This is Volkswagen's challenge to affordable electric cars from China and the rest of Europe, wearing more conventional styling, and returning to buttons inside the cabin.
Electric Cars
Volkswagen has finally revealed its pint-sized rival to a wave of new small electric cars from Europe and China, the ID. Polo, with Australian sales under consideration to follow its 2026 European launch.
The ID. Polo is something of a reset for the Volkswagen electric-car range, returning more conventional styling, a new cabin that brings back physical buttons, and updated EV technology under the skin.
Prices in Europe start from €24,995 (AUD$41,000), between the German starting prices of the petrol-powered Polo (€20,135/AUD$33,000) – which will remain on sale alongside the electric car – and Golf hatchbacks (€29,395/AUD$48,000).
In Australia, the petrol Polo and Golf line-ups start from $30,990 and $39,290 plus on-road costs, respectively, so it remains to be seen if Volkswagen could achieve a mid-$35,000 price for the ID. Polo, if it comes to local roads.
A high-performance GTI is due to follow next year, though the 155kW flagship of the regular ID. Polo range is already more powerful than the petrol-driven 152kW Polo GTI in Europe.
The electric Polo is shorter nose to tail, but 48mm longer between the wheels than the petrol Polo for more interior space – and a boot 25 per cent larger (441L vs 351L) – with a 65mm-wider footprint on the road, and 79mm-taller roofline.
In electric-car terms, it is slightly longer than a BYD Atto 1, but closer in width to the larger Dolphin – and rivals the new, retro-styled Renault 5 E-Tech EV in Europe.
The ID. Polo wears a new design language claimed to be more conventional, and closer in style to petrol-powered Volkswagens, drawing cues from early Golfs in the rear window pillar.
LED light bars feature front and rear in high-grade models, plus alloy wheels up to 19 inches and illuminated Volkswagen badges.
Inside, the ID. Polo uses the new interior layout seen in the larger ID.3 Neo electric hatch, which swaps fiddly touch-sensitive sliders for a row of physical buttons under the touchscreen for air-conditioning controls and other key functions.
Physical switchgear is also used on the steering wheel, also all-new for 2026, while a volume dial returns on the simplified centre console with two cupholders and a wireless phone charger.
The 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen runs new software, while the 10-inch instrument display can be configured with retro-style graphics inspired by late-1970s Golf hatchbacks.
The gear selector is now a twist-to-shift stalk on the steering column, and Volkswagen is keen to highlight the return of four individual window switches, rather than earlier electric cars' two switches and a 'REAR' button to swap them between front and rear.
Details such as ambient lighting that extends into the door panels, textile fabrics on the dashboard, and Seaqual recycled yarn seat upholstery are also on offer.
Available features include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, 12-way power-adjustable front seats with memory and massaging, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, and a panoramic glass roof.
The ID. Polo is front-wheel drive, unlike other Volkswagen electric vehicles, and adopts a less complex torsion-beam rear suspension design to save space and cost.
Disc brakes are finally fitted at the front and rear, where every other current electric Volkswagen – even including the $109,990 ID. Buzz GTX people mover – uses rear drum brakes.
Powering the new EV is a 37kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries matched with 85kW or 99kW electric motors, or a top-of-the-range 52kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with a 155kW electric motor.
Due next year is an ID. Polo GTI, pairing the 52kWh battery with a more powerful 166kW motor.
Variants with a 37kWh battery are rated for up to 329km of driving range based on European WLTP testing, and DC charging up to 90kW, for a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in a quoted 23 minutes.
Meanwhile, the 52kWh pack is rated for up to 454km of WLTP range, and 105kW DC charging, for a 10 to 80 per recharge in as little as 24 minutes. Both can accept AC power at up to 11kW.
Volkswagen claims new power electronics and inverters reduce energy consumption, while the battery cells in the ID. Polo are said to be more energy dense than earlier VW EVs.
Vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology can supply up to 3.6kW to external electrical devices from the car's battery pack, while a one-pedal drive mode capable of bringing the car to a full stop on energy recuperation – without touching the brake pedal – is standard.
A broad suite of advanced safety systems is on offer, including adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist which can detect and stop for traffic lights when used around town.
The 2027 Volkswagen ID. Polo is available to order now in Europe, with deliveries due to commence later this year.
Electric Cars Guide
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
