Volkswagen started taking pre-sale orders for the ID. Polo GTI in Germany on Wednesday, October 7, with prices from €39,995. It is the first GTI without a gas engine, and it lands in the badge’s 50th year, half a century after the original Golf GTI.
What €39,995 buys
Like every GTI before it, the ID. Polo GTI drives the front wheels. Its motor makes 166 kW (226 PS, about 223 hp) and 290 Nm (214 lb-ft), good for 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph).
Instant torque through the front tires is the hard part, so VW made an electronically controlled front differential lock standard. It sends power to the wheel that can use it, mostly when exiting corners. Progressive steering and adaptive DCC suspension are standard too. A new GTI button on the steering wheel sharpens the motor, steering, and suspension in one press, plays a GTI sound, and switches the cockpit to its own colors.
The usual GTI cues are there: a red stripe across the nose, a honeycomb pattern, 19-inch wheels, LED matrix headlights, and sport seats with a modern take on the classic plaid. Inside are a 10.25-inch driver display and a 12.9-inch center screen. An optional retro display draws the gauges like a late Golf I, and the music screen shows the current song as a cassette.
Battery, range, and charging
The battery holds 52 kWh net and uses NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) cells. VW rates it for up to 431 km (268 miles) on the European WLTP cycle, which usually reads higher than an EPA rating would. DC fast charging peaks at 105 kW, and VW says a 10 to 80 percent stop takes about 24 minutes thanks to a flat charging curve.
It’s also roomier than the gas Polo GTI. Cargo space grows from 351 to 441 liters (12.4 to 15.6 cubic feet), or up to 1,240 liters (43.8 cubic feet) with the rear seats folded. An optional removable tow bar handles a bike rack with two e-bikes.
What changed since the May reveal
When VW unveiled the car in May, it said pre-sales would start in Germany this fall at just under €39,000. The final price lands about €1,000 higher, but the specs improved too. WLTP range rose from 424 to 431 km (263 to 268 miles), and top speed went from 175 to 190 km/h (109 to 118 mph), a change VW says came from customer feedback.
For scale, the regular ID. Polo starts at €24,995 with a smaller 37 kWh battery. Options on the GTI include a panoramic glass roof, 12-way power front seats with massage, a 425-watt Harman Kardon system, a 19-inch performance tire, and VW’s newest Connected Travel Assist, which can spot red lights and brake to a stop within its system limits.
A European GTI
VW says it built its new small electric cars “in Europe and for Europe,” and it hasn’t announced U.S. plans for the ID. Polo or the GTI. In the U.S., VW’s electric lineup is still the bigger ID.4 and ID. Buzz, covered in our October VW Group deals roundup. It’s another German performance badge going electric this week, after Porsche confirmed an electric-only 718, and it joins small European EVs like the Hyundai IONIQ 3.
A bigger electric GTI is next. VW says pre-sales for the 240 kW (326 PS) ID.3 GTI start at the beginning of 2027.
The GTI recipe hasn’t changed much in 50 years: front-wheel drive, a red stripe, and a price regular people can reach. This one just plugs in.
FAQ
How much does the VW ID. Polo GTI cost?
It starts at €39,995 in Germany, with VW noting that equipment and pricing may differ in other countries.
How far can the ID. Polo GTI go on a charge?
VW quotes up to 431 km (268 miles) on the WLTP cycle from its 52 kWh battery.
Is the ID. Polo GTI coming to the U.S.?
Volkswagen hasn’t announced U.S. plans for it.