Spy Photos: VW ID. Polo GTI Goes Electric with 223 HP and 280 Miles of Range

This isn’t the GTI most people grew up with. And Volkswagen seems perfectly aware of that. The ID. Polo GTI has been spotted virtually undisguised, following earlier sightings of the ID. Polo R-Line. What we’re looking at now is the real performance version, previously previewed by a concept in 2023. It’s scheduled to arrive one year after the regular model, but the formula has clearly shifted. This GTI runs on electricity.

Exterior

At first glance, it doesn’t scream for attention. The shape remains familiar. Then the details start to stand out.

Up front, there’s a unique bumper with a pronounced air intake filled by a honeycomb mesh pattern. The side profile gains sportier side skirts and what appear to be larger wheels. Those wheels use a two-tone design and sit behind red brake calipers, a classic GTI cue that hasn’t disappeared in the transition.

Out back, things get more aggressive. There’s an extended spoiler and a revised rear bumper housing a massive diffuser. It’s large enough that some might say it looks more at home on an off-road-focused crossover than on a hot hatch. Still, it clearly marks this as something more serious than the standard model.

Interior

Inside, the layout should largely carry over from the regular version. However, there are some new elements that make the model stand out. We are looking here at a sport steering wheel, red accents throughout, as well as a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with improved characteristics.

Practicability has not been left out either. The new Golf is still a small vehicle, but it is still spacious enough to fit all occupants and their baggage. This amounts to 1,243 liters with the rear seats folded up, which is not very bad anyway.

Complete Powertrain Information

The new ID. Polo GTI is equipped with a front-mounted motor that builds up a crushing 223 horsepower. A nickel manganese cobalt battery pack of 52 kWh is coupled with the motor. The entire system can generate about 280 miles of range; the numbers may be fewer in case we are speaking about the more high-performance oriented version.

Other Specifications

The transformation is clear: the traditional hot hatch formula has been reworked around electric hardware. The GTI cues remain, but the propulsion system does not.

Conclusion

The ID. Polo GTI keeps the visual language familiar while redefining what the badge represents. It follows the regular model by a year, carries over much of its interior, and replaces combustion with a 52 kWh battery and a 223 hp electric motor. It’s still a GTI—just not in the way many remember.

VW ID. Polo GTI – Photo Gallery

Photo Source: carscoops.com