2020 VW Golf GTE Coming As The Fuel Efficient Fast Hatch For TDI Haters

We’ve already seen spy shots of the regular 2020 VW Golf and the go-fast GTI variant so now it’s time to take a look at the Golf GTE plug-in hybrid model.

Spotted for the first time in the wild, the GTE model is not hard to recognize as it features a quite obvious charging port on the left front fender. We don’t expect it to look very different from the regular Golf bar a slightly different grille treatment, aero-style wheels, and some blue accents.

When it goes on sale in early 2020, the VW Golf GTE will be the most efficient model in the range and the closest you’ll get to an electric Golf. That’s because the VW e-Golf will be replaced by the ID.3, the first in a full range of ID electric vehicles.

While nothing is confirmed yet, the next-generation Golf GTE could pack the same hybrid powertrain as the facelifted VW Passat GTE. More specifically, it could pair a 156 PS (154 hp) 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 115 PS (113 hp) electric motor for a combined output of 218 PS (215 hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.

Also read: Gotcha! 2020 VW Golf Mk8 Snapped Totally Naked During Commercial Shoot

More importantly, it could get the same 13-kWh battery which enables the Passat GTE to cover up to 56 km (35 miles) in all-electric mode under the WLTP cycle. Since the Golf GTE is a smaller vehicle, we could be looking at a longer EV driving range in the compact car.

Besides the plug-in hybrid GTE model, the VW Golf Mk8 will feature extensive electrification, with many of the other engines in the lineup getting mild-hybrid tech powered by a 48-volt electrical system.