Volkswagen has unveiled the interior of the new ID Polo ahead of the electric supermini's launch later this year, showcasing the increased provision of physical buttons for key functions.
The supermini is the firm's vital new offering in the sub-£22,000 electric car category. It is also the first model to encompass the brand's new design language under the leadership of Andreas Mindt, who has vowed to expand the use of switchgear as a result of customer feedback.
The ID Polo was previewed in 2023 by the ID 2all concept and the production model's interior closely resembles that car's, with what VW designers refer to as a "premium haptic" concept using touchscreens and physical controls.
The dashboard features a 10.25 in digital info display and a 13in landscape-mounted infotainment screen. The latter no longer has the controversial 'slider' controls for the volume and heating. Instead, below the screen is a row of physical controls for the heating, air conditioning and hazard warning lights. There is also a rotary dial that controls the infotainment volume and can be used to switch tracks or radio stations.
A new-shape steering wheel houses two clusters of physical buttons on each of its two spokes, with controls for driver assistance features such as cruise control on the left and infotainment and other display systems on the right.
There has also been an effort to increase the perceived quality of materials in the cabin, with a fabric-covered dashboard panel, top-stitching in the door panels and on the seats, and interior and exterior colours inspired by "shades of the sea". All of the textiles on the seat and doors are made from a type of thermoplastic that can be obtained from recycled plastic bottles.
Customisable screens feature a retro mode modelled on a Golf Mk1, including an analogue-style driver info display and simulated spooling tape deck for the audio player. Meanwhile, the revamped infotainment system – which is designed to look cleaner and be easier to use – includes a new navigation platform that can operate on either VW's own system or Google Maps.
The ID Polo is roughly the same size as its combustion namesake, but the flat-floor EV design offers significantly greater interior room, especially with the motor and all the key mechanicals located at the front, under the bonnet. Volkswagen claims that the ID Polo offers the same level of interior space as a Golf, including a deep, 435-litre boot.
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Shame about the trim alignment under the driver display.
They 'preview' / 'tease' cars so much these days, it's like they're a film or something. Nothing new to know when the car actually gets here.
Autocar, is there anything you can do about the format of your website? It's quite dated now and the pictures particularly are very small. Can hardly see the interior you're writing about.
Gosh. Central screen with controls like my Skoda.
But what is it with the ridiculous squared steering WHEEL. It was stupid back in the days of the Austin Allegro, and hasn't improved.