Currently reading: VW ID 3 GTX Performance is 322bhp electric hot hatch for £46k

New variant of forthcoming hot ID 3 is EV equivalent of Golf GTI Clubsport, with more torque than Golf R

The Volkswagen ID 3 GTX Performance will go on sale on 29 August as the electric alternative to the Golf GTI Clubsport, offering 322bhp for £46,225.

That power means the range-topping hot hatch can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.7sec, making it Volkswagen's quickest-accelerating EV to date. 

It's priced just above the technically identical £44,570 Cupra Born VZ, meaning it holds a near-£10,000 premium over the 429bhp MG 4 EV XPower (£36,495).

The ID 3 GTX Performance is the first electric hot hatch to arrive from Volkswagen. It will be joined by the less powerful (282bhp) ID 3 GTX later this year.

Both use the same APP550 electric motor on the rear axle as the standard 201bhp ID 3 but in a much higher state of tune.

Several chassis and suspension tweaks have been made to give the GTX a more dynamic character than regular ID 3s.

In the GTX Performance, this amounts to retuned steering for “greater precision”, sports suspension and a new Dynamic Chassis Control system, like in the Golf GTI.

A 79kWh (usable) battery replaces the standard car’s 77kWh pack for an official range of up to 369 miles.

DC charging peaks at 185kW to give a 10-80% charge in 26 minutes.

The GTX Performance gets a subtly sportier look, with a new model-specific front bumper design, together with new ‘arrowhead’ LED daytime running lights, black gloss trim and a rear diffuser.

The wheels are 20in in diameter as standard and sports seats are fitted. 

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“The ID 3 GTX Performance is for me the electric counterpart to the Golf GTI Clubsport,” said Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen's technical development boss.

“Of course, an electric drive and a turbocharged petrol engine each have their own unique character. Yet the ID 3 GTX Performance and the Golf GTI Clubsport share the same fascinating lightness when they accelerate.

“Volkswagen is transferring the almost 50-year tradition of its compact GT models into the world of electric mobility. Driving pleasure is guaranteed.”

The ID 3 follows the ID 4 SUV, ID 5 SUV, ID Buzz MPV, ID 7 saloon and ID 7 Tourer estate in getting a GTX makeover.

Will Rimell

Will Rimell
Title: News editor

Will is Autocar's news editor.​ His focus is on setting Autocar's news agenda, interviewing top executives, reporting from car launches, and unearthing exclusives.

As part of his role, he also manages Autocar Business – the brand's B2B platform – and Haymarket's aftermarket publication CAT.

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Will86 27 August 2024

Rear wheel drive hot hatch sounds very promising. Excellent range too. If only it looked a bit more interesting. Perhaps a brighter colour and anything other than black alloys would help, but even then, it lacks the extra details you get with say a Golf GTI.

xxxx 27 August 2024

Love the exterior, performance, economy, zero tailpipe emissions, range but ...... the awful interior throws all those advantages under the bus, electric bus of course.