There are big shifts underway at Volkswagen. The brand is not only preparing a raft of new EVs like the ID. Cross and an all-electric Polo that have been previewed in near production form, but it’s also rethinking design to broaden appeal. That means moving back toward features that feel more familiar to shoppers, including something as simple as returning to traditional door handles instead of the flush pop-out ones so many EV makers favor.

Read: VW’s ID. Cross Might Finally Be What Budget Buyers Have Been Waiting For

At the IAA Mobility show in Munich, VW boss Thomas Schäfer sat down with Deutsche Welle and touched on several topics, including the slowdown in EV sales across major markets like Europe and the United States. Asked whether VW was making a conscious effort to make its EVs more approachable, Schäfer was quick to emphasize the value of familiarity.

Back To Basics

“People expect some sort of familiarity with the vehicle, with the brand, that they are buying into,” he said. “People buy brands so from that point of view, functions have to be easy. You know, like door handles for example. It’s all nice to have these flush door handles but they are terrible to operate, so we definitely have proper door handles on the cars and customers appreciate it. It’s the feedback we’re getting.”

More: Hate Retractable Door Handles? China Might Finally Make Them Go Away

And he’s not alone. As we recently reported, regulators in China are also eyeing flush and retractable handles, considering a ban after safety concerns and accident investigations. Given the size and influence of China’s auto market, such a move could ripple far beyond its borders, pushing other automakers to rethink their approach to what was once a trendy design cue.

While the ID. Every1 concept unveiled earlier this year featured flush door handles, both the ID. Cross and the ID. Polo previewed in Munich use more traditional ones. They may sacrifice some aerodynamic efficiency, but they’re far easier to operate in everyday life.

The Broader EV Transition

In the same interview, Schäfer also discussed VW’s wider transition to electric vehicles. He argued that electromobility is the superior option for buyers but questioned whether demand and infrastructure will grow fast enough for Volkswagen to stop selling ICE-powered models in the European Union by 2035.

“The end result is clear,” he said. “The question is can we make it fast enough for 2035? Is the uptake and the infrastructure growth for charging happening fast enough so that 2035 is a realistic goal? he said. “Whether it’s a couple of years later, it needs to be reviewed.”

Update: We’ve added live shots from the Munich Motor Show, so you can see the ID. Cross Concept in all its glossy, under-the-spotlights glory.

VW really pulled out the stops for this year’s IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, revealing not one but three new electric cars. We’ve already had a look at the ID. Polo (neé ID.2) and ID. Polo GTI, but the third EV is an even bigger deal. It’s the ID. Cross Concept and it previews next year’s production SUV, one with massive sales potential.

Also: VW Revives Polo Name For EV Era And Teases First Ever Electric GTI

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

The Cross name tells us this subcompact utility is an electric equivalent to the existing T-Cross combustion crossover, though the name is about all they have in common. The ID. Cross is one of a family of upcoming small EVs built around a new front-wheel-drive version of the MEB platform.

Other models in the family include the ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI, both expected to hit showrooms in 2026, as well as a production version of the ID. Every1 concept shown earlier this year, which could wear the ID. Up name when it launches in 2027.

Design and Dimensions

Though it rides on virtually the same 2,601 mm (102.4 inches) wheelbase as the ID. Polo (the hatch’s WB is 1mm shorter), the 4,161 mm (163.8 inches) long ID. Cross is 108 mm (4.3 inches) longer and most obviously 58 mm (2.3 inches) taller. There’s 490 liters (17.3 cu.ft) of luggage space in the rear, plus a 25-liter (0.9 cu-ft) frunk, something no other ID EV, including the ID. Polo, has offered.

The handsome, but conservatively designed Polo also misses out on some of the Cross’s bolder and more modern design details. These include a front fascia shaped by the interplay of LED lighting elements that VW describes as “friendly,” along with three illuminated rectangles embedded in a black C-pillar, an intentional nod to both the ID. Buzz and the original Bus that inspired it.

Black plastic trims exaggerate the size of the gently flared arches, which are cut high into the bodywork, while the 21-inch wheels are wrapped in special Continental tires that carry the alloy rim’s pattern into the sidewall. It’s a clever visual flourish, though one that’s impractical, hard to see in the real world, and sure to make tire shops roll their eyes.

Relaxing Interior with Some Physical Buttons

Inside, there are clear echoes of the ID2.all concept that previewed the ID. Polo back in 2023 (VW hasn’t released ID. Polo interior pics yet). An 11-inch digital instrument cluster lies beyond a chunky, square-shaped two-spoke steering wheel and a larger, 13-inch tablet touchscreen is mounted on the top of the dashboard’s center.

Thankfully, VW has listened to criticism of its earlier cars, and a bank of hard buttons is located below, meaning you don’t have to go stabbing at virtual buttons to change the cabin temperature. There’s also a small iDrive-style rotary controller on the console.

Related: VW ID. Cross Promises Big Looks At A Small Price

And if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by digital information, you simply flip your smartphone so it lies face-down on the wireless charging pad. Do that that and the displays switch to ‘calm status,’ only showing essential info.

That’s not the only way the ID. Cross’s designers have tried to create a relaxing environment. Ambient lighting, fabric-covered surfaces and the Vanilla Chai (read: beige) coloring used throughout the concept’s interior are designed to calm passengers by taking cues from Parisian haute couture and high-end furniture.

For fully horizontal relaxation time, the front and rear seats fold completely flat, meaning you could sleep in the back like you would in a classic VW Bus, albeit with a fair bit less wriggle room. To ensure maximum comfort the seat backrests are finished in a material Volkswagen likens to a comfortable yoga mat.

Powertrain and Range

The German automaker has already confirmed the availability of two battery options for the Polo, but is staying tightlipped about the Cross’s battery hardware, other than revealing it can deliver a 261-mile (420 km) WLTP electric range. A single motor mounted in the nose sends 208 hp (211 PS / 155 kW) to the front wheels, slightly less than the 223 hp (226 PS / 166 kW) mustered by the ID. Polo GTI, VW’s first ever GTI EV.

Related: Sales Collapse Forces VW To Slash Production Of Its Model Y Rival

Officially, the ID. Cross is just a concept, but next summer’s production SUV is going to be virtually identical. In fact, VW even makes a point of mentioning that the interior door handles, which you pull upwards, are production ready. And that should worry rival carmakers because we think VW has nailed this EV’s design in a way it totally failed to do with the ID.4 and ID.7.

US sales are yet to be confirmed, but the ID. Cross will cost from around £25k/€28k when it launches late in 2026 against electric crossovers like the Kia EV2, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Ford Puma Gen-E and Volvo EX30.

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