Volkswagen
- Volkswagen is reworking its naming scheme for its EV lineup, abandoning the numerical names like ID.4 for traditional badges.
- The switch will be kicked off by the new ID. Polo, originally expected to be called ID.2 and set to launch in Europe next year.
- The new scheme could see the ID.4 SUV get renamed the ID. Tiguan when a redesigned version arrives in the next few years.
The transition to electrification has presented a marketing conundrum for automakers. Do you create new monikers or reuse iconic nameplates but risk diluting them if the vehicle doesn’t live up to the model’s illustrious past? While Volkswagen originally took the former route, the German brand is now reversing course. Ahead of the IAA show in Munich, VW revealed that its upcoming electric city car for Europe will bear the name ID. Polo, signaling a new approach that will see legacy badges applied to new EVs.VolkswagenThe upcoming VW ID. Polo.The subcompact electric hatchback, which Volkswagen teased with a series of photos showing the production-spec body in a snazzy wrap, was originally previewed by the ID.2all concept in 2023. At the time, the EV was expected to reach production as the ID.2, following VW’s alphanumeric naming scheme for EVs. Now Volkswagen says it will employ the Polo badge, which has adorned its subcompact hatchback offering since 1975, while also retaining the ID branding that was introduced for VW’s electric models. The ID. Polo will launch in Europe in 2026 but isn’t expected to come stateside.VolkswagenThe upcoming VW ID. Polo GTI hot hatchback.The ID. Polo will also spawn a sportier variant, and Volkswagen also confirmed that the GTI name will now migrate to its electric arsenal. Previewed by the ID.GTI concept from 2023, VW will sell a sporty ID. Polo GTI, which is expected to receive more power and a retuned suspension, along with a more aggressive design.The ID. Polo will start a trend for Volkswagen, with more well-known names transitioning to electric power as new models are launched. Some of these badges, however, will also continue to be offered with traditional gas or hybrid powertrains, running alongside the new EVs. In its announcement, VW revealed the next name that will appear on an EV, with an ID. Cross concept set to be revealed at the IAA show before entering production as an electric counterpart to the small T-Cross SUV sold in Europe.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsBeyond that, no other names are confirmed for double duty on electric models, but it seems likely that the next-generation ID.3 hatchback will be renamed ID. Golf when it arrives later this decade. Volkswagen currently only sells two EVs in the United States, with the ID.Buzz likely keeping its name. The ID.4 SUV, however, could be renamed as ID. Tiguan when Volkswagen updates it in the next few years. The ID.7, originally set to be sold in the U.S. in sedan form before VW canceled that plan, could easily become the ID. Passat in the future.”Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds,” said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, in a press release. “That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning.”More on VW EVs
- Review, Pricing, and Specs for the 2025 Volkswagen ID.4
- Review, Pricing, and Specs for the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
- Tested: 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Is the Bee’s Knees
Source: caranddriver.com
