All-electric VW ID.3 GTX worries Golf GTI with 322 bhp rear-drive layout 

Friendly fire alert! VW’s ID.3 GTX goes head-to-head with its ICE-powered equal: the Golf GTI. How does the EV newcomer fare against history’s most celebrated hot hatch?

You could argue that VW’s latest MK 8.5 VW Golf GTI represents the best of where we’ve come from, and that this all-electric newcomer shows which direction future hot hatches are headed.  

Whether or not you subscribe to the notion that all vehicles will soon be electric, VW’s new ID.3 GTX is an exciting proposition. In optional Performance specification, the compact hatchback uses the brand’s most powerful electric drive motor to date, sending a sizeable 322 bhp and a sledgehammer 402 lb ft of torque straight to the back axle. With a 5.6 second 0-60 mph dash, the GTX’s straight-line performance mirrors that of the petrol Golf, but that mountain of instantaneous shove will likely create an entirely different driving experience. 

The hot ID.3 GTX’s exterior styling is less remarkable, with little (aside from the new 20-inch Skagen alloys), to suggest the GTX’s sporting intent. For some, this covert Q-car look will be an asset, with the silent drivetrain further contributing to the stealthy feel. While others might find the GTI’s raucous engine note and bolder styling more thrilling.

Taking performance out of the equation, the GTX promises to be just as competent as a daily runaround. With a 79kWh battery in tow, it can be fast charged from 10-80 percent in just 26 minutes, while a full charge will see a predicted 372 miles of effortless range. Practicality should be strong too, maintaining the same internal dimensions as the regular model and the mechanically identical Cupra Born VZ.

Inside, premium sports seats come emblazoned with GTX branding and contrasting stitching. Also standard is a GTX-specific “high-quality cockpit surface”, as well as the same ChatGPT/ AI technology as the fossil-fueled alternative.  

According to VW, ‘The sporty and dynamic GTX models offer a completely unique and particularly fascinating type of electric mobility. The fact that every fifth newly registered ID.4 and ID.5 in Europe is already a GTX model shows just how popular this is with customers.’

While Kai Grünitz, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for Development argues, “...ID.3 GTX Performance and the Golf GTI Clubsport share the same fascinating lightness when they accelerate.”

We can’t wait to put these bold claims to the test when the GTX arrives in the UK later this year but, until then, how do you feel about this new take on the traditional hot hatch? Based solely on its merits (the price remains unconfirmed), does the GTX get your vote over the Golf GTI or Cupra Born VZ?

Hero image credit:  VW