Volkswagen ID.3 vs Renault 4 E-Tech: retro or ultra-modern? Who makes the best EV?
This is the all new Renault 4 E Tech and we thought it might be a nice idea to put it up against one of its competitors. But look, turns out um everyone was busy. Everyone no one was available. So I’m stuck with this guy. Hi. Where’d you bring that? I brought Nicola the car that everyone forgets about. I Yes. You remember this? Yeah. It’s the Volkswagen ID3. Yeah. I always forget about that car. It’s one of those there’s so many electric cars coming out at the moment that then people go, “Oh, yeah, the ID3.” And I go, “Oh, yeah, I know. Forget about it.” It’s been around for a while. Yes. And compared to that, it is pretty old. But there is method to our madness because both cost around £350 a month. Both offer similar levels of space, performance, and range. Yeah. But they are completely different in terms of style, design, all those kinds of things. You got the green wrong on your trousers. I hope I was hoping you weren’t going to draw attention to that. Batch always goes for the batch match. I wasn’t told. I wasn’t informed that this car was going to be green. All right, let’s get this video done, shall we? So, say hello to the all new Renault 4. Hello, Bosour. Guten, stop. I can’t I can’t do that with him here. I can’t do it. I can’t work like this. Say hello to the Renault 4. Now, this is a really nice nod to the 1960s. Now, let’s bear in mind they already have the Renault 5, which is a very small, very cool thing that Renault made. And now this is like the bigger, cuter brother. I think small and cool, bigger and cute. Now, you can see the nods to the original Rena 4, which I am such a big fan of, especially when we look at the headlights. They’re kind of like a cute, friendly face, but it’s got a nice upright stance. It’s got some big squared off boxy look, some sort of rough cladding, so it looks like it’s going to fit in with a bit of countryside driving. I am a fan of it. I genuinely think Renault are onto a winner at the moment with everything that they’re releasing. So, this is a very cute, rustic, rugged little, adorable little number, isn’t it? Yeah. Do you agree? Let me know in the comments section below. Another really clever thing that Renault have done is to share parts with the Renault 5 while still giving the four a whole personality and a look of its own. So nearly 70% of the parts in this 4 are identical to those that you’ll find in the Renault 5. So fewer design means fewer different bits to make, more savings that can be passed on to the buyer. See, now it seems a bit odd to be saying this, but the ID3 is a bit of an old a bit of an old stager in the world of electric cars. You see, this car is totally different from the car that first launched in 2020. When most manufacturers update their cars, they give it snazzier wheels, a bit of chrome at the front, or new colors. But here, Volkswagen has done the complete opposite. So, the original car’s white interior, that’s gone. The original car’s bright colors and snazzy graphics, that’s also gone. Turns out that VW’s customers weren’t quite ready for this bold look into the future. outwent the zany colors and the bold paint schemes and the funny graphics. And in came more muted colors, a calmer interior, a car that really wouldn’t affect or upset the regulars in the National Trust car park. Basically, what I’m saying here is that Volkswagen has made this car more grown up. There are still the distinctive things like the black roof and the black tailgate. And this new color, olivine green, still looks absolutely fantastic. Overall, then the ID3 looks more vogues bargain. Now, you may not be in the market for a new EV. So, did you know that we can help you find a brilliant deal on a used one? Our used car listings at electrifying.com have loads of different models with handy info like battery warranties. You can see the listings by scanning this QR code on the screen. So, if you’re watching on your smart TV or tablet, you can carry on watching and scroll our listings on your phone at the same time. So, do you remember when I told you that the Renault 4 shares 70% of its components with the Renault 5? Well, I think I’ve found all of them. They’re all in here. It’s exactly the same interior, aside from the fact that instead of a five, it’s a four. It’s a four. It’s a four. Yeah, but that’s not a bad thing. I mean, this is full topsp spec. This is the iconic trim. So, it makes it a little bit more retro. Gets really nice materials, that kind of thing. And it’s all just a bit nice and funky. If you go for the midspec, which is the techno trim, then it’s all just like a a denim kind of vibe, which is also a very nice thing. Now, if you’re sat in the driving position, I’ll be honest, you might find it a bit stalky. Not in a creepy way as in stalks. Stalks because there’s a lot going on behind the steering wheel. It’s not for everyone. I don’t mind it, but it’s not for everyone. So, first up, you have the gear selector, which is up here. And it’s designed, fun fact, after a Chanel lipstick because French. So, that’s what it’s like. But I also need to point out that there is no park option. It’s just a parking brake. You just have reverse, neutral, drive. No park because they didn’t see the point. So, you’ll keep going and doing this and trying to press the end to put it in park, but park doesn’t exist. You just stop, put the parking brake on, and that’s it. Remind yourself to do that every time because every time I’ve driven it, I go, “Uh, there’s no park.” And it bugs me a little bit. And then because of the whole Renault style, this is where all your volume controls are, etc. Then you’ve got your indicators and then that’s where your windscreen wipers are. It’s just a bit stalky. Yeah. But you might like it, you know, you might get along well with it. But in terms of the other retro vibes, I mean, you’ve still got that kind of old school roof like they’ve got in the Renault 5, which is a nod to the OG Renos. I like it in here. This, by the way, works really well. And that is because it has a Google brain. Yeah. Google Maps, Google Assist, all that sort of stuff, all built in with the car, and it just works beautifully. I haven’t actually sat in this car for a while, and I actually genuinely forgot how high up this feels. I feel like I’m looking over the driver, and I totally forgot about that. That’s set up for my driving position, diddy. Nowhere to really put your feet. Yes, it does have a flat floor. Yes, it does have two two uh charge ports. Yes, it does have funky designs. It’s just a bit a bit like that. It’s just a bit Yeah. The boot is decently sized though. You’ve got 420 L of space with the seats up. 1,45 L with them folded down. But unfortunately, they don’t fold completely flat. If you resist the urge to order the optional Harmon Cardon sound system, then you also get an extra boot cubby underneath the boot floor for your cables. Now, it wasn’t just the exterior that Vogvaren toned down. They also had a good look around in here as well. Now, if you’d asked me to do an interior piece of camera on the original ID3, I wouldn’t have been that complimentary because the quality and the tech were quite frankly not good enough. here. It’s all new. Nicer materials used on the door, nicer fabrics, nicer plastics, and better technology. I’ll come on to that in a second. I just want to talk to you about space, though, because after having been in the Renault 4. The ID3 feels much bigger. It feels a a more practical family car. And that’s primarily due to the fact the dashboard is set away from you and there is more glass up front. Really, to be perfectly honest with you, there’s not much between the two. It’s still a bit basic, and you won’t find any of the quirky touches from the Renault in here. The closest thing you get to this car being playful or zany is these play and pause symbols on the pedals. Oh, those crazy Germans. One of the big improvements to this interior is the technology. Now, the original ID3’s touchscreen was quite frankly terrible. The software was laggy, and it had these sliders, which were not backlit at nighttime. Now, the ID3 has a much bigger screen. It’s 3 in larger than the Renault 4s. But not just that, the software is a lot slicker. It’s a lot easier to use, and thank goodness, the sliders can now be used at night because they are backlit. Not only do you get this screen here, you get a nice little screen in front of you as well. It has all of your major information, your driving information. The only thing that I think is a bit of a shame in here though is if you want a head-up display, you’re going to have to pay extra for a pack. And that costs 2,325. Ouch. Now, I’m going to admit it. The ID3’s interior is a bit more boring compared to the Renault 4. But in the real world, that really doesn’t matter because if you have kids, especially lanky teenagers, they will love it back here because there is loads more space. They can get really very comfortable back here. Plus, there’s even an armrest with two cup holders and get this, a ski hatch. That’s great for the UK, isn’t it? Skiing. But you you get the point. It is a bit more practical back here. I really like it actually. Strangely, the boot is actually smaller in the ID3 at 380 L. But once the seats are folded, there’s actually 200 L more space than the Renault. So, you need to work out which is more important to you. This car has the optional variable luggage floor which costs 75 quid and gives you an extra storage area for your charging cables. Right. So, we have got 148 horsepower. Yes. Not too shabby. Now, in terms of battery, we’ve got a 52 kWh battery. That’s it. They don’t offer the smaller one. Yeah. So, it’s 52 kWh battery. So, it’s got a range WLTP of around 243 miles. Okay. It does have a heat pump as standard. I’ve been getting around 230 miles. Yeah, roughly. That’s not bad. No, it’s not too bad. Although Rena, as we found with the uh Renault 5. Um, Renos do have a tendency to be a little bit Well, they they work very well in the summer, in the warmer months, and in the winter months that range does kind of drop. So, it’s going to be going to shut you up. to enjoy the sound. It was a nice indicator. Bong, thank you. It sounds like the popcorn song. Popcorn. Was that Um, so yeah, it in in colder months it’s a bit, you know, probably closer to 200 miles. Yeah. Yeah, basically. Yeah. which isn’t a bad thing. It’s not too bad. No, it’s it’s livable. I mean, the average daily driver in the UK does about 19 miles a day. Yeah. So, there we go. Lovely stuff. Uh, you do have one pedal driving in this, which you don’t get in the Renault 5, but you do get in the Renault 4. Okay. So, you got flappy paddles. Yeah. And you can go flappity flap flap flap flap all the way to the right. And then now I’m just coasting. Coasting along. Very nice. Yeah. Good for a country road as we are on now. Yes. And then you go flappity flap flap flabberoonies all the way to the left. I’ve now got one pedal and I can go. Did you also notice the little bing bong noise there? I’m pretty sure that has been composed by Jean Michelle Jar. Do you know who that is? Uh, no. Oxygen man. Oxygen. Oxygen. You know Oxygen. That rings a bell. Oxygen. Feel free to come at any moment. You got it now. Yeah, I think my I think he’s done I think he’s done the the the bing bongs on this. Oh, we he’s definitely done the scenic. Uh I know scenic. So yeah, nice. So we got a nice indicator bong that’s a bit like popcorn. And then we’ve got Jean Michelle J for the other for the other for the other big box. I like I like it. Adds a bit of devivve to the proceedings, doesn’t it? That’s French. That is Thank you. That’s French. Brilliant. Sakura blur. There are bing bongs that you can turn off by the way. So there’s a very handy little button. I’m glad I’m glad you’ve mentioned that cuz that is one thing I particularly like about the current range of Renos is we all know safety systems are great and what have you, but it’s nice when you can easily switch them all off. Yes. Um and there’s a button to do that just there, isn’t it? So you can personalize that button. Yeah. And then you can basically switch off everything that you want to switch off and then boom, touch the button and it’s done. Um other things we should talk about the Renault 4. Um, there is a bit of wind noise. There is a bit of wind noise and that’s probably because it’s a it’s a shape of a box. It’s just from round round the mirrors. It is and a bit of tire noise as well. It’s it’s noisier than what you’d get. Yeah, the ID3. So, that’s one of the big improvements of the ID3 is it used to be a very noisy car to drive whereas now it’s a lot softer and it does Yeah, it’s more refined. It is more refined. Yeah. Charging wise, the 4 peaks at 100 kW on a rapid charger, which is honestly a bit disappointing for 2025. You’ll be able to do a 15 to 80% charge in about 30 minutes, while a full charge on a home wall box takes just over 6 hours from empty to full. It also comes with battery preconditioning, which heats up the pack if you set your destination as a DC rapid charger. That sounds a bit geeky, but it makes a huge difference to the speeds that you get when you plug in, especially in winter. It is quite spacious in here actually, isn’t it? It does feel bigger. It does feel bigger. Is it actually bigger? Bigger. It’s just bigger inside. I think I think they are roughly the same size. Much of a much. It’s funny cuz I get I feel as though I’m sitting in an SUV in here because the seat I’ve got the seat in it lowest position yet I feel really quite high up. And I think that’s because the windscreen is so low. Yes. This feels open. Yes. Whereas the Rena4, you feel well, you just feel like you’re in a small little car, don’t you? And then you’re surprised. My goodness, there’s so much room behind me. That’s what it feels like, isn’t it? Everything you do is just really dramatic. You’ve got to add a bit of like You got to have a bit of fun, haven’t you? Otherwise, I go bit more room in the back. It is more powerful this though, isn’t it? Uh, so this has 20 more brake horsepower than the Rena4. But but I think you’d only feel that at a standstill up to 60 mph because we’re doing 40 at the moment. If I accelerate up to 60, it’s fine. Now we’re at 60. Yeah. It doesn’t feel that fast. It’s fine though. But you got to remember this is a family car. It is. And it Yeah, cuz I I don’t know whether I sort of expressed this in when we went out in the Renault 4, but I don’t I’ve lied to be threatening my sweet. I don’t like that that feeling really. I like a nice kind of measured acceleration feel. Okay, that’s fair. Yeah. I like to be thrown back in my seat. I like to get a free facelift while I’m driving. Okay. Yeah, well, I don’t think this car is for you. Both the ID3 and the Renault have a naugh to 62 mph acceleration time of 8.2 seconds, but because the ID3 is carrying more weight, it feels the slower of the two. Anyway, so uh Nicola, yes. Uh whereas with the Renault 4, the choice of different versions was very very small. Here we’ve got three battery sizes and get this on eight different trim levels. Eight. I mean, that’s a bit much, isn’t it? So, we’re in the match here with the 52 kilame all eight. Um, yeah, there’s the pure essential, the match essential, the match pro, the pro, the pro pro plus, match pro plus plus pro match, right? I made all of that up. I don’t know. That’s the point though. It’s slightly bit too much. Bit too much. That’s way too much. Um but yeah, so we’re in the match 52 kWh version here. Yeah, it’s the same size battery as the Renault as same. Yes. And um now when VW updated the ID3, they focus a lot on not just the styling and the quality, what have you, but for the higher trim levels, they improved the motors to uh increase the power and the range. The basic one, the 52 kWh one, they didn’t do anything. So, um, it’s a bit of a shame that, but it’s still quite decent amount of power. 168 horsepower, I think, which is 20 more than the Renault 4. Yes. And, uh, overall, it’s just a really nice thing to drive. I don’t you did you drive the original ID3? Oh, god. Yeah. Years ago when it first came out. Yeah. Yeah. Not a good car that it was. it. They kind of set a bar though when it came to EVs cuz like back when they first launched it, there wasn’t as much variety no available in terms of EVs. Now I think we’re in a world where there’s so many options. Yeah. That they just needed to make tweaks to this car. They needed to it to fit in. It just simply wasn’t good enough. The ride was very firm. The the sense of quality just wasn’t there. the technology was buggy and really sort of knocked it out and you got the sense that they just rushed it whereas now over time over 5 years they have steadily improved it and yes it is the car that everyone forgets about but I’m saying here and now that you should remember it a little bit more give the ID3 a bit of love because it feels like how you’d expect a Volkswagen to be. Should we talk about range? Okay. Well, this car has a WLTP figure of 240 mi, which is just three less than the Renault, but I have a feeling that the realworld figure is going to be a little lower than the fours. That’s because this is a heavier car. In fact, it’s 325 kilos more lardy than its rival despite being virtually the same size. The other thing that counts against it in terms of efficiency is the fact that it doesn’t have a heat pump. And if you want one, you’ll have to choose it as an 1150 option. Ouch. On the plus side, you do get faster rapid charging, 145 kW maximum compared to the Renault’s 100 kW. And like the Renault 4, it can heat its battery before you plug it into a rapid charger. But there’s a crucial difference. On the Volkvaren, you can do this manually via the screen. So, you’re not tied to using Vogvaren’s own satnav system. It means that you can use your Apple CarPlay or Android Auto with the car doing the preheating in the background. I like that. Regen braking. Talk to me about regen. Um, regen braking. Well, um, unlike some VW group cars, things like the Cupri Tapascan, for example, you do not get flappy paddles by the steering wheel. Um, here you’ve just got a B mode, which, you know, it’s that’s just one setting for the brake regen. Yes. Um, right, B mode. Here we go. Creep. No. Oh, thanks very much. Oh, I see what you Oh. Oh, right. It goes into like a creep mode. Okay. Get to a creep. That’s really rude calling something a creep. It doesn’t come to a complete stop. Not one pedal driving. No, it is. It is very slow. It gets very very slow and then kind of then it kind of eases off and goes into a a creep. A creep. Yeah. Can I just give a shout out to the armrests? Ah, yes. I like this. Nice. Really nice. Because it makes me feel as I’m in a Range Rover. I feel more loungey. Feels more loungey in here. It does. And it does feel more open and spacious and more airy. It does. This feels like a bigger car. I always forget how big this car actually is when I think in the head of an ID3. A tiny little thing. I think Renault 5, not Rena 4, but actually, yeah, it’s it’s it’s bigger than I remember it being. It’s just a shame they didn’t launch it like like this 5 years ago. I know. So, that’s the thing is like you had all of the bad reviews that came out years ago and now of which we were one of those reviews. Yeah. And now people still have the same opinions on this car. Even though it’s been updated and now we’re sat in this I’m sitting here as a passenger. It does feel quieter than the Renault 4. It does. It feels slightly smoother. Yeah. No, it So yeah. So I’m glad you you raised that. It is It’s quite much quieter in here and I think the ride is better as well. It just feels a more expensive car this and it is slightly more expensive than the Renault for. Yes. But on the monthlies they’re the same. They’re the same. Yes, but but this car is probably cheaper on the monthlies because it’s been out for a long time. Whereas the Renault 4 is a new car. So I reckon in maybe a year’s times, even six months time, the Rena4 monthlies will probably go down a little bit. Yeah, but as we’re filming this, it’s they’re both 350 quid a month. Yeah. I didn’t know you could be so so professional and so kind of geeky with numbers. I like this. Keep it up for the next video. What you What do you mean? I didn’t know you could be so professional. I’ve been an automotive presenter for like 12 years now. I have. I can be professional. Monthly and I, you know, I think the Renault 4 cuz it’s new, the prices are artificially high, but you know, ID3 been around a bit longer. I’m nicely. You know, Nicola, I think it’s a shame that the Volkswagen ID3 isn’t loved a little bit more because it is such a huge improvement on the original version that, you know, it’s a really good family electric car. This it is, but it’s like you look back on how it was first launched in 2020 and there were so many technical problems and it just wasn’t the best car. But yeah, they’ve been quietly behind the scenes. behind the scenes twiddling and working and making it actually a really solid, lovely, refined, cracking car. They have, but I knew there was a bat coming. It’s Rena 4 in the Rena 4. It’s Rena 4 in it. I just feel like this car has so much character and Renault are just absolutely onto a winner at the moment. They absolutely smashed the Renault 5 out of the park. And now with this, they’re nodding back to the old retro days and they’re doing it really, really well. I know that there’s more wind noise in this. I know that the rear seats are smaller and yes, the boot is less practical than what you can get in this cuz that is super spacious inside. It is, but it’s Rena 4, is it? It’s a Rena 4. You see the ID3, it’s more rational. It’s more sensible. It’s more German. Whereas that is more French. It’s more frivolous. It’s the Reno 4. It’s Rena 4, isn’t it? It’s the Reno 4. It’s the Rena 4. It’s Rena 4, isn’t it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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#VolkswagenID3 #Renault4 #ElectricCars #EVComparison
Two family EVs. Two completely different philosophies. Which one wins?
On one side, we’ve got the Volkswagen ID.3 – the no-nonsense, precision-engineered German approach to the electric revolution. On the other, the Renault 4 E-Tech – a retro-inspired head-turner that blends nostalgia with modern tech.
Both cost around £350 a month, both promise similar range, space, and performance. But when it comes to design, character, and real-world appeal, they couldn’t be more different.
Join us as Nicola and Batch put them head-to-head to find out which deserves your driveway (and your hard-earned cash).
Which one would you choose – sensible ID.3 or stylish Renault 4? Let us know in the comments!
Not ready for a new Volkswagen ID.3 or Renault 4? Take a look at used models from our carefully chosen dealer partners on our Used EV marketplace:
https://www.electrifying.com/used-cars/
Looking for your next car? Electrifying.com will help make finding your next vehicle easier than ever. Compare expert car reviews and recommendations, and find your perfect car through https://www.electrifying.com
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0:00 – Renault 4 E-Tech vs VW ID.3: The Electric Face-Off
Nicola and Batch compare two £350-a-month EVs with totally different personalities.
1:21 – Meet the All-New Renault 4 E-Tech
Retro styling, chunky stance, and adorable charm – Renault’s back on form.
2:01 – Design Details & Retro Cues
Boxy SUV look, upright nose, friendly face – and a big nod to the 1960s original.
2:38 – Smart Platform Sharing
Shares 70% of its parts with the Renault 5, keeping costs (and prices) lower.
3:00 – VW ID.3: Now All Grown Up
The once-quirky ID.3 is calmer, classier, and way less shouty than before.
4:22 – Electrifying’s Used EV Marketplace
How to find battery-checked used EVs with warranties – scan the QR code!
4:53 – Inside the Renault 4: Retro Meets Modern
Iconic trim, soft fabrics, funky design – and a gear selector inspired by Chanel lipstick.
7:05 – Renault 4 Back Seats & Boot Space Test
Compact but clever: 420L boot, optional Harman Kardon sound system reduces storage.
7:54 – Inside the Updated VW ID.3
Completely reworked interior: softer materials, calmer design, better quality.
9:55 – VW ID.3 Rear Space & Practicality
Huge space for teens, armrest, ski hatch – the ID.3 is the more family-friendly choice.
11:07 – On the Road: Driving the Renault 4 E-Tech
148hp, 52kWh battery, 243-mile WLTP range and classic one-pedal drive.
12:00 – Range in the Real World
Around 230 miles in summer, 200 in winter – realistic numbers, not bad at all.
13:19 – The Sounds of Renault
Indicator “bongs” and alert chimes that sound suspiciously like Jean-Michel Jarre.
14:26 – Noise Levels & Refinement
Renault’s charmingly boxy shape means more wind noise than the smoother VW.
14:53 – Charging & Efficiency
Renault: 100kW max, 15–80% in 30 minutes; VW: 145kW and smarter preconditioning.
16:18 – Power & Performance
VW’s 20hp advantage doesn’t make it quicker – both do 0–62mph in 8.2s.
19:00 – ID.3 Driving Feel & Refinement
Softer ride, quieter cabin, smoother tech – the new ID.3 finally feels “Volkswageny.”
20:04 – Range & Efficiency Compared
Renault slightly better in real life; VW heavier but faster charging.
22:23 – Comfort & Cabin Vibes
Armrests like a Range Rover and a lounge-like driving position.
24:25 – Verdict: Head vs Heart
VW ID.3 is the sensible, refined choice. Renault 4? Pure charm and character.
