u/PatientYam6940 — reddlx

I have a 2023 ID.3 in Norway and I’m trying to understand how this works for others.

My car physically has features like intelligent lights (Light Assist) and dual-zone climate installed. I can see them directly in the system and activate them, but only through a monthly subscription.

For me, this is hard to understand. I bought a car that already has this equipment, yet I can’t use it normally without additional payments.

From a customer perspective, it feels like the hardware is in the car, but access to it is locked behind a paywall.

Honestly, this approach doesn’t feel right to me and may negatively affect how customers perceive the brand.

Is it the same in your country and model year, or do you have different access to these features?

I’m writing as a 3-year owner of a Volkswagen ID.3—and as a customer whose frustration has reached its limit.

Your “function on demand” strategy feels fundamentally wrong. You sell a car with hardware already installed—features like dual-zone climate control or intelligent lighting—and then place them behind a paywall. From a customer perspective, this looks like charging twice for the same product.

This is not about the price. I have not purchased any subscription and I never will—even if it costs €1. This is about principle. Once I buy a car, I expect to use what is physically there.

On top of that, there is Volkswagen Connect.
To access basic remote functions like climate control or charging management, I am expected to pay around €170 per year or about €300 for two years. For something that is already built into the car. That is very hard to justify.

At the time of purchase, the dealer did not clearly inform me that these features would require paid subscriptions. Yes, I signed the contract—but it was in Norwegian, and I am a Polish worker living in Norway with limited language proficiency. Important information like this should be clearly explained, not hidden in documentation.

I chose Volkswagen deliberately. I wanted to support a European brand. Instead, I feel like the product is intentionally limited after purchase to create additional revenue streams.

This is my first and last Volkswagen. I already do not recommend this brand, and I will not recommend it to anyone in the future. Several people I know were seriously considering buying an ID.3—but after I explained how this system works, they chose other brands.

You are not just “risking” customers like me—you have already lost me.
And when a customer is satisfied with a car, they come back. I won’t.

From my perspective, Volkswagen is not just making a questionable decision—it is actively undermining its own future.

It feels like Volkswagen is building the very structure that will ultimately bring its own brand down—prioritizing short-term monetization over long-term trust.

This is not just about features—it’s about trust. And that trust is already gone.

The choice is simple: I’m done with Volkswagen.