Volkswagen ID.3 GTI: 326 hp, 601 km WLTP range and GTX Performance comparison
The ID.3 GTI matches the old GTX Performance at 326 hp, 545 Nm and 601 km WLTP. The real changes are chassis tuning, software and GTI-specific controls.
Volkswagen has unveiled the new ID.3 GTI, which quickly earned the title of the most powerful GTI in history, yet its 326 hp, 545 Nm and 79 kWh battery were already used in the GTX Performance. Here is what has actually changed.
There is an important nuance behind Volkswagen’s headline claim: the new ID.3 GTI is indeed the most powerful production GTI in 50 years, but it is not the most powerful ID.3. Its 240 kW (326 hp), 545 Nm and 79 kWh battery exactly match the figures of the previous ID.3 GTX Performance. Even the top speed remains unchanged at 200 km/h. A direct comparison with Volkswagen’s official GTX Performance specification makes that clear.
The difference in acceleration is minimal: the GTI reaches 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds instead of 5.7. Range has not changed at all — up to 601 km WLTP. On paper, the charging figures have even edged backwards: 183 kW and about 29 minutes from 10% to 80%, versus 185 kW and roughly 26 minutes for the GTX Performance.
The move from GTX to GTI is therefore mainly about changing the car’s character. Volkswagen has retuned the adaptive DCC chassis, added direct progressive steering, Launch Control and a dedicated GTI mode that changes the powertrain and chassis settings, instruments and ambient lighting, while also adding a synthesised combustion-engine sound. Volkswagen itself describes the powertrain as a further optimisation compared with the ID.3 GTX.
The ID.3 itself has already undergone a major update: the current ID.3 Neo received new electronics and a revised range. The GTI builds on that foundation and adds Vehicle-to-Load for powering external devices, one-pedal driving and a new generation of Connected Travel Assist. The latter is optional and can now recognise a red traffic light and automatically bring the car to a stop.
This is also Volkswagen’s second electric GTI: in spring, the brand showed the front-wheel-drive ID. Polo GTI with 226 hp. The ID.3 uses the opposite layout, sending 326 hp to the rear wheels, so the chassis and software tuning are expected to explain the switch from GTX to the historic GTI badge.
For now, however, Volkswagen describes the ID.3 GTI as a near-production model and says the quoted specifications are preliminary. Pre-orders are due to open in early 2027, making the final specifications and price the next points to verify.