Volkswagen ID3 GTX driven: the electric hot hatch you’ve been waiting for?
February 21, 2025 by Tom Wiltshire
Car changing is a big deal
We get behind the wheel of the most powerful version of VW’s ID3 – the GTX. But is this 326hp hatchback really the all-electric GTI that its name suggests?
There are electric hatchbacks, electric SUVs, electric estate cars, electric people carriers, but one thing that no car manufacturer has really cracked yet is the electric hot hatchback. That is to say, a small car that has great performance, but is mostly about the way it combines affordability with fun.
The closest anyone’s got yet is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which is undeniably hot with 650hp, but is also very large, very expensive and too complicated to really be added to the annals of history alongside cars such as the Peugeot 205 GTI, Honda Civic Type R, Renaultsport Clio or VW Golf GTI. But Volkswagen’s new ID3 GTX may be the closest anybody’s got yet.
On paper, EVs should make decent hot hatchbacks – the instant response of their electric motors provides them with strong performance, usually making them much quicker off the line than their petrol equivalents. But generally fast electric cars fall short in a couple of areas – they’re too heavy, and set up to be comfortable rather than engaging on a back road.
Making an EV fun to drive is difficult without the raw sensation of a manual gearbox and clutch pedal, but the first step Volkswagen’s taken towards that is to make the ID3 GTX rear-wheel drive. Most hot hatches are front-wheel drive, but the best sports cars usually aren’t, so this gives the ID3 a leg up.
It’s also endowed with plenty of power – the electric motor produces 326hp, making it good for 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds. That’s still only on a par with the most basic Tesla Model 3, but it does compare favourably with most hot hatchbacks, which aren’t all about straight-line speed.
It also looks good, with restyled bumpers, sharp daytime running lights and glossy 20-inch alloy wheels.
So what’s it like to drive? Initially, just like any other Volkswagen EV. Get in and press the brake pedal (there’s no starter button) and you’re ready to go. It accelerates smartly and silently, like most EVs – and the extra power on tap compared to the regular ID3 means that you don’t run out of puff until you’re past the legal limit in the UK.
The ID3 GTX comes standard with VW’s adaptive suspension, which has a few presets via the driving modes – or, you can take control and adjust it between 15 levels of firmness. We favoured the softest setting of all for driving round town, where it takes the edge off big bumps – though it’s not as comfortable as a regular ID3.
Slip the GTX into Sport mode and head out onto some twisty roads, though, and it begins to separate itself from some of the more regular electric cars on sale. If you prod the accelerator mid-corner you can feel the car’s rear end going for a bit of a drift before the nannying safety features cut in.
The steering weights up a little in the sportier driving modes but it never feels quite as meaty as you’d like, and generally the car’s safety aids will stymie any attempts to be boisterous.
Volkswagen hasn’t gone down the same route as Hyundai and fitted things like a fake gearshift – nor has it emblazoned the ID3 GTX with so much exterior glitz that you’d feel awkward turning up in it to a sombre occasion. Instead, the experience of driving it normally is almost identical to the regular ID3 – though you do get some lovely, comfy sports seats with faux-suede upholstery.
You don’t even have to suffer much with a reduced range, as Volkswagen claims you can still do up to 369 miles on a charge – during our time with the car we saw about 280 miles.
So is the Volkswagen ID3 GTX a hot hatchback? ‘Sort of’ is the answer. While it’s undeniably quick, and its under-the-radar appearance and everyday usability make it really pleasant to live with, the truth is that the ID3 GTX just doesn’t lean enough into the fun factor to be classed among the greats.
The other big problem is that the Cupra Born VZ – which shares the ID3 GTX’s motors and power output – is cheaper, cooler-looking and has a nicer interior. And if outright pace is your main concern, the MG4 XPower is a whopping £10,000 less expensive yet accelerates from 0-62mph almost two seconds quicker.
So shortlist the ID3 GTX if you like the regular ID3 and want it to be a bit faster, but don’t go in expecting to be thrilled.
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