Volkswagen ID.2 GTI electric hot hatch being tested against a 20-year-old Golf – report

Almost two decades since it went on sale, the ‘Mk5’ Volkswagen Golf GTI of 2004 is reportedly being used as the benchmark for the upcoming electric ID.2 GTI.

The Volkswagen ID.2 GTI – a production version of the electric ID. GTI concept unveiled last week – is reportedly being benchmarked by the German car giant against one of its old favourites; the fifth-generation Golf GTI.

When the ID. GTI concept was revealed at the Munich motor show last week, comparisons were drawn between the new ID.2-based electric concept and Volkswagen’s previous generations of Golf GTIs, most notably the first-generation ‘Mark 1’ model.

However, UK publication Autocar reports Volkswagen is currently testing a production version of the ID.2 GTI and using the ‘Mark 5’ (or Mk5) Golf GTI as its benchmark.

The fifth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI ‘Mk5’

Launched in 2004, the fifth-generation Golf GTI was lauded as a return to form for the nameplate, which had lost its edge in its third and fourth generations.

While the Mk5 Golf GTI is still a good car by today’s standards, even the most recent versions are almost 15 years old, as production ended in 2009 ahead of the heavily facelifted sixth-generation Golf’s debut.

Speaking to Autocar, Volkswagen’s head of research and development, Kai Grünitz, said the production-ready ID.2 GTI will have “an agile steering feel and a very smooth way of driving it through the curves”, as well as an electronic front differential to help put its electric power to the ground.

“We want to make it agile, really direct and so you can feel the road with the damper settings. It’ll be fast but smooth and it’ll need more power than the ID 2 All,” Mr Grünitz told Autocar.

The head engineer also says the electric hot hatch will be equipped with the synthesised sound of a petrol-powered engine – which drivers will be able to turn off – but it won’t have a simulated gear shifting feature similar to the one available in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

As reported last week, the Volkswagen ID.2 GTI is estimated to start from about €30,000 ($AU55,000) in Europe – cheaper than the current Volkswagen Golf GTI which is priced from €40,000 in Germany, and $55,490 plus on-road costs in Australia.

Production is expected to begin in 2026 or 2027, with an Australian roll-out tipped to follow shortly after, as the car-maker’s local division has previously expressed interest in the full ID.2 range.

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