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What Car?’s team of judges crowned a range of winners across a variety of competitive categories, including the all-new ID.3 Pro Performance Life model for the ‘Safety Award’ and for being the ultimate small EV.
Vertu Motors

Volkswagen ID.3 Named 'Small Electric Car Of The Year' By What Car?

Volkswagen ID.3 Named 'Small Electric Car Of The Year' By What Car?

What Car? have revealed the winners of their 2021 ‘What Car? Car of the Year’ Awards, in which the categories reflect the best of the best from the past year.

What Car?’s team of judges crowned a range of winners across a variety of competitive categories, including the all-new ID.3 Pro Performance Life model for the ‘Safety Award’ and for being the ultimate small EV.

Additionally, the brand’s Touran has been named ‘MPV of the Year’ while the Arteon and T-Roc were given What Car?’s best-buy accolades. The T-Roc was named the ‘Best Small SUV for Comfort’, while the recently updated Arteon was hailed the ‘Best Coupe for Practicality’.

As the ID. family prepares to grow with the imminent arrival of the ID.4, the ID.3 continues to enjoy high-praise among the UK’s media.

Commenting on the What Car? awards, Steve Huntingford, Editor, said: ‘Thanks to rear-wheel drive, accurate steering and fine body control, the ID.3 is an electric car that's genuinely fun to drive.

‘What's more, its practicality is up with the roomiest family hatchbacks, predicted resale values are superb and it’ll be cheap to run for both company car drivers and private buyers.

‘Throw in strong performance and a long range, and it's a brilliant choice.’

The new Volkswagen ID.3 was also commended with What Car?’s  ‘Safety Award’. Huntingford commented: ‘Given that the ID.3 is the first of a whole range of pure electric vehicles being introduced by Volkswagen, the fact that the experts at Euro NCAP were so impressed with it bodes very well for future road safety.

‘Not only did it gain the highest overall score of all the cars tested under 2020’s new, stricter crash test regime, but its technology to prevent accidents in the first place was rated highest.’

You can read more about the ID.3’s 5 Star NCAP Safety Rating, here.

Adding these latest two accolades, the ID.3 now has nine UK industry awards to its name. These include:

- 2020 carwow Car of the Year awards – Most Wanted

- GQ Car Awards 2020 – Best Family Car

- 2021 Carbuyer Best Car Awards 2021 – Best Family Electric Car

- TopGear.com Awards 2020 – Game Changer of the Year

- DrivingElectric 2021 Awards – Best Electric Family Car

- 2021 carwow Car of the Year awards – Best Family Electric Car

- WhichEV Awards 2020 – Best Newcomer EV

- What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2021 – Small Electric Car of the Year

- What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2021 – Safety Award

In addition, it has been named as a finalist for the prestigious 2021 European Car of the Year.

Appreciating the awards success Andrew Savvas, Director of Volkswagen UK, commented: ‘Back in September when the first ID.3s arrived at UK ports I was really fired up by the fact that it is our first carbon-neutral car, as well as being an all-round, pioneering electric vehicle.

‘Now, just four months later, the ID.3 has nine industry awards to its name.

‘To see the car called out as a game-changer and best in class by independent media experts adds further motivation for us to keep pushing for change, and paving the way for customers to switch to emission-free mobility.

‘It is particularly rewarding to be recognised by What Car? with its Safety Award. Not only is the ID.3 designed and built to help minimise environmental impact, but it’s also proven to protect what matters most: our customers and their families.’

If you’d like to shop our great deals on the award-winning Volkswagem ID.3, click the link below:

New Volkswagen ID.3 Deals

Equally, if you’d like to learn more about electric hybrid and fully electric vehicles, click the link below:

Learn More About Hybrid and Electric Vehicles