New Volkswagen GTI hatch brings rear-drive shock

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Volkswagen’s famous GTI badge has been applied to a rear-wheel-drive car for the first time in its 50-year history.

The ID3 GTI has been unveiled this week with a promise to deliver greater driver engagement than the ID3 GTX it essentially replaces.

It continues VW’s change of mind after it initially introduced the GTX badge to represent its sportiest electric models. The ID3 GTI follows the (front-drive) ID Polo GTI unveiled mid year.

The Key Specs

An electric motor on the rear axle gives the ID3 GTI a big distinction to the similarly sized Golf GTI petrol hatch that has been front drive since its birth in 1976.

The motor produces 240kW and 545Nm, significant output advantages over the 195kW/370Nm turbo petrol Golf, though the ID3 GTI is only three-tenths quicker in claimed 0-100km/h acceleration: 5.6 versus 5.9 seconds.

(VW hasn’t divulged the weight of the hot ID3 but expect it to be notably heavier than the petrol GTI.)

A 79kWh battery gives the electric hot-hatch a WLTP range of 601km, another piece of spec data that is virtually identical to those offered by the Performance variant of the ID3 GTX.

VW says DC charging up to 183kW can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just under half an hour.

Where the GTX left us overwhelmed last year, VW is promising a “new, pure and dynamic GTI experience” with the ID3 range-topper.

Exterior Design: No more subtlety

Where VW’s GTX models have featured relatively subdued styling, the new flagship ID3 brings classic GTI cues.

There’s a horizontal red stripe between the LED headlights and a black honeycomb lower air intake for cabin and battery cooling.

And the 20-inch wheels adopt the “Wörthersee” name in a nod to the renowned annual GTI festival held in Austria.

Five exterior colours comprise traditional GTI paints – black, white, silver and red, while there’s also a grey option.

Interior Design: Tartaned up!

A black (or rather dark grey) interior continues the GTI traits with red stitching and other red highlights.

The mixed-material seats also incorporate a tartan-pattern fabric, a quintessential GTI feature since the original.

Another horizontal red stripe runs across the dash, and the flat-bottomed steering wheel features a red 12 o’clock marker.

Driver modes include a ‘GTI’ option that “maximises sportiness”, giving the driver full power delivery, a sportier steering response, and a more dynamic setting for the adaptive suspension.

When selected, the digital driver cluster also changes to a GTI display and background lighting turns red.

The Volkswagen ID3 GTI will be released in Europe in early 2027, with Australian plans unknown at this stage.