Volkswagen is reportedly gearing up to introduce the facelifted ID.3 and ID.4 next year.
The models are slated to have ID.2-inspired styling and an updated interior.
Powertrain updates are also expected, so look forward to more power and efficiency.
Volkswagen of America recently announced the 2026 ID.4 would benefit from a “mid-model-year change” that would see the electric crossover “receive additional features.” While that was a pretty cryptic hint about an update, we’re starting to learn more about the upcoming model.
Speaking to Autocar, Volkswagen’s board member for technical development indicated the ID.3 and ID.4 will get a facelift that brings them more in line with the ID.2. As part of the makeover, Kai Grünitz suggested we can expect a “lower and squatter stance.”
The styling updates are said to continue inside, where we can expect an all-new interior. Details are hazy at the moment, but the publication said there will be a new dashboard and user interface.
Volkswagen is also slated to bring back physical switchgear including a round volume knob. As one insider noted, “If you develop something that works, and it has worked for years, there’s no reason to replace it.”
Powertrain details remain elusive, but electric vehicle technology has been advancing so it’s probably safe to assume there will be some updates. This could include more powerful and efficient motors as well as updated battery packs.
The facelifted ID.3 will reportedly debut in the second quarter of 2026, while the ID.4 will follow later that year. The publication also says the company is planning to introduce a Jeep Avenger rival, known as the ID.2X, at the upcoming Munich Motor Show.
Future VW EVs will drop the ID prefix and adopt more traditional names.
The announcement was made by VW Brand Board Member Martin Sander.
The change will start with the production version of the ID. 2all in 2026.
The German auto industry seems to be in the midst of an identity crisis. No, really. Mercedes has decided to ditch its EQ label for its EVs, BMW’s “i” series is about as consistent as a toddler on a sugar high, and Audi’s odd/even naming plan was clearly just a suggestion. Now, it’s Volkswagen’s turn to throw its own wrench into the mix and rethink its entire naming strategy.
In an effort to simplify its lineup and make it more accessible, Volkswagen is planning to phase out the “ID” prefix that’s become synonymous with its electric vehicles. Starting as soon as 2026, the company intends to replace this alphanumeric branding with more traditional car names. Though details are still scarce, the change is meant to address growing confusion in the market around these designations.
The ID sub-brand was launched in 2017 with the concept version of the ID.3 hatchback, which later became the first production model in 2019. Over the years, VW expanded its offerings, introducing the ID.4, ID.5, and ID.6 SUVs (the latter available exclusively in China), the ID.7 sedan, and the ID. Buzz minivan. The brand had plans to further expand the ID lineup with the ID.1 city car and the ID.2 supermini by 2027, but it seems the game plan is now changing.
Shifting to Familiar Names
Martin Sander, a member of Volkswagen’s Board of Management responsible for Sales, Marketing, and After Sales, revealed during an interview with Auto und Wirtschaft that the company intends to return to using conventional names for its EVs. “The cars will get proper names again,” he said. “This will become apparent when we launch new models – neither the ID. 2all nor the ID. Every1 concepts will carry these names in production.”
Although Sander did not go into detail, Volkswagen has previously indicated that established nameplates might make their way into the EV world. For instance, the upcoming ID.2, set for launch in 2026, could adopt the Polo name, celebrating the model’s 50th anniversary this year. Meanwhile, the ID.1, expected in 2027, could take inspiration from previous names like Lupo, Fox, or Up!, or even receive an entirely new name.
New Names, New Beginnings
Earlier this year, Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen’s Board Member for Technical Development, mentioned that starting in 2026, the ID models will undergo a significant facelift. This would be an ideal time for Volkswagen to start phasing in the new names for its existing EV models.
Volkswagen is also working on an electric version of the Golf, which is set to arrive toward the end of the decade, along with an electric T-Roc SUV. There’s a good chance that familiar nameplates like Passat and Tiguan will eventually be used for future electric vehicles. The challenge for Volkswagen, however, will be distinguishing the EV models from their internal combustion counterparts, which will remain in production for a few more years.
Big Sales Targets For EVs
When discussing Volkswagen’s EV sales, Sander expressed confidence, saying, “We are very satisfied with the demand. We have a high order backlog for the ID.3, and we’re already selling more ID.7s in Europe than Passats.” He also highlighted the ID. Buzz, noting that it “plays an incredibly important role for the brand, especially given the significant hype surrounding it in the U.S.”
Sander also highlighted Volkswagen’s ambitious sales targets, particularly for the upcoming ID. 2all, which is expected to launch in Europe at a starting price of €25,000 ($27,900). “With the production version of the ID. 2all, we are entering a completely different price range,” he said.
The ID. Every1, scheduled for 2027, is projected to start at an even more affordable €20,000 ($22,300). Thanks to falling battery costs and cost-cutting measures, this price point is within reach. “Everything regarding costs is being scrutinized,” Sander emphasized, noting that Volkswagen will leverage new production methods to ensure the vehicle is profitable from the start.
According to Sander, the target price of the urban EV that will be produced in Portugal will be made possible thanks to the declining cost of batteries, and extensive cost-cutting measures: “Everything regarding costs is being scrutinized. We have to leave no stone unturned and will use new production methods. Everything we change now will bring us to the point where the car will be profitable. The entire company will benefit from what we learn from this vehicle. You can’t build a project like this on hope – instead, we rely on solid success figures and plans.”
Sander also remains confident that electric vehicles will outpace internal combustion engines, stating that VW is “convinced that electromobility will prevail because electric cars are the better product”.
What About China?
Finally, the VW Board Member also touched on the competitive landscape in China, where Volkswagen’s EVs, like the ID.7, are facing pressure from lower-priced competitors. Despite the tough market conditions, the company is focused on long-term growth. “We are not buying market share,” Sander said, “but investing in our long-term strategic goals.”
“The electric car market in China is extremely competitive on price; even new models are sometimes launched by competitors with deep discounts,” he told the publication. “This also presents a challenge for the ID.7, which has been so successful in other markets. However, in this difficult environment, we are not focusing on short-term market success, but rather pursuing a sustainable growth plan.”
Volkswagen aims to strengthen its position in China starting in 2026 with a new generation of market-specific electric cars. “We are the clear market leader in China in the still highly profitable segment of vehicles with combustion engines,” Sander added. As part of its strategy, Volkswagen is gradually hybridizing its combustion engine portfolio, positioning itself to lead the transition to electrified vehicles in the region.
VW is preparing a 335 hp rear-drive ID.3 GTI to launch sometime next year.
It will slot above the GTX Performance with minor power and chassis upgrades.
Pricing in Europe is likely to exceed that of both the Golf GTI and Clubsport trims.
Volkswagen isn’t wasting time signaling that the GTI nameplate won’t be left behind in the EV transition. The German automaker dropped a pretty clear hint when it rolled out the ID. GTI Concept at the 2023 Munich Motor Show. While that concept was aimed at previewing the upcoming ID.2 GTI, signs now point to an ID.3 GTI being next in line.
According to a report from Auto Motor und Sport, the car will slot above the ID.3 GTX Performance, which features a 79 kWh battery pack and an electric motor developing 322 hp (240 kW / 326 PS) and 402 lb-ft (545 Nm) of torque. This setup enables the hot hatch to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds and have a WLTP range of up to 373 miles (602 km).
While little is known about the GTI variant at this point, the publication says it will arrive next year and be rear-wheel drive. However, don’t expect it to be significantly more powerful than the ID.3 GTX Performance.
Quite the opposite as they suggest the car could only have around 335 hp (250 kW / 340 PS). That’s not much of a boost, but the upgraded powertrain could be accompanied by “extensive modifications to the chassis … intended to enable even more agile handling.”
Besides the performance and handling tweaks, the car would likely incorporate a number of GTI styling cues. The hot hatch should also build on the ID.3 GTX Performance, which has revised steering, a retuned suspension, and an available DCC adaptive chassis system.
All of this will likely lead to steep pricing as the ID.3 GTX Performance starts at €48,725 ($54,706) in Germany. To put that into perspective, the Golf GTI starts at €45,655 ($51,255) while the GTI Clubsport begins at €49,225 ($55,263).
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