GTI or GTE ?

[Exonian]

You need help! 

[monkeyhanger]

1990s citroen picasso? I might be interested.

I think Exonian's main point with the Picasso comments is the lack of sports seats (The ID3 isn't masquerading as a hot hatch, unlike the Cupra Born which has them), and the small drivers console screen.(a BEV.doesn't need a rev counter, oil/water temp gauge or gear selection indicator, so literally just gives speed, ACC/lane assist graphical display and level of charge, with directional indications when using satnav).- the main advantage being that you don't get the "eyes" of the clown face look on the steering wheel. Apart from the snazzy ambient lighting, the interior isn't showy but is incredibly spacious (more roomy than my A4). The "minimalist" interior has really grown on me, (as someone that has had 7 VW hot hatches in a row and is used to having sports seats). You don't see what the seats look like when they're being sat on.

I agree about the GTE being pointless - buy a GTI/GTD/R or buy an ID3. If you buy a GTE, you're either lugging an engine you're not using or lugging a motor and battery array you're not using. Either way it's inefficient and (relatively) slow.

The ID3 is also a heavy lump, but designed to be. I had a courtesy e-Golf for a few days and it was absolutely sh!te- the Golf chassis seemed lil equipped to cope with the extra weight, had the worst tramping I've ever experienced. The RWD of the ID3 gives no tramping.

I think the window of opportunity to get an ID3 cheap has gone now - the grant has reduced to £1500 on cars under £32k and VW have removed the deposit contribution,

If I were to buy my "£36k".ID3 Family (that I paid £28250 for) right now, I'd be lucky to pay less that £34k for it right now.

I do love running costs of 1.5 -2p a mile to have a car as fast as a GTD.

[evo1986]

We are lucky enough to have ordered some before the grant cut off that makes them very good value compared to what it is now if you were to order one 

Life pro performance no hope of and ID3 family now till early next year….

[Yusee]

Oh , I thought he meant flimsy french and interesting- rather than crap seats!

[Exonian]

Monkeyhanger is pretty much there.
If you’ve ever sat in a Picasso of a certain vintage you’ll see the connection with an ID.3 inside.
I had the dubious joy of having one hired for me to go on a course at work many years ago. Both were disappointing experiences, vehicle and course.

The whole feel is similar, the screen way out in front, the extra windows in front of the doors, the tall and roomy cabin feeling very airy but devoid of any sportiness.
And yes, the van like seats, the minimalistic binnacle, the tall doors and more besides.

I wouldn’t ever describe the Picasso as interesting. It drove dreadfully and looked very bland. The ID.3 at least drives well and looks… err… ok.
The Xsara Picasso had the most over servoed brakes and the ID.3 has scarily vague anchors. Both demerits for me.

But anyway, it’s the ID.3 cabin that reminds me of a Xsara Picasso that has VW Commercial grade plastics and armrests. Hopefully the Born fares better, I look forward to seeing one in the flesh.

[Guzzle]

I certainly wouldn't buy an ID3 at the moment without looking at the Cupra Born first. Neither are really hot hatches, but the Born looks like a much better stab at one. The interior also looks more appealing (to me anyway) in the Born.

[monkeyhanger]

I'll wholeheartedly agree about the Ryanair armrests, they look sh!te and having an armrest thinner than your arm is pointless - you'd have to hold onto it to stop your arm slipping off. Mine are permanently folded up. If there was an OEM solution to cap off the attachment and remove them, I would. Why they didn't put a Golf style wide pad type of armrest between 2 seats is beyond me.

Commercial grade plastics is a bit harsh- the dash plastics are every but as plush and squishy as the Golf's. The door cars are harder than the Golf's top bits and better than the Golf's lower bits. They do seem to have mastered the matt look (rather than shiny) on those slightly harder plastics, so they look softer than they feel. The biggest criticism of the door cards for is that without some decorative inserts, they look a bit plain. There's a lot of hard and shiny "commercial grade" plastics in the Golf, VW just kept ir out of the obvious eyeline (lower dash and lower door cards, in the boot etc.

It's probably best to think of the ID3 as an electric Golf Plus equivalent. Right now there's no way of getting away from the fact that purpose designed EVs are sitting on a 20cm high stack of batteries.

Until batteries get smaller and lighter, with better energy density, it's going to be hard to put together a truly light, nimble and low EV hot hatch. The Mini puts ina decent effort, but has no regen (hence the brakes feeling "normal" and a woeful range.

[monkeyhanger]

I certainly wouldn't buy an ID3 at the moment without looking at the Cupra Born first. Neither are really hot hatches, but the Born looks like a much better stab at one. The interior also looks more appealing (to me anyway) in the Born.

The Born still hasn't landed yet (I think VW are keeping all the chips they can for the already released ID3/ID4/Enyaq.

The Born looks like an ID3 with a Halfords makeover. Hot hatch sports seats are for hot hatches and neither are. Cupra are chasing Audi money for their brand too - not sure if the brand can hold up decent residuals to justify the extra money, or whether they'll depreciate like a Seat. Never had a Seat as they've always been the expensive option with less accessible discounts and lower residuals.

I'd be loathed to pay out an extra £4-5k to get a Born, which is essentially the same car, but with Sports Seats and a 12" central dash screen instead of a 10" one.

I do think VAG have priced the Cupra brand too high, especially as they sell some of their models with pretty low output engines, making them little more than the "R-line" equivalent trim level of Seat.

[Guzzle]

I certainly wouldn't buy an ID3 at the moment without looking at the Cupra Born first. Neither are really hot hatches, but the Born looks like a much better stab at one. The interior also looks more appealing (to me anyway) in the Born.

The Born still hasn't landed yet (I think VW are keeping all the chips they can for the already released ID3/ID4/Enyaq.

The Born looks like an ID3 with a Halfords makeover. Hot hatch sports seats are for hot hatches and neither are. Cupra are chasing Audi money for their brand too - not sure if the brand can hold up decent residuals to justify the extra money, or whether they'll depreciate like a Seat. Never had a Seat as they've always been the expensive option with less accessible discounts and lower residuals.

I'd be loathed to pay out an extra £4-5k to get a Born, which is essentially the same car, but with Sports Seats and a 12" central dash screen instead of a 10" one.

I do think VAG have priced the Cupra brand too high, especially as they sell some of their models with pretty low output engines, making them little more than the "R-line" equivalent trim level of Seat.

I've never had a problem getting money off SEAT, discounts have always been at least the same or more than VW. I can only think dealers around your way are more stingy than in my area. But a quick look on Drive The Deal shows £4k off a boggo spec Leon and only £3k off a boggo spec Golf.

Granted, discounts on the Cupra do seem harder to come by than they are with SEAT and even VW. I do also agree that the price seems high with Cupra, but to be fair they do seem a bit more plush than a SEAT and in some cases more plush than VW.

Residual values matter most if you're buying for cash or PCP and then changing regularly. Take them on PCH or buy and keep for many years and it's less of an issue.

[monkeyhanger]

Pattinsons in Newcastle - very tight. I was considering a Leon Cupra in 2007, until a visit to Pattinsons and the sales guy wanted a commitment to order before he would give me a test drive. If I'd been some spotty 17 year old rolling up in a 15 year old PoS trying my luck to get into a 265ps car for a joy ride with no intention to buy , I could understand the approach, but 32 years old and driving a car with similar RRP? I wasn't taken by the very low rent interior and due to lack of discount (about £500 offered after haggling, a sh!te p/x valuation of my mint 2005 Golf 5 GT TDI140 and surprisingly low GFV, it was significantly dearer on PCP than the Golf GTI or GT TDI170 with higher RRPs.

To date, I'd always preferred VW styling to Seat at every trim level, and with the local dealerships being so mean, I haven't considered a Seat/Cupra since.

Last time I looked, we were considering an Ibiza FR 1.5TSI  vs the Polo GTI+ we bought. The Seat dealer couldn't fet any stock due to the WLTP / GPF fiasco, and the rear doors had manually winding windows! Again, not even 4% discount forthcoming.