After a few years spent in a capacitive-touch mire, it feels like Volkswagen is turning over a new leaf. The ID.Buzz got a little refresh that should enhance usability, the ID.3 got a big one, and we’re seeing another great reversion happen in real time: numbers are out, names are in. This is the ID. Polo, and everything I’ve seen of it so far has me extremely excited for the future of VW.
Unsurprisingly, the subcompact ID. Polo comes with a variety of all-electric powertrain options, but you can’t mix-and-match all of them. Models with 113 horsepower or 133 horsepower get a 37 kWh LFP battery pack, good for around 204 miles of WLTP range. If that feels a bit on the small side, the 208-horsepower version of the ID. Polo features a 52 kWh NMC battery pack for a WLTP range of 282 miles. Nothing earth-shattering, but given the needs of the European market, that sort of range in this price bracket should do alright. Keep in mind, we’re looking at a car that competes with the Renault 5 and the Peugeot e-208, a runabout for squeezing in and out of tight spaces.
It is a great-looking runabout, though, imbued with a certain maturity you’d expect from a Volkswagen. The surfacing is fairly clean, the C-pillar carries some classic hatchback DNA, and you won’t find oversized grilles here. While the rear door handles being tucked up in the window frames means they won’t be the easiest reach for kids, all four door handles are real, traditional, non-electronic things. Very nice.
Photo credit: Volkswagen
Perhaps the thing that most intrigues me about the ID. Polo is its detailing. About 20 years ago, you’d have bought a Volkswagen because it was a little bit nicer than its rivals, had great switchgear, and offered some unique features. Think the umbrella holder in the door of the B6 Passat. With the full reveal of the ID. Polo, it feels like the traits of the Volkswagens we used to love are making a comeback.
Photo credit: Volkswagen
I mean, look at that interior. Not only does it feature some big swathes of fabric, but real buttons and knobs are back. Physical climate controls, a proper volume knob, four power window switches on the driver’s door, basically an erasure of the capacitive touch madness we saw over the past half-decade or so. It all looks very usable, and the two-tiered center console with a charging cable pass-through simply makes sense. Also, Volkswagen had a little bit of fun here. The accelerator and brake pedals have play and pause icons on them, there’s a retro mode for the digital cluster, and you can even cue up a virtual cassette deck in the infotainment.
Photo credit: Volkswagen
As for features, it is possible to go wild with the options list on the ID. Polo. Ever seen massaging seats on a subcompact car before? I certainly haven’t, even memory seats are already uncommon in this segment, but they’re here on top models. Other available goodies include a 425-watt Harman/Kardon sound system and a panoramic moonroof. Not bad. Of course, I also want to see what a true base model looks like, but that’s to come.
Photo credit: Volkswagen
Speaking of trims, Volkswagen has stated that the mid-range model with the big battery pack goes for €33,795, but the base model stickers for €24,995. That’s under $30,000 at current conversion rates, although it’s unlikely the ID. Polo will be sold in America. Still, if the next Golf is like this, that’s reason to get excited. It feels like Volkswagen’s remembered why people love its cars, and is implementing things that people like you and I want.
Top graphic image: Volkswagen