The Volkswagen ID.Polo is an electric car you might actually want to own
The ID.Polo is a model said to revive Volkswagen’s old-school charm, adopting a new platform and a fresh design approach inside and out
The Volkswagen ID range got off to a poor start in 2019, signalling the beginning of a decline for the marque that saw its image fall quite some way from its peak. These aren’t just our thoughts either, as Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer made it clear to evo that he recognised this too. It’s for that reason that the new VW ID.Polo has been designed from the ground up with customer feedback in mind, in an effort to make it an electric car you actually want to own. Prices begin at €24,995 in Germany, so expect to pay just over £20,000 in the UK.
While most cars are increasing in size in their transition from internal combustion power to electric, the ID.Polo is shorter than its ICE predecessor. Width and height have seen a marginal increase, but this is very clearly a compact car and not one that has quietly ballooned to the next size up. This is largely thanks to the use of the new MEB+ platform dedicated to front-wheel drive EVs, which allows for an increase in wheelbase despite the shorter length, pushing its wheels out to the corners for more stability, cabin and battery space.
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That extra battery room is occupied by either the entry-level 37kWh pack with a targeted range of 204 miles, or a 52kWh pack with more advanced, energy-dense Nickel Manganese Cobalt chemistry – the increase in energy density is so significant that the 52kWh pack occupies exactly the same space as the 37kWh item. Both packs utilise a space-conscious cell-to-pack design, and in 52kWh form the ID.Polo is said to achieve up to 282 miles on a charge.
These batteries power the new front-mounted APP290 electric motor, named to reflect its maximum torque output of 290nm (214lb ft). At launch there will be three power outputs to choose from, ranging from the entry-level 114bhp car to 133bhp, and up to the 208bhp ‘Performance’ model. If the range-topper isn’t quite enough though, you needn’t worry… a fully fledged GTI is coming next year. Acceleration figures are TBC, but top speed stands at 99mph across the range for now.
Volkswagens were always known for their consistent, approachable dynamics, and this car has been developed with that in mind. Hardware is relatively ordinary with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear, but the setup has been refined specifically to handle the increased weight associated with an EV – in this case, just shy of 1600kg. Brakes are discs on both axles, unlike the original ID.3, and have been set up to blend friction and regenerative braking more seamlessly for better pedal feel.
The ID.Polo’s charming design will go a long way, with Volkswagen making an effort to give it a ‘friendly’ face amongst its slim, contemporary headlights and optional full-width lightbar. This all continues inside, with clever packaging making it as spacious as a Mk4 Golf, and boot capacity higher than the current Golf at 435 litres – a cavernous compartment beneath a false floor makes it more practical still. Unlike existing ID cars, this interior has charm. There are cool hints to models of the past with a sharp, detailed retro skin on the digital dash and central infotainment display – in this mode, the map appears as an old CRT TV, and the media player transforms into a tape player, with the tape actively winding in-line with the runtime of the song. Neat.
It’s not only the software that takes a step back in time, as the way in which you interact with the car has too. The new steering wheel has been given two distinct panels of real, physical buttons just like the updated ID.3 Neo, and based on our experience with the car at the reveal, they’re a pleasure to interact with – even the exterior door handles are real, conventional items, ditching the flush electronic kind we despise. In the right configuration, materials are premium and build quality is solid inside, with the overall dash architecture clean too.
We’ll have to wait until the ID.Polo GTI to see if this is a model that can finally bring some of that small, Volkswagen hot hatch driving magic back, but the ID.Polo as it sits now seems a strong starting point.
