I LIKE BIG BUTTONS: TESTING VW'S NO-SCREEN-TAPPING ID POLO SUPERMINI
Small cars are casting a big shadow at Volkswagen, which is going back to its roots after losing touch with its core customer base on the road to an electric future.
True to its original "people's car" name, the German automotive giant now aims to build cars for ordinary drivers again, with a whole fleet of more affordable high-tech runabouts in the making.
The first model to be launched is the ID Polo which will go on sale later this year for a tad "under €25,000", the manufacturer has pledged.
The ID Polo is about the same size as its combustion namesake, but the flat-floor EV design offers much more interior space.
The motor and key mechanicals are located at the front, under the bonnet, prompting Volkswagen to claim that the ID Polo offers the same level of interior space as a Golf, including a deep boot.
A possible new trend may be set by VW's decision to ditch the much-maligned digital screen sliders and sensor fields, replacing them with new buttons and knobs grouped around a new "squircular" steering wheel.
Instead of taking their eyes off the road to tap on a screen, drivers can accurately control all important functions at the wheel by pressing a button, and the volume for the infotainment system or cabin temperature can be adjusted using a rotary control. Other makers are likely to follow suit.
VW owners have been grumbling for years about the touchscreen controls and there have been safety concerns regarding the usability of touchscreens for essential vehicle functions.
Naturally, there are some digital instruments and a large touchscreen in the ID Polo, but even this is going retro with a tongue-in-cheek look back to VW heritage.
A cute retro mode can turn it into a digital clone of the dials from a 1980s Mk1 Golf complete with spinning compact cassette player symbol when the MP3 player is running.
A return to old virtues does not mean a lack of progress. Not only are there smarter assistants and more comfort features such as massage seats, but the ID Polo is also the first model from the modernised Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) – the group's platform concept for electric cars.
A new generation of electric motors and new battery cells with greater energy density have been developed for this purpose. This reduces consumption and lowers costs. The same applies to the switch from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, which saves many kilos of cable, reduces weight and simplifies assembly.
More space means the second row of seats is now quite comfortable for a small car measuring just over four metres in length. And above all, this car has a huge boot: at 435 litres, it holds more than the VW Golf – and with the rear seats folded down, the Polo becomes a really practical car with 1,243 litres of space.
The Polo will initially roll into showrooms in three versions: with 116 hp (85 kW), 135 hp (99 kW) or 211 hp (155 kW).
The smallest electric Volkswagen promises to to be powerful and responsive on the road and some pundits say it even brings to mind the original Golf GTI.
It currently tops out at 160 km/h, but there's more to come, says VW, promising an ID Polo GTI for the end of the year. It should be faster, with 226 hp (166 kW) on demand.
The ID Polo now comes across as having a more grown-up design and VW said its most serious rival is the re-born Renault R5.
In order to keep the price down, VW is saving on batteries. The basic version therefore only has 37 kWh which is supposed to be enough for around 300 standard kilometres, making it little more than a town runabout.
Even the larger battery only has 52 kWh and is exhausted after around 450 kilometres. In addition, charging at home is limited to a maximum of 11 kW and a maximum of 130 kW with direct current.
OK, so it does not charge quite as quickly as the other ID models and won't travel quite as far, but it caters to Generation E in other ways.
VW has improved its electric virtues, reprogrammed the braking recuperation and, for the first time in the ID Polo, allows one-pedal driving, which is popular with many electric car customers.
Of course, VW is late to the party with the ID Polo and it now has to catch up from behind. The car is part of a multi-pronged attack on the market with the ID Cross and its sister models, the Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq.
VW ID Polo - specifications