Volkswagen has released photos of the interior of its forthcoming electric ID. Polo supermini, ahead of the car’s launch later this year.
Intended to sit alongside the petrol-powered Polo, the new Volkswagen ID. Polo will compete with compact EVs such as the Fiat Grande Panda and Renault 5 E-Tech.
An evolution of the ID. 2all concept car, first shown in 2023, the production ID. Polo continues the interior design theme demonstrated by the show car.
Most notably, Volkswagen has ditched an infotainment system that was heavily reliant on touchscreen controls, bringing back physical buttons instead.
Bringing back the buttons
As anyone who has driven a modern Volkswagen can attest, the touchscreen-based media system is very intuitive to use. The German marque made updates and upgrades, but feedback clearly remained negative.
Indeed, Volkswagen cites customer input as a key driver behind the return of physical buttons, including the return of ‘familiar VW operating patterns’.
Other changes include a neater layout for the 13-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument display, combined with a more logical menu layout for the infotainment system.
A row of buttons beneath the central touchscreen includes separate controls for the air-con and heating. The steering wheel also features traditional buttons, rather than the divisive haptic pads seen on recent Volkswagen products.
An interior that ‘feels like a friend’
Along with the extra buttons, the interior of the ID. Polo uses fabric coverings for the dashboard and door inserts that are made from recycled materials.
Volkswagen has also added a special ‘Easter Egg’ for the infotainment system, available with just one button press. Doing so transforms the digital displays to imitate a retro VW model from the 1980s.
This means square analogue-style dials for the driver, plus a cassette tape image on the central touchscreen to show the music being played.
Volkswagen’s chief designer Andreas Mindt said: “We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact.
Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink.”
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If VW really are listening, they will now offer a hard manual for those of us who want it. Otherwise, we remain at the mercy of on-screen tutorials.