Is the Golf GTI outdated compared to the ID.3 GTX electric?

For the first time, two sporty models, the combustion-engine Golf GTI and the electric ID.3 GTX, coexist at Volkswagen. Which one has the advantage?

The winning recipe of the Golf GTI that appeared in September 1975 was very simple. A front-wheel-drive equipped with a 1.6-liter injection engine producing 110 horsepower and weighing a lightweight 846 kg. A flawless chassis for fun and Scottish upholstery to make an impression, and you had one of the most exceptional pleasure machines ever produced. Today, a Golf GTI delivers 265 horsepower but has to move 1,466 kg. The power-to-weight ratio has notably improved, as have the performances, but the pleasure is no longer quite the same for purists.

This week, Volkswagen unveiled the flagship of the ID.3 range, the ID.3 GTX. The lineup starts with the new efficient 210 kW (286 hp) motor. This electric motor allows the ID.3 to go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.9 seconds… a few tenths faster than the GTI! And all this for 42,990 euros, thanks to the Ecological Bonus that the car is eligible for, compared to 48,480 euros for a GTI.

ID.3 Advantage?

But don’t worry, because there’s also the Golf GTI Clubsport in the catalog, with its 300 spirited horsepower! Certainly, but with 240 kW (326 hp), the ID.3 GTX Performance, a very powerful version of the GTX, provides even more power! This compact electric sports car simply features the most powerful electric motor of all Volkswagen models presented so far.

The souls of these cars are ultimately completely opposite and represent two distinct visions of the car. Rest assured, Golf lovers, it remains a best-seller, while the commercial career of the ID.3 has so far been a deep disappointment. But it is surprising, even unsettling, to see Volkswagen presenting the same week the Golf GTI Clubsport and the ID.3 Performance. As if the manufacturer wanted to finally pit them against each other to keep only one… But it’s up to the customer, that is you, to decide.

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