Volkswagen’s conducting a quizzical teaser campaign for the refreshed ID.3 that debuts tomorrow. It started with a sketches of the coming subcompact hatchback. As such drawings usually do, they exaggerated the proportions and wheel sizes, revealing small changes to the front fascia and interior architecture. Then VW teased the new taillights that feature two-part reversing segments — a change you’d need to be deep into the car’s lore to register. Now it’s done the same with the headlights, posting a short, fast-paced clip of the optional Matrix units. Again, we feel like we’d need to run the “Enhance” routine to figure out what’s happened where. And there’s the fact that VW engineers have already been testing uncamouflaged prototypes in the Arctic, so VW’s showing us the items we already know about.
🙌 We are looking forward to the world premiere of the new #VWID3 on March 1, 2023! Here we show you an exclusive preview! We think the front looks very dynamic and attractive with its sleek lines and large LED headlights. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/XTIKGZoJBL
— Volkswagen News (@volkswagen)
February 23, 2023
The juice of the “comprehensive upgrade” is on the inside, and we’ve gotten nothing beyond the initial sketches of the interior. The refresh will include new software with improved performance and over-the-air updates, plug-and-play EV charging, and the “latest generation of fully integrated assist systems” with Travel Assist with Swarm Data, parking assistance with memory, and refinements to adaptive lane guidance.
The good news for buyers is that the entry-level price of the refreshed car hasn’t changed, holding steady at €43,995 for the Life trim (which translates to $47,024 U.S., though we don’t get the ID.3 here). Business, Style, Max, and Tour will sit above, as they do now. The not-so-good news, if you read Twitter comments on the latest teaser, is the ire of ID.3 owners dinging VW for software that hasn’t been debugged and reservation holders allegedly still waiting on cars ordered 18 months ago or more. We wouldn’t be surprised at current owners tuning in to find out if VW Group CEO Oliver Blume and brand head Thomas Schäfer will have satisfying updates on the progress of infotainment and software initiatives.
The debut happens tomorrow. The automaker said that those who get their reservations in early will start receiving their facelifted ID.3s in Q4 of this year at the earliest.
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