The compact hatchback will be followed by a sportier version, the ID. Polo GTI, scheduled to debut in 2026.
ID.Polo GTI: hot hatch for the electric era
Both models will make their first public appearance at the Munich Motor Show, albeit still wrapped in camouflage.
Despite the disguises, the coverings leave little to the imagination, revealing much of the design language that will characterize Volkswagen’s new generation of compact EVs.
The ID. Polo GTI, in particular, signals a new chapter for the brand’s performance division. Early images show a more athletic stance, with larger alloy wheels, redesigned bumpers, side skirts, and muscular wheel arches.
While Volkswagen has yet to reveal technical details, expectations are high that this model will translate the brand’s hot hatch DNA into the electric age.
The ID. CROSS Concept: An Electric T-Cross
But Volkswagen isn’t stopping there. On Sunday, the company will also lift the veil on the ID. CROSS Concept, a preview of a compact electric crossover slated for release in 2026. This model will serve as the electric counterpart to the T-Cross, broadening Volkswagen’s offering in the popular B-segment with a practical, urban-friendly SUV.
The strategy reflects Volkswagen’s broader push to democratize electric mobility. Alongside the ID. Polo and ID. CROSS, sister brands Skoda and Cupra will launch their own affordable EVs, all targeting the same €25,000 entry point. This unified approach could prove decisive in attracting a wider audience to battery-powered cars at a time when price remains a key barrier to adoption.
