VW means business: ID. Cross brings back physical buttons
It's a jam-packed IAA Mobility 2025 for VW this week. Visitors to Munich will see not only the first all-electric GTI—albeit still camouflaged—but also a foiled Polo without a combustion engine. Topping it off will be the electric subcompact, the ID.EVERY1 Concept.
But is VW really ignoring SUV-hungry people? Of course not. Because the ID. Cross Concept , formerly the ID.2 X, will also be on display. Essentially, it's a crossover version of the upcoming electricID. Polo . The new concept offers a taste of next year's production model. It's intended to be VW's most affordable electric SUV—unless the ID. EVERY1 gets an SUV derivative at some point. The ID. Cross is almost as boxy as the T-Cross , VW's similarly sized gasoline SUV.
Image by: Volkswagen
Image by: Volkswagen
VW says the design contains subtle references to legendary models. The slightly forward-leaning C-pillars, for example, are reminiscent of the Golf . The three horizontal air vents are inspired by the bus and later found their way onto the ID. Buzz . "Floating roofs" (the illusion of floating roofs) will remain trendy in 2025, implemented here with black pillars and a green "Urban Jungle" paint job.
As with any modern concept, oversized wheels are a must. The ID. Cross rides on 21-inch rims, despite being only 4.16 meters long. VW lists its width as 1.84 meters. At 1.59 meters tall, it sits slightly lower than VW's smallest US crossover.
Light strips and illuminated logos are now standard for VW – even the air vents appear backlit. Whether these features will make it into production remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the concept looks more like a near-production prototype than a pure design study. Standard door handles, black plastic on the wheel arches, and classic mirrors instead of cameras indicate that the ID. Cross is not far from its production form.
Image by: Volkswagen
Image by: Volkswagen
VW promised to bring back physical buttons —and this one is delivering. This trend was already evident in the new T-Roc , as we also noted in our analysis of the new model and VW's future strategy . The upcoming hatchbacks will also get their own buttons again, just like this crossover.
In addition to the steering wheel (with perhaps too many buttons?), which was already equipped with physical buttons in the T-Roc, VW is now also returning to classic operation without touch surfaces for the climate control.
Unusually, the seats feature fabric-covered buttons, while the familiar window and mirror controls are located in the driver's door. The center console appears to have a dial in front of a large wireless charging pad for two smartphones. Below: cup holders—and real eucalyptus leaves behind semi-transparent panels.
The ID. Cross combines an 11-inch digital cockpit with a 13-inch central display. VW is clearly moving away from seamlessly integrating screens into the dashboard. This is likely inevitable given the ever-increasing size of displays. Furthermore, the seats can be folded completely flat – VW describes this as a "bus-style reclining surface."
Despite its small dimensions, the dedicated EV platform maximizes utility. The trunk holds approximately 450 liters, plus 38 liters under the rear seat. There's also a mini-compartment in the front with 25 liters. No, I wouldn't call it a frunk.
Like the new electric hatchbacks, the ID. Cross also uses the MEB+ platform, which is designed for front-wheel drive. A single motor delivers 208 hp to the front axle, achieving a top speed of 175 km/h. An unspecified battery provides a range of up to 420 kilometers (WLTP).
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The production model of the ID. Cross will debut next summer. It will then join the ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI, which will also arrive in 2026. The entry-level electric car, the ID. EVERY1, will follow in 2027, also bearing the familiar nameplate— part of VW's strategy to recycle familiar names for the electric age .
In order to achieve economies of scale, some of these models will also have offshoots from Skoda and Seat .
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