• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • Most Popular Car on TikTok isn’t a Car: 2022 Ford Maverick
  • Rivian Confirms Plans to Meet 25K Production Goal
  • Will Apple Achieve What Automakers Can’t?
  • Q&A: Tristan Murphy, Cadillac Lyriq Interior Design Manager
  • Sales Battle Royal Rages in Pickup Segment
  • Toyota is No. 3 — Third Automaker to Pass EV Tax Credit Threshold
  • Ford Gains Ground on Strong June Sales, Up 31.5% YOY
  • Q&A: Cadillac Lyriq Exterior Design Manager Josh Thurber
  • After 18% Sales Slide, Tesla No Longer World’s Best-Selling EV Brand
  • Get Updated on Cars, EVs and More with the Headlight News Podcast
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2022 Lexus NX 350h
    • A Week With: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland
    • A Week With: 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SE R-Line Black
    • First Drive: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq
    • First Drive: 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades Edition
    • A Week With: 2022 Mazda3 2.5 S AWD Hatchback
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda HR-V
    • First Drive: 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor
    • A Week With: 2022 GMC Terrain AT4 AWD
    • A Week With: 2022 Cadillac Escalade Sport
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > New Volkswagen ID.3 Slammed by Influential German Auto Magazine

        New Volkswagen ID.3 Slammed by Influential German Auto Magazine

        Battery car faulted for limited range, fit-and-finish, electronics, other problems, though drive dynamics win praise.

        Paul A. Eisenstein
        Paul A. Eisenstein , Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
        Sept. 09, 2020
        The new ID.3 was harshly criticized by German magazine Auto Motor und Sport for a variety of issues during an early review of the new EV.

        The new Volkswagen ID.3 battery-electric vehicle has been slammed hard by Germany’s most influential automotive magazine, Auto Motor und Sport laying in on a variety of issues including faulty fit-and-finish and electronics problems – though reviewers did praise the BEV’s driving dynamics.

        The review is just the latest setback for VW’s multi-billion-dollar push into electrification, the launch of the ID.3 previously being delayed because of significant onboard electrical issues. The subcompact hatchback is the first long-range offering by the Volkswagen brand which hopes to have about 50 BEVs in production by mid-decade. It already has launched models under the Audi and Porsche badges.

        “The inner side of the hood looks like it was painted with a spray can,” the magazine said in its first review of the ID.3, noting that the battery car does not meet VW’s traditional build quality standards.

        (Volkswagen running into problems with ID.3 production.)

        The battery car is the first model to be produced at VW’s big factory in Zwickau, Germany, which recently underwent a complete makeover to exclusively focus on electric vehicle production. The ID.3 hatchback will shortly be followed by the ID.4, the larger crossover set to become the Volkswagen brand’s first long-range EV targeting the U.S. market.

        The magazine called attention to multiple panel gap issues with the new ID.3.

        According to Auto Motor und Sport’s lengthy review, the ID.3 suffered from a variety of issues, most notably mismatched panel gaps. Its infotainment system was slow to fire up after starting the car and its navigation system was defective.

        The test car also proved to deliver less range than promised, only 260 kilometers, or 161 miles, during a mix of spirited local and highway driving. It scored better when driven cautiously, about 359 km – or 223 miles – before needing a recharge. Range has been a sore point with reviews of Volkswagen AG’s other new battery-car models, including the Audi e-tron and Porsche Taycan.

        The ID.3 has had a troubling drive from concept to showroom. Last December, the automaker confirmed reports of “massive” software issues, though it didn’t offer specific details. The problem was believed to impact some of the first production models being built at Zwickau and required changes to both the ID.3 and the ID.4 models.

        (VW launches ID.4 production ahead of U.S. sales.)

        The problems continued in 2020, the automaker’s labor union chief faulting the company for letting the ID.3 project slip behind schedule. VW officials subsequently acknowledged there were fixes needed before bringing the car out to the public.

        It wasn’t all bad in the review of the ID.3 as the magazine praise its driving dynamic.

        But they have subsequently tried to play up the results. And at least one competitor had kind words to offer, Tesla CEO Elon Musk pronouncing the ID.3 “pretty good” after a drive in Berlin. VW CEO Herbert Diess, in turn, complimented the Tesla Model Y he drove at the same time, calling it “a reference … for us.”

        The Auto Motor und Sport review of the new ID.3 wasn’t entirely negative. The magazine praised the performance of the powertrain, most notably.

        “The drive and chassis, on the other hand, work perfectly,” reviewers said. “The equally natural and agile handling of the compact is one of the strengths of the ID.3.”

        It remains to be seen how the magazine’s review will impact sales of the new ID.3, but Auto Motor und Sport is closely followed in Germany and other parts of Europe.

        (VW begins taking reservations for ID.4 EV next month with emphasis on online ordering.)

        VW can’t afford to take such serious hits if it is to meet long-term electrification goals. The company wants to have 50 BEVs in production by 2025, generating 1.5 million annual sales. It hopes to increase the tally to 79 models by the end of the decade. To get there it is spending tens of billions on product development and billions more setting up factories to produce those various products.

        Recently Published
        2022 Lexus NX 350h front REL

        A Week With: 2022 Lexus NX 350h

        Yesterday
        2022 VW Tiguan SEL R-Line white driving REL

        A Week With: 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SE R-Line Black

        June 30, 2022
        2023 Cadillac Lyriq - side with cloud

        First Drive: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq

        June 28, 2022

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty in 2022?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty in 2022?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty in 2022?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty in 2022?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2022
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: