According to announcements, the German manufacturer today officially unveiled the most important update for its electric model, the ID.3. The newly updated model also carries a new name, ID.3 Neo, and represents the second redesign of the electric hatchback. This time, the novelties are much more significant, both visually and technically, as well as in the cabin. The new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo will be easily recognizable by its redesigned front end. The headlights are now connected by a new, thicker LED strip that is joined in the middle by an illuminated Volkswagen logo. With the launch of the new ID.3 Neo, the bumpers, roof, spoiler, and trunk lid are now painted in the body color, giving the new model a more dynamic appearance. Apart from the body-colored trunk lid, the rear section is unchanged compared to the old ID.3, and the dimensions of the new model are also identical.
Return of Physical Buttons Even greater changes are present in the cabin. Here, the first thing that stands out is the completely new steering wheel design, which is flattened at the top and bottom. The old haptic controls have now been replaced by traditional, easier-to-use physical buttons. Physical buttons are also found in the central part of the console, just below the air vents. Here, there are only physical controls for climate control and the hazard warning light. Therefore, adjusting the temperature by sliding on the touch-sensitive surface is gone. Standardly, the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo comes equipped with a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 12.9-inch central screen displaying the new Innovision multimedia system. The digital instrument panel also gets new retro-style graphics.
Range of up to 630 kilometers The new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo will be available in three equipment lines: Trend, Life, and Style. There will also be three electric motors and three battery options. The lineup will include a 170 horsepower motor, powered by a battery with a net capacity of 50 kWh. The next motor in the offering has 190 hp, and the most powerful motor develops 231 horsepower. The higher Life and Style equipment packages can be equipped with a battery with a net capacity of 58 kWh or 79 kWh. Thus, the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo promises a range of up to 630 kilometers in the WLTP cycle. The 50 kWh and 58 kWh batteries can be charged on chargers with a power of up to 105 kW, while the largest battery, 79 kWh, can be charged at up to 183 kW. For now, Volkswagen has not revealed the performance of the new ID.3 Neo or the battery charging time. Instead, the new model gets V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) technology for charging external devices. Finally, the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo also standardly receives a generous package of advanced assistance systems, such as: lane-keeping assist, Front Assist, and cornering brake function. Optionally, customers can include a travel assistant with traffic light recognition, a system that enables one-pedal driving, and an augmented reality head-up display. Other optional features for the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo include: a panoramic roof, a 360-degree camera, massage and memory functions for the front seats, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and a memory function for Park Assist Pro. Pre-sales of the new Volkswagen ID.3 Neo will begin in Europe from April 16. For now, the prices of the new model have not been revealed.