ID. Polo will be marketed alongside the normal combustion engine in Europe, but not in South Africa.
Selectively teased throughout last year, Volkswagen has provided the first official undisguised look of the incoming all-electric ID. Polo’s interior.
Modernised physical touch points
Confirmed to be sold alongside the combustion engined Polo in Europe instead of replacing it outright, the production version of what was known as the ID.2all Concept, sees the return of not only physical switchgear, but also a retro-styled display option derived from the original Golf.
ALSO READ: Volkswagen lifts the lid on select details of incoming ID. Polo
Described as “high quality” but also meant to be “friendly” according to Wolfsburg’s Head of Design, Andreas Mindt, the interior boasts the now industry standard minimalist design, but with a traditional volume dial located on the floating centre console.
Retro option
As standard, the ID. Polo comes equipped with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 13-inch infotainment system and physical buttons for the climate control and hazard lights located underneath the central air vents.
Part of what Volkswagen calls “Pure Positive”, which extends to the ID. Polo’s exterior styling as well, the physical element continues in the design of the brand-new steering wheel, which omits touch-sensitive switches entirely for blocky “normal” buttons.
Retained is the twist action steering column-mounted gear lever from the Tiguan and other ID models, as well as the choice of material options.
As mentioned, the biggest inclusion is the new display option, which, when selected, sees the instrument cluster switch to the same layout and design as that of the original Golf.
“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,” Mindt said.
Already confirmed
Well known by now, the ID. Polo rides on a revised version of the ID exclusive MEB platform called MEB+, with dimensions of 4 053 mm in overall length, a wheelbase of 2 600 mm, height of 1 530 mm and width of 1 816 mm.
Longer and wider than the normal Polo, which will receive a second round of updates later this year, the ID. Polo also has more boot space, ranging from 435 to 1 243-litres, with the rear seats folded down.
Also confirmed are the choice of powerunits: a 37-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack outputting 85 kW or 99 kW, and a bigger 52-kWh nickel manganese cobalt pack developing 155 kW and 166 kW – the latter exclusive for the ID. Polo GTI.
Still not coming
Set to go on-sale later this year with a reported price tag of €25 000, which equates to R481 920 without taxes and when directly converted, the ID. Polo, unsurprisingly, won’t be coming to South Africa anytime soon as production of the combustion Polo continues to take prominence well into the next decade.
NOW READ: Production EV Volkswagen ID.2all teased as newly named ID. Polo
