
Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription
created: Aug. 16, 2025, 10:19 a.m. | updated: Aug. 16, 2025, 2:31 p.m.
You're used to paying for access to Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ every month but now Volkswagen is getting in on the act.
It's asking owners of the ID.3 hatch to pay extra if they wish their car to deliver the full performance it’s capable of.
Yes, you read that correctly: while the Volkswagen ID.3 Pro and Pro S are listed on the configurator as producing 201bhp, buyers must pay a subscription fee to reach the car's full potential of 228bhp.
That’s almost three times the price of a ‘Standard with Ads’ Netflix subscription – following a one-month free trial – or a total of £165 per year.
Performance upgrade packageVolkswagen says that while selecting the performance upgrade increases net power by 27bhp and the maximum torque from 265Nm to 310Nm, it does not affect range.
1 day, 5 hours ago: Hacker News