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Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows Promise

The ID.3 was Volkswagen's first bespoke all-electric car, and there were many rumors of a hot hatch version. However, the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX beat its little brother to the punch. Naming controversy aside, is this a cool car?
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows Promise 5 photos
Photo: Automann-TV/YouTube screenshot
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows PromiseVolkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows PromiseVolkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows PromiseVolkswagen ID.4 GTX Autobahn Acceleration Test: The Electric GTI Shows Promise
Volkswagen is renowned for its Golf GTI hot hatch, which for over 40 years has been the segment's benchmark. The company has always tried to diversify its portfolio, first with the GTD diesel-powered model and more recently with the GTE, part of a plug-in hybrid family.

But it's still a little weird to say "ID.4 GTX." We know these electric cars are supposed to eventually replace things like the Golf or Tiguan, but they're not dead yet. And an electric crossover weighing about as much as a Q7 is the last car you'd want as a GTI successor, right?!

Well, the GTX just had a launch event in Germany, and from there, we were able to sample what it's capable of. This video from Automann-TV focuses on the acceleration aspect, though we also get a real-world view of the interior.

The dashboard of the GTX tricks you into thinking you're in a hot hatch. The steering wheel is the same as the GTI's, while the infotainment is quite similar. It's a shame they didn't make tartan seats too.

Volkswagens are known for being understated, but we feel they could have done more with the GTX's front end, maybe adding a deeper chin or some fake vents. The rear only boasts tinted lights and the spoiler wrapping around the trunk, which are acceptable mods.

Unlike the GTI, which is a front-wheel-drive compact, the ID.4 GTX is an AWD crossover based on the MEB electric car platform. The architecture is rear-biased, with about 2/3 of power coming from the rear motor. Normally, that doesn't mean anything, but we can see the EV getting a little playful just at the beginning of the clip.

It's not much, but that tailslide is comparable to an old Golf R, and it also suggests the suspension setup is a little firmer since the body doesn't lean as much as the 2,224-kg (4,903-lb) weight suggests. The same 299 PS and 460 Nm (295 hp and 339 lb-ft) dual motors are found in the Audi Q4 e-tron 50, but that one didn't want to slide either.

As far as acceleration is concerned, the GTX is rated at 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 180 kph (112 mph). That's exactly what it does in the independent tests.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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