Volkswagen has redesigned the interior of its upcoming entry-level electric vehicles, reintroducing more physical buttons and updating its infotainment system as the company responds to customer feedback on ease of use.
The new interior layout will debut with the ID. Polo, the first of four planned affordable electric models, which is scheduled to go on sale later this year. Volkswagen recently offered an initial preview of the cabin, marking the first detailed look at a cockpit that will be rolled out across future vehicles in the brand’s electric ID lineup.
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The revised design emphasizes simpler controls, physical switches for key functions and newly structured digital displays. Volkswagen’s head of technical development, Kai Grünitz, said the goal was to create an operating environment that is more intuitive for drivers. The updated interior delivers “clean lines, high-quality materials, and an intuitive operating environment with physical buttons and newly structured screens,” Grünitz said.
At the center of the cockpit is a redesigned infotainment system featuring a 10.25-inch driver display and a 13-inch central touchscreen for navigation and vehicle functions. Separate physical buttons have been added for climate control and hazard warning lights, positioned below the touchscreen, while the new multi-function steering wheel incorporates additional physical controls.
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A rotary controller located between the cup holders and smartphone holder allows drivers to adjust audio volume and track selection. Volkswagen has also expanded its interactive ambient lighting system, known as ID. Light, which now runs across the instrument panel, along the base of the windscreen and in front of the doors for the first time.
The interior is powered by Volkswagen’s latest software platform, which the company said improves comfort and functionality. The updated system includes the third generation of Travel Assist, adding features such as the ability to recognize red traffic lights and stop signs.
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Volkswagen has also introduced a retro display mode that allows the digital cockpit to switch to a theme inspired by the first-generation Golf from the 1980s, a feature designed to appeal to long-time fans of the brand.
The ID. Polo is similar in exterior dimensions to the petrol-powered Polo, but Volkswagen said the electric architecture allows for increased interior space due to compact drive modules and a flat battery pack. The model is expected to start at around 25,000 euros ($29,500) when it launches this spring.
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The electric hatchback will be offered with multiple power outputs and battery options, including lithium iron phosphate and nickel-manganese-cobalt packs, with a maximum driving range of up to 450 kilometers under the WLTP test cycle.