Tag Archives: Volkswagen

CONCEPT CARS

Volkswagen ID. CROSS Concept: The Friendly Face of VW’s Next-Gen EVs

Volkswagen has a lot riding on its next wave of electric cars. As the leading EV brand in Germany and Europe, Wolfsburg’s giant isn’t just chasing sales numbers—it’s reshaping what entry-level electric mobility looks like. At IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, VW pulled the wraps off the ID. CROSS Concept, a compact electric SUV that promises city-friendly proportions, family-ready versatility, and a refreshingly optimistic design language VW calls Pure Positive.

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen and Head of the Brand Group Core, set the tone: “From the very beginning, my goal was to shape the best version of the Volkswagen brand of all time. The near-production ID. CROSS demonstrates that we are now truly delivering—with new design, better quality, more technology, and, finally, the right name.”

The Fourth Member of VW’s Entry-Level EV Family

The ID. CROSS is the fourth entry in Volkswagen’s new small-car EV offensive, following the ID.2all, the ID. GTI Concept, and the ID. EVERY1. All four models are due to hit production between 2026 and 2027, with the ID. Polo and its hotter Polo GTI spinoff leading the charge in the first half of 2026.

This lineup isn’t just about Volkswagen—it’s part of a broader push by the Brand Group Core (VW, Škoda, SEAT & CUPRA, and VW Commercial Vehicles) to flood the entry-level EV segment with affordable yet desirable models, leveraging shared platforms and scale.

Small Footprint, Big Personality

On paper, the ID. CROSS matches the dimensions of the current T-Cross—just 4,161 mm long, 1,839 mm wide, and 1,588 mm tall. Yet clever packaging yields a spacious five-seat cabin with a generous 450-liter trunk plus another 25 liters under the hood. VW even claims it will tow up to 1,200 kg, while a 75-kg ball coupling makes it ideal for e-bike racks.

The design itself is all about friendliness. Finished in Urban Jungle Green, the concept wears strong lines, clean surfacing, and a 3D light signature up front and rear that gives the impression the car is smiling at you. Head of Design Andreas Mindt says it taps into Volkswagen icons like the Golf and VW Bus: “A Volkswagen must be likeable, unmistakable, and inspiring. That’s why we deliberately evoke heritage cues while keeping the car modern and trend-setting.”

Massive 21-inch “Balboa” alloys, paired with bespoke Goodyear rubber, fill the arches—though production wheels will likely shrink for sanity’s sake.

Lounge on Wheels

Inside, the ID. CROSS leans into VW’s newfound focus on warmth and livability. The cabin mixes Vanilla Chai beige fabrics, ambient “Atmospheres” lighting and sound modes, and even real plants in the floating center console. Fold-flat seats create a lounge-like recliner setup reminiscent of a VW Bus, while a two-screen cockpit—11-inch driver display and 13-inch infotainment—sits neatly aligned on the visual axis.

Ergonomics have also taken a step forward: VW promises a return to physical shortcut buttons, cleaner menus, and natural voice control after years of criticism over touch-heavy interfaces.

Powertrain and Range

Under the skin, the ID. CROSS sits on VW’s evolving MEB+ platform. A single front-mounted motor delivers 155 kW (211 hp), feeding from a flat-mounted high-voltage battery pack. Range is pegged at up to 420 km (WLTP), squarely in the sweet spot for compact SUVs. The platform also unlocks advanced driver-assistance features, including an updated Travel Assist system once reserved for higher segments.

What It Means

Volkswagen knows it has to get this car right. Compact SUVs like the T-Cross and Tiguan are the bread and butter of the brand’s global success, and the ID. CROSS could be the EV equivalent. Its balance of compact size, big usability, approachable character, and a not-so-serious personality might just be the thing that helps more buyers make the electric leap.

The production version is slated for a summer 2026 debut, but if the Munich show car is any indication, VW’s “Pure Positive” philosophy may finally give the ID lineup the charm it’s been missing.

Source: Volkswagen

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Volkswagen at IAA 2025: A True VW Reset with Affordable EVs, a Fresh Naming Strategy, and a Reinvented T-Roc

Volkswagen is using the spotlight of IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich (September 8–14) to do more than just show off new sheet metal—it’s rolling out a brand reset. Under the banner “True Volkswagen,” the company is signaling a sharper focus on its roots: clean, instantly recognizable design, solid quality, smart packaging, and that trademark balance of performance and value. And it’s doing so with one of the broadest product offensives we’ve seen from Wolfsburg in years.

The headliners? A wave of new EVs that put affordability and familiarity front and center. After three years of development, Volkswagen will reveal the ID. Polo and its hotter sibling, the ID. Polo GTI, albeit still wrapped in camouflage. These two hatchbacks anchor VW’s push into the small-car EV space, a segment the brand knows better than almost anyone.

Joining them is the ID. CROSS Concept, a near-production compact SUV that previews a bread-and-butter model aimed squarely at the heart of Europe’s (and likely America’s) crossover craze. Perhaps the biggest attention-grabber, though, is the ID. EVERY1: an entry-level EV with a target price of just €20,000. Volkswagen says this model will make EV ownership more accessible to the masses—a move that could put serious pressure on Chinese automakers currently dominating the affordable EV scene.

This new lineup also comes with a naming strategy overhaul. Legacy VW nameplates like Polo and Golf won’t vanish; instead, they’ll live on as electric models under the ID. umbrella. The ID. Polo is just the first example of that transition.

But Volkswagen isn’t ready to leave combustion behind. Alongside its EV showcase, the brand is rolling out updated versions of its most successful gasoline-powered models. Munich visitors will see the new-generation T-Roc, one of Europe’s best-sellers, which joins the recently refreshed Tiguan, Tayron, and Passat in VW’s growing ICE portfolio. For enthusiasts, the Wolfsburg team is also bringing some flash: the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE, a special-edition performance EV with styling and performance cues that suggest Volkswagen hasn’t forgotten how to have fun.

Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer summed up the brand’s ambitions:

“Our goal for the next five years is clear: By 2030, we want to establish ourselves as the leading high-volume manufacturer for pioneering technology. At the IAA 2025, we will be demonstrating that we are ready to deliver on this now.”

The takeaway? Volkswagen is trying to reclaim its position as the people’s carmaker in an EV world. From an affordable €20K EV to a reimagined T-Roc and a fresh take on naming, the IAA 2025 lineup makes one thing clear: Wolfsburg is betting that a mix of familiar names, fresh design, and real-world affordability will carry it into the next decade.

Source: Volkswagen

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Fifty Years Sideways: Volkswagen Polo Drifts Into the Future

Half a century ago, Volkswagen’s pint-sized Polo first rolled onto the scene as the sensible sibling to the Golf. Now, five decades later, the little hatch with the big trophy cabinet is celebrating its birthday the only way that feels right: sideways. To mark the occasion, Volkswagen staged a tire-smoke tribute in South Africa featuring three of the fiercest Polos ever built—and capped it with a surprise glimpse at what’s next.

The short film, directed by Top Gear veteran Jon Richards, puts the spotlight on the Polo R WRC, the Polo R Supercar, and the all-electric Polo RX1e. The trio lights up industrial backdrops around Gqeberha—the Polo’s longtime home—sliding through the harbor, a closed highway, and even the factory grounds. At the wheel: Johan Kristoffersson, seven-time World Rallycross champ, two-time Gymkhana Grid winner, and a man who looks born to countersteer.

Kristoffersson doesn’t hold back. The 315-horsepower Polo R WRC reminds us why it dominated the rally world between 2013 and 2016, bagging four drivers’ titles with Sébastien Ogier. Then comes the brutal 570-horsepower Polo R Supercar, the machine Kristoffersson himself used to snatch back-to-back WRX titles in 2017 and 2018. Finally, the electric future arrives with the 680-horsepower Polo RX1e, a torque-heavy missile that has already carried him to two more world championships. Each car is dressed in a Harlekin livery chosen by fans—a playful throwback to one of the Polo’s quirkiest cult models.

Volkswagen’s head of communications Jens Katemann says the goal wasn’t just nostalgia but a handoff. That handoff comes in the grand finale, when the smoke clears and a new silhouette slides into frame: the upcoming ID. Polo. This EV successor, kept under wraps until now, takes a bow alongside its gas and electric forebears—marking the start of the Polo’s next 50 years.

For a model that’s always punched above its weight, the message is clear. The Polo may be small, but it’s never been afraid to dream big—or drift bigger.

Source: Volkswagen