Volkswagen ID.3 is one of the best compact EVs that you can buy in Europe today, and even if it still has some issues, it is the electric hatchback to benchmark new vehicles against. It’s no surprise then that our spies spotted an ID.3 parked next to the fully-electric Opel Astra E in Germany, suggesting that the Rüsselsheim-based automaker is benchmarking its new model against one of the most popular models on the market.
The two vehicles may look similar, but they really couldn’t be more different, though. The Volkswagen is a rear-wheel drive vehicle built on a bespoke EV platform, so it has oodles of space inside , while the Opel is based around an ICE platform that has been repurposed forGallery: Opel Astra E Spied Benchmarking Against VW ID.
Where the Astra E wins back some practicality points, though, is in the fact that it can be had as either a hatchback or a more cavernous wagon, which gets a 516 liter trunk whose capacity increases to 1,553 liters if you fold down all rear seat backrests. It also has decent range, thanks to its 54 kWh battery pack that should take it up to 416 km on one charge, although it’s still less than the