A GTI for the Electric Age
For over 40 years, the Volkswagen GTI has been a darling of car enthusiasts, combining a compact exterior, spacious interior, and sporty performance and handling in an affordable package. From its introduction in the early 1980s through to the latest models, the GTI has always been defined by powerful but efficient four-cylinder engines, manual transmissions with a “golf-ball” shift knob, and red accents on its hatchback shape. On the heels of the ID.4 SUV and ID.7 sedan, the latest concept car from Volkswagen it shows us what the GTI might look like in the electric age – and it’s due to go on sale in 2026.
Electric Volkswagen GTI Design
At first glance, the ID.GTI is easily recognizable as part of the GTI lineage. Its compact shape, is about the same size as the original Golf GTI, and quite a bit smaller than the current gasoline model. The compact electric motor and battery under the floor mean that it can have an equally spacious interior on a much smaller footprint. The side profile continues to be defined by a strong rear pillar, separating the rear door from the hatch. Large, 20-inch wheels, extended side skirts, an aggressive rear diffuser and numerous red accents hint at a sporty driving experience. Still, this is a practical car: the rear seats still fold, creating a cargo area of almost 47 cubic feet.
While the ID.GTI’s exterior might look familiar to Volkswagen fans, its interior is a departure. Dual digital displays allow for a variety of new functions, and drivers have a huge range of configurations for the design of the dashboard and infotainment screen; in its configurability, the new GTI will be bang up to date for the digital age. The driver faces a slim instrument cluster through a two-spoke steering wheel with floating horizontal spokes and real buttons; there’s a large infotainment screen perched on the dashboard to control other functions.
Some fun features include a “retro” graphics mode which replicates the instrument designs of the original models, as well as a golf-ball shaped control to choose from various electric drive modes. Augmented reality features for both the infotainment screen as well as the head-up display, layering navigation directions directly onto the road ahead, or showing floating controls for audio volume and other functions. The single-speed automatic transmission is controlled with a simple paddle behind the steering wheel.
Volkswagen ID.GTI Performance and Handling
While Volkswagen isn’t ready yet to share power and range figures for the ID.GTI, it does say that the company’s first electric GTI model will live up to the badge’s fun-to-drive heritage. The instantaneous torque and power typical of electric vehicles should give it lightning-fast responses and impressive acceleration, while lightweight construction and the latest battery technology should mean enough range for daily use as well as longer trips.
Like all GTI models since the beginning, the electric GTI will be front-wheel drive. The electric motor will also be connected to a front-axle differential lock like in the gasoline GTI, which will enhance traction and stability when cornering aggressively. A new vehicle dynamics manager will work not only with the electric motor and differential, but also the vehicle’s stability and traction control systems to make the electric GTI safe as well as entertaining. Indeed, Volkswagen says the “I” in the GTI name now stands for “intelligence,” instead of “injection” for the gasoline models.
The ID.GTI’s vehicle dynamics manager also will give drivers an unprecedented range of driving setup options, as electric drive allows much finer tuning of various drivetrain and handling characteristics. Volkswagen says that the golf-ball mode control can adjust the sensitivity of the electronic throttle, the response of the differential, the suspension, the sound experience, and even simulated gear-shift points. Drivers can even choose to make the electric GTI behave like a vintage GTI model, with a choice of 1986, 2001, or other legendary versions remade in digital form. Not only will it be an electric sports hatchback, it’ll be a time machine for fans of the brand.
ID.GTI Pricing and Availability
While final specifications and pricing have yet to be determined for the ID.GTI, Volkswagen’s CEO Thomas Schäfer has confirmed in interviews that an electric GTI will be on sale in 2026, following the launch of the ID.2 hatchback on which it is based. Like the gasoline version, it’s likely American customers likely won’t get the more basic versions of the electric hatch; currently, we can only buy the high-performance GTI and Golf R on our shores.
That’s okay: even in 2023 money, the GTI has always represented exceptional value, especially when you consider its practical virtues as well as its fun-to-drive nature. We expect a starting MSRP of under $40,000 when the ID.GTI launches, and hope that Volkswagen will build it in Chattanooga, alongside the ID.4. Doing so would make it eligible for federal tax rebates, reducing the cost of entry.
A Volkswagen sports car for the EV age with enough room for the family, exceptionally low running costs, and zero emissions? Where do we sign up?
