VW ID.4 and ID.5 GTXs to arrive in Q2 2024, ID.3 GTX to follow

July 13, 2023July 12, 2023 Iain Curry 2467 Views GTX, Volkswagen ID.3, Volkswagen ID.4, Volkswagen ID.5, vwid

Volkswagen Australia has confirmed its sporty ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX electric vehicles will arrive here in the second quarter of 2024.

They’ll launch concurrently with the regular single motor ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs, which were initially slated to land this year.

The as-yet not revealed ID.3 GTX EV hot hatchback has also now been locked in for Australia. The regular ID.3 is confirmed to arrive in the second half of 2023, but it’s not known when the GTX will follow.

GTX versions of the full electric ID lineup can be seen as the EV equivalents of Volkswagen’s sporty GTI petrol range.

Volkswagen ID.5 GTX has twin motors, all-wheel-drive and hot hatch performance

Hot hatch-like performance

Both the ID.4 medium SUV and ID.5 coupe SUV GTXs feature dual motors, all-wheel-drive and deliver 220kW/460Nm.

These power and torque numbers are some 50 per cent higher than single motor ID.4 and ID.5 versions, where 150kW and 310Nm is sent only through the rear wheels.

GTX versions will hit 100km/h in an almost hot-hatch like 6.2-seconds (6.3-seconds the ID.5), making them far quicker off the mark than single motor versions’ 8.5 seconds effort.

The ID.4 and ID.5 GTXs use a 77kWh battery with peak charging speed of 175kW. Range for these cars is 488km (ID.4 GTX) and 495km (ID.5 GTX) on the WLTP standard.

Pricing news

Australian pricing for the regular ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, or these GTX versions, remains unknown.

2023 Volkswagen ID.3. — Volkswagen ID.3 launches in Australia in the second half of 2024, likely priced under $60,000

The Golf-sized ID.3 hatch is expected to start below $60,000 – possibly matching its Cupra Born EV twin’s $59,990 sticker. We reckon the ID.4 will kick off from $60,000 and the coupe-like ID.5 closer to $70,000.

GTX versions will, of course, significantly boost those figures. Judging by UK prices, GTX versions should attract a $15,000-$20,000 premium.

“The ID.3 GTX, ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX will help Volkswagen further expand what is already Australia’s largest range of attainable performance vehicles,” said VW Australia’s Dan DeGasperi, citing its GTI or R-badged Polo, Golf, T-Roc and Tiguan.

VW models to be chopped

Now Volkswagen’s got its electric vehicle program in full snowball mode, the knives have rapidly come out to cut away traditional models.

While announcing its electric GTX news, Volkswagen Australia said it was bidding farewell to its Passat and Arteon models entirely; the Golf and Golf R wagons have been chopped, as have diesel Tiguans and manual versions of its Polo city car.

“Rationalising the range” is VW’s PR way of describing the cruel cuts of these stalwarts.

VW ID. Buzz rental car in France — VW ID. Buzz also due here in 2024, making it a busy electric year for Volkswagen Australia

The ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5 offerings will be joined by the ID. Buzz – the electric version of the VW Kombi – in 2024, making it a bumper EV year for Volkswagen Australia.

It will likely be joined by an entry-level sub-$40,000 ID.2 electric city car in 2025, a concept of such a vehicle being shown earlier this year.

Globally, Volkswagen plans to launch 10 BEVs by 2025.

Iain Curry

A motoring writer and photographer for two decades, Iain started in print magazines in London as editor of Performance BMW and features writer for BMW Car, GT Porsche and 4Drive magazines. His love of motor sport and high performance petrol cars was rudely interrupted in 2011 when he was one of the first journalists to drive BMW's 1 Series ActiveE EV, and has been testing hybrids, PHEVs and EVs for Australian newspapers ever since. Based near Noosa in Queensland, his weekly newspaper articles cover new vehicle reviews and consumer advice, while his photography is regularly seen on the pages of glossy magazines.