back will step out even under normal TC settings.

[@mikenico7840]

I wanna see the car not you talking

[@ElectricPetrolhead]

Want to film a tonne of B-Roll footage for me? Takes agesssssss thus why you have to put up with my face. (Sorry I missed this a year ago)