It takes a well-trained eye to tell the GTE apart from a standard Golf, which is exactly what designers were aiming for. Model-specific touches include blue accents on both ends, C-shaped LED daytime running lights up front, and discreet GTE emblems on the fenders. The GTE looks like… well, a four-door Golf. Electricity comes from an 8.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted over the rear axle, a packaging solution that eats up a little bit of trunk space. It works jointly with an electric motor programmed to generate 101 horses and 243 pound-feet of twist.

Its gasoline-electric drivetrain is built around a 1.4-liter four-cylinder TSI engine that provides 148 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The Golf GTE is closely related to the Audi A3 e-tron. Intrigued, I hopped behind the wheel of one in Berlin, Germany, for a quick spin. However, Volkswagen of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken told me that the brand’s top executives are debating whether or not to send the GTE across the pond in the not-too-distant future. The GTE nameplate doesn’t ring a bell in the United States because it’s not sold here. I’m not talking about a futuristic concept or a prototype, either the Golf GTE has been on sale across Europe – where it’s one of the best-selling plug-in models – for over two years. Volkswagen has taken the basic idea of a sports-focused hybrid and condensed it into a practical package that’s a lot more affordable.

The Porsche 918 Spyder and the Acura NSX are two excellent examples of what hybrids are capable of when they’re put on steroids, but they’re out of the reach of most motorists. That began to change when automakers realized they could put instant torque to good use and build a fast, efficient sports car. Up until recently, hybrids fulfilled the mission of providing numb, neutered, and efficient transportation. The Volkswagen Golf GTE is an unusually fun hybrid, but it falls short of being an electrified GTI.

Volkwagen gl golf review