- New VW ID. Polo GTI revealed in full
- Only seen in disguised form up until now
- Performance variant of regular ID. Polo
- Power of 226 PS, 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds
- But outgunned by the Vauxhall Corsa GSE - and others
(VW ID. Polo GTI)
Here’s your first proper look at the VW ID. Polo GTI, with order books set to open this autumn.
While we’ve seen sporting ‘GTX’ versions of the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID.7 and ID. Buzz, this is the first EV to wear the firm’s famous ‘GTI’ badge (which is now 50 years old, by the way).
The ID. Polo certainly looks the part, coming with 19-inch alloys, red stripes on the front grille, a chunky rear diffuser, and neat rear spoiler.
But while the ID. Polo GTI made its debut at Germany’s famous Nürburgring race circuit and has sporting credentials, there’s a fly in the ointment… and that’s the new Vauxhall Corsa GSE (pictured below).
(Vauxhall Corsa GSE)
Like the ID. Polo GTI, the Corsa GSE is a fully electric hot hatchback that’s more powerful and quicker to accelerate than its Volkswagen foe.
And with the Corsa and Polo having traded blows for the past three decades, that rivalry looks set to continue into the electric age.
(VW ID. Polo GTI)
How powerful is the VW ID. Polo GTI?
The ID. Polo GTI adopts VW’s tried and trusted ‘GTI’ formula.
So, it’s front-wheel drive and you get a front differential lock, adaptive DCC sports suspension and progressive steering as standard.
That limited-slip differential is something that’ll set the GTI apart from other rivals, as is the GTI driving profile, which is activated by a button on the sports steering wheel and which sharpens the power delivery, chassis and steering for maximum sportiness.
(VW ID. Polo GTI)
Power comes via a 52 kWh battery that unlocks power of 226 PS, 290 Nm torque, and a 0-62mph time of 6.8 seconds.
That’s relatively quick (and the same as the VZ variant of the CUPRA Raval, which shares the same electric platform) but not blistering in terms of pace and other EVs will smoke it at the traffic lights, including the Alpine A290, MINI Cooper Electric JCW, and the all-wheel drive MG4 EV XPower.
And then there’s the Vauxhall Corsa GSE (below), which is arguably the ID. Polo’s biggest rival and which is also set to launch later this year.
(Vauxhall Corsa GSE)
Vauxhall Corsa GSE vs Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI
The Vauxhall Corsa GSE gets a slightly bigger 54 kWh battery compared with the ID. Polo GTI and has significantly more power at 281 PS, as well as 345 Nm torque.
The Corsa GSE can launch from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds - a good 1.3 seconds faster than the hottest ID. Polo.
The Corsa GSE also gets a Torsen multi-plate limited-slip differential and a lowered sports chassis while there are three drive modes to savour.
Vauxhall hasn’t told us just yet what range the Corsa GSE will have, but the ID. Polo is capable of journeying up to 263 miles between charges.
So, there might be a trade-off when it comes to power vs distance, but we’ll have to wait and see how that pans out.
The other thing to point out here is that the petrol-powered VW Polo GTI has been discontinued and is no longer available to lease.
(VW ID. Polo GTI interior)
What’s the cabin of the VW ID. Polo GTI look like?
Red and black shades dominate, from the stitching on the leather sports steering wheel to the stripy, tartan-inspired seats.
You get a 10.25-inch digital cockpit that gives you the option of a ‘retro display’, where the instruments are made to look like the dash of the old Mk1 Golf.
(VW ID. Polo GTI interior)
There’s also a 12.9-inch infotainment screen which, again, can be made to look like it’s come straight from the 1980s, complete with a cassette tape song display.
Optional equipment includes a Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer, a panoramic sunroof and massage front seats.
How much does the VW ID. Polo GTI cost in the UK?
We’re still waiting to see what the ID. Polo GTI will cost in the UK, as well as full UK specs, but VW is quoting a price ‘just under 39,000 euros’ for the German market, which is around £33,900 in British pounds.
Prices for the Vauxhall Corsa GSE are likely to start close to £35,000 so it should be a straight shootout that and the ID. Polo GTI.
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