Loading comparison
BMW i3 vs VW ID.3 Neo
Selected trim120Ah · 2018-22193 mi · 42.2 kWh · £35,180
At a glance
The BMW i3 leads on family practicality and city driving, while the VW ID.3 Neo leads on value for money, motorway range and charging speed.
Which should you choose?
Choose the BMW i3 if...
- you need the most family-friendly option with good safety and space
- you drive in the city - it's compact with an excellent turning circle
Choose the VW ID.3 Neo if...
- you want the most for your money - best overall spec per pound
- you do long motorway journeys - it has the best estimated real-world range at speed
- you need the fastest charging of these options
- you want the lowest running costs - from just 1.6p per mile on off-peak electricity
How we reached the recommendation
Verdict
Our take
The VW ID.3 Neo leads in the most categories, but each car here has its strengths.
ValueVW
BMW
3.4
VW
4.1
Motorway RangeVW
BMW
2.8
VW
6.2
FamilyBMW
BMW
4.9
VW
4.3
ChargingVW
BMW
2
VW
6.2
Cost Per MileVW
BMW
5.4
VW
9.6
City DrivingBMW
BMW
8.7
VW
7.9
What each car does better
The measurable advantages behind each verdict - every claim carries its own evidence.
VW ID.3 Neo
Life 50 kWh
- £2,100 cheaper
- 65 miles more WLTP range
- 125 litres more boot space
- 50 kW faster rapid charging
- 18 min quicker 10-80% rapid charge
- 1 more seat
Key specifications
The essentials for the selected trims.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £35,180 | £33,080 (better) |
| Official range | 193 miles | 258 miles (better) |
| Boot space | 260 L | 385 L (better) |
| 10-80% rapid charge | 42 min | 24 min (better) |
| 0-62 mph | 7.3 sec (better) | 8.6 sec |
Size Comparison
View:
Align by:
BMW i3
VW ID.3 Neo
Length
BMW i34,006mm-281mm
VW ID.3 Neo4,287mm
Width
BMW i31,775mm-34mm
VW ID.3 Neo1,809mm
Height
BMW i31,598mm
VW ID.3 Neo1,554mm-44mm
Space, size & parking
Parking & manoeuvring
Compare exterior dimensions and how each car fits into typical UK parking spaces.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,006 mm | 4,287 mm |
| Width (mirrors folded) | 1,775 mm (better) | 1,809 mm |
| Width with mirrors out | 1,999 mm (better) | 2,015 mm |
| Height | 1,598 mm | 1,554 mm |
| Turning circle | 9.9 m (better) | 10.2 m |
| Clearance in a standard bayA standard UK parking bay is 2,400 mm wide. | 625 mm spare (better) | 591 mm spare |
People & luggage
Passenger capacity, child-seat provision, luggage space and towing.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 4 | 5 (better) |
| ISOFIX child-seat points | 2 | 2 |
| Boot space (seats up) | 260 L | 385 L (better) |
| Boot space (seats down) | 1100 L | 1267 L (better) |
| Frunk | Not available | 0 L |
How each stacks up
Percentile ranks against UK EVs of the same body style.
BMW i3
Not enough peers to make confident percentile claims.
VW ID.3 Neo
- 258 mile WLTP range, longer than 85% of hatchback EVs we track.
- One of 33 of 232 UK EVs in our catalogue with V2L (vehicle-to-load) support.
- 2,764 mm wheelbase, longer than 95% of hatchback EVs we track.
Full specifications
| Specification |  BMW i3 120Ah |  VW ID.3 Neo Life 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4.01m | 4.29m+281mm |
| Width | 1.77m | 1.81m+34mm |
| Width (mirrors) | 2.00m | 2.02m+16mm |
| Height | 1.60m | 1.55m-44mm |
| Wheelbase | 2.57m | 2.76m+194mm |
| Ground Clearance | 160mm | 150mm-10mm |
| Capacity | ||
| Boot (seats up) | 260L | 385L (better) |
| Boot (seats down) | 1100L | 1267L (better) |
| Seats | 4 | 5 (better) |
| Practicality | ||
| Turning Circle | 9.9m (better) | 10.2m |
| Kerb Weight | 1,320kg | Not available |
| Electric | ||
| Battery | 42.2kWh | 50kWh (better) |
| Range (WLTP) | 193 mi | 258 mi (better) |
| Max DC Charge | 50kW | 100kW (better) |
| Pricing | ||
| UK MSRP | £35,180 | £33,080 (better) |
| Price after EV grant | £35,180 (not eligible) | £31,580 (-£1,500) |
| Details | ||
| Body Style | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| Available | 2018–2022 | 2026+ |
* VW ID.3 Neo: Not yet Euro NCAP tested as of 2026-09. The 2025 five-star rating was for the ID.3 it replaces.
Range & charging
Range, charging & battery
Compare official and estimated range, charging performance, efficiency and batteries.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Official range (WLTP) | 193 miles | 258 miles (better) |
| Estimated motorway rangeEVcarsguide estimate at sustained motorway speed. | 129 miles | 215 miles (better) |
| 10-80% rapid charge time | 42 min | 24 min (better) |
| Max rapid charge rate | 50 kW | 100 kW (better) |
| Home AC charging | 11 kW | Not available |
| Energy consumption | 152 Wh/km | Not available |
| Usable battery capacity | 37.9 kWh | 50 kWh (better) |
| Battery chemistry | NMC | Not available |
| Battery architecture | 400V | 400V |
| Heat pump | Not standard | Not standard |
Driving & everyday use
Performance & drivetrain
Acceleration, power and drivetrain for the selected trims.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 0-62 mph | 7.3 sec (better) | 8.6 sec |
| Power | 125 kW | 125 kW |
| Torque | 250 Nm | Not available |
| Drivetrain | RWD | RWD |
What the critics say
Aggregated road-test scores from the UK motoring press. One car has more review coverage than the other - we show that rather than guessing.
BMW i3
120Ah
VW ID.3 Neo
Life 50 kWh
No critic reviews gathered yet for this car.
Watch the reviews
A taster of each car's video reviews - the full carousel lives on the model page.
Reviews and videos discuss each model overall; specifications above describe your selected trims.
Prices & deals
Calculate your real costs
Your mileage, charging access and current petrol or diesel car usually matter more than an EV-only annual estimate.
Compare with petrol or diesel
Purchase price, energy, road tax and maintenance against an ICE alternative.
Calculate company-car tax
Work out monthly Benefit-in-Kind using current and future HMRC rates.
Cost per mile
Your cost per mile against petrol and diesel, for where you would charge.
Check a lease quote
Test the effective monthly cost against list price and expected depreciation.
Safety & ownership confidence
Euro NCAP - BMW i3 120Ah
Tested 2013
Adult Occupant86%
Child Occupant82%
Vulnerable Road Users57%
Safety Assist55%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Euro NCAP - VW ID.3 Neo Life 50 kWh
VW ID.3 Neo Life 50 kWh
Not yet Euro NCAP tested as of 2026-09. The 2025 five-star rating was for the ID.3 it replaces.
Warranty
Published battery warranty terms for the selected trims.
| Measure | BMW i3120Ah | VW ID.3 NeoLife 50 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Battery warranty | 8 years | 8 years |
| Battery warranty distance | 160,934 km (better) | 160,000 km |
Buying options
Get a quote
BMW i3
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
VW ID.3 Neo
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
Live used listings
Active inventory from independent UK dealers.
BMW i3
- £29,9952021EVHEROView
- £12,4992019Cars2View
- £11,1952018Drive GreenView
VW ID.3 Neo
No active listings.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BMW i3 worth the extra £2,100 over the VW ID.3 Neo?
The BMW i3 costs £2,100 more than the VW ID.3 Neo. For that premium it adds a 1.3s quicker 0-62mph time. The VW ID.3 Neo is not just cheaper - it also offers 65 miles more WLTP range, 50 kW faster peak rapid charging and 125 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the VW ID.3 Neo comes out ahead overall.
Which is cheaper to own over 5 years, the BMW i3 or the VW ID.3 Neo?
The VW ID.3 Neo is £2,100 cheaper to buy. The VW ID.3 Neo is cheaper to charge, roughly £128 a year versus £168 for the BMW i3, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the VW ID.3 Neo comes out roughly £2,300 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.
What are the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo like on a long motorway trip?
EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 129 miles for the BMW i3 and 215 miles for the VW ID.3 Neo - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The VW ID.3 Neo goes roughly 86 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 42 minutes in the BMW i3 and 24 in the VW ID.3 Neo, so the VW ID.3 Neo loses less time at each stop. That makes the VW ID.3 Neo the stronger long-distance car.
Which is easier to park and drive in town, the BMW i3 or the VW ID.3 Neo?
The BMW i3 is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 34 mm narrower than the VW ID.3 Neo. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 625 mm of total clearance for the BMW i3 and about 591 mm of total clearance for the VW ID.3 Neo.
Go deeper on each car
Owner feedback, critic verdicts, used prices and battery health live on the full model pages.
Compare against other rivals
Similar EVs by size and price, worth lining up before you decide.
More BMW i3 comparisons
More VW ID.3 Neo comparisons
See both cars in our rankings
EVcarsguide scores every verified EV on price, range, family use and running costs. Here is where this pair appears.
Where the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among EVs under £40,000Where the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among the best motorway EVsWhere the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among the best city EVsWhere the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among the cheapest EVs to runWhere the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among EVs with the biggest bootsWhere the BMW i3 and VW ID.3 Neo rank among Best Used Electric Cars Under £10,000 (UK)
If neither is quite right
Other verified EVs that address where this pair falls short.
Further reading
Guides that help with the decision behind this comparison.
Data accuracy
Specs are sourced from manufacturer websites and manually reviewed. These figures were last verified .