Volkswagen didn’t invent the hot hatch with the original Golf GTI, but it was arguably the first to properly nail the formula. It’ll be hoping to repeat that success with this, the ID.3 GTX, as the first batch of battery electric hot hatches begin to make their way onto the market.
The GTX arrives in two versions – a standard car with 282bhp, comfortably besting the latest Golf GTI, and a Performance version, boasting 322bhp, unsurprisingly matching the recently revealed and closely related Cupra Born VZ. The motor is powered by a new 79kWh battery and sends drive exclusively to the rear wheels.
Volkswagen ID.3 GTX – detail
VW reckons on this setup propelling the standard GTX to 62mph in six seconds flat, and the Performance in 5.6 seconds. Top speed, meanwhile, is electronically limited to 111mph in the basic car and 124mph in the Performance. It’s still going to take some time to get used to hearing about electric performance cars with surprisingly low maximum speeds, isn’t it?
The new battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in a forecast 26 minutes, and the quoted range is expected to be around 370 miles.
Volkswagen ID.3 GTX – interior
As per usual for VW hot hatches, exterior changes are relatively subtle: the GTX gets new model-specific front and rear bumpers and side skirts, and standard 20-inch alloys. Inside, there are new sports seats, GTX-specific dashboard trim and lots of red stitching, because sportiness.
It also marks the debut of a wider cabin refresh for the entire ID.3 range, which seeks to solve some of the ergonomic woes the car has been saddled with since its launch. The central screen is now a larger 12.9-inch unit and apparently features a “new, intuitive menu structure”. It features a new bar at the bottom which controls air-con and heating, although there’s still no sign of any proper buttons and the steering wheel still looks to have those awful haptic controls. Grrrr. Integration of ChatGPT AI assistance also arrives in the ID.3 after debuting in the Golf.
Volkswagen ID.3 GTX – rear
The ID.3 GTX goes on sale later this year, with pricing to be confirmed. Expect it to face some decent competition from upcoming cars like the Abarth 600e, Alpine A290 and its own close relative in the form of the aforementioned Cupra. The electric hot hatch game is hotting up.
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