VW ID.3 GTX: What we know about Wolfsburg’s hot hatch [Update]

Update: ‘Updated design & features section updated.

The ID X concept, Volkswagen’s first hot hatch concept, was unveiled in May 2021. While the car was claimed to be a one-off at the time, Ralf Brandstätter, the former Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO, said the company would use ideas from the project for a production model. Here’s what we expect the VW ID.3 GTX, which will be introduced in the market next year.

Confirmation

At IAA 2021, Brandstätter said the ID X would be produced as the VW ID.3 GTX. “Fun to drive is an aspect of mobility,” Brandstätter told Autocar, announcing the arrival of the electric ID.-based hot hatch. The new go-fast hatchback will not be the same as the former Volkswagen CEO’s ID X concept, but it will serve as inspiration for an all-wheel-drive ID.3.

On June 15, 2022, Dr Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. family, Volkswagen, formally confirmed the VW ID.3 GTX launch. The ID.3 GTX will join the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX in the brand’s performance EV range.

We will continuously expand this brand and offer a GTX variant for every ID. model in future – from the ID.3 to the ID. Buzz.

Dr Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. family, Volkswagen (Updated ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX announcement on June 15, 2022)

Drift mode is available on the ID X, just like on the Golf R. A lowered suspension and prominent alloy wheels with low-profile tires are other modifications to the concept EV. The exterior and interior have been painted in matte black with neon green accents. The dashboard has been altered, and Alcantara-covered sports seats have been installed.

Design & Features

The ID.3 GTX will arrive at dealers in the updated avatar, featuring modifications to the ID X concept. The base car will be the new ID.3 that debuted on March 1, 2023. The first spy pictures of the production ID.3 GTX popped up online in early September 2023, revealing some changes in the design.

The road-ready ID.3 GTX sports a new front bumper that’s different from both the ID.X concept and the facelifted ID.3. It has a unique grille with a honeycomb structure, flanked by pentagon-shaped surfaces on the new front bumper. The rear-end looks nearly identical to the new ID.3, save for a new black part integrated into the lower bumper. The side profile could be distinguished with exclusive 20-inch wheels.

Imelda Labbé, BoM member – Sales, Marketing and After Sales, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, says the new ID.3 has a matured design and a significantly upgraded interior. Standard equipment is also better, including a new, 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system and the Plug & Charge function. In addition to being bigger, the new infotainment system has a clearer layout, and the charging menu in it is located on the first level.

The new ID.3 has Artvelours Eco, a microfibre material that contains 71% recyclate, for the door trims and seat covers. Soft-, foam-backed surfaces, remodeled door trims with softer and larger surfaces, and precise seams in a contrasting color are also among the talking points of the interior. The whole cabin is animal-free, and that should be the same description for the GTX.

Also new in the facelifted ID.3 is the optional Travel Assist with Swarm Data. On country roads where swarm data is available, Travel Assist requires only one identified road lane marking to keep the car in the lane. We expect the GTX version to download the same features.

Expectations from the VW ID.3 GTX

Brandstätter did not reveal anything significant about the car’s production version. An Autocar report from January 24, 2022, says that the VW ID.3 GTX will be tuned for 293 hp, just 2 hp lower than the ID.4 GTX. It suggests that Volkswagen will utilize the dual-motor arrangement from the ID.4 GTX to make the VW ID.3 GTX a genuine all-wheel-drive hot hatchback.

Despite having less power than the SUV, the hot hatch will quicker as it is lighter and more aerodynamic. The SUV promises to reach 62 mph in 6.2 seconds, although the ID.3 GTX could be closer to 6 seconds. The top speed could be higher than the ID.4 GTX, which can touch 112 mph. The standard ID.3 is available with three battery options (45 kWh, 58 kWh, and 77 kWh). The VW ID.3 GTX is expected to come with a 77 kWh battery pack with a WLTP range of 311 miles.

Release Date

The VW ID.3 GTX is expected to debut and go on sale in early 2024.

No GTX models for the U.S.

Volkswagen doesn’t plan to offer the ID.4 GTX in the U.S. However, it does provide similar performance in the ID.4 with an AWD configuration as an option. The company will not be introducing the Euro-focused ID.3 to the U.S. market, instead building up EV sales with utility vehicles and sedans such as the ID.4, ID. Buzz, the ID.7 sedan, and the ID.8 SUV.

Also Read: VW ID.3 SUV (ID.3 X) will compete with the Kona EV & Niro EV

TopElectricSUV says

The ID.3 GTX will be Volkswagen’s calling for hot hatch lovers to adopt electric mobility. Targeted at customers who’d have ordinarily chosen the Golf GTI or the Golf R, it must impress these driving enthusiasts with a potent powertrain that also allows quicker straight-line acceleration and comparable handling and engagement behind the wheel. Plus, for those concerned about post-purchase affordability, particularly due to rising fuel prices, there’d also be the added advantage of significantly lower running costs and cheaper maintenance.

VW ID.3 GTX FAQs

Featured image source: TopElectricSUV’s rendering of the VW ID.3 GTX.

Suvrat Kothari Freelance Assistant Editor

I’m an automotive journalist with 4 years of experience in magazine and digital publishing, content creation, social media management and YouTube. A car enthusiast who converted my passion into a profession!