VW is ramping up its EV efforts as it powers towards an electric-only presence in Europe in 2033. And today it dropped the first teaser image of one of the key vehicles in that push, a baby, battery-powered SUV. The single profile image of a rendered car didn’t come with an official name but given that it’s based on the ID.2 supermini and will effectively replace the T-Cross, ID.2x or ID.2 Cross might not be a bad guess. That is if VW hasn’t followed through on reported plans to ditch its ID naming strategy by the time the shrunken off-roader arrives in 2026.
Suggesting that VW wants to add some
swagger to the boring T-Roc’s successor, the image reveals large, flared wheel
arches that aren’t quite round and aren’t quite square, either. But while they
tick the SUV box, the aggressive front screen rake looks more like something
out of a coupe, and the sloping roofline with its generous rear spoiler has
definite ‘sporty’ vibes. It has us thinking VW is trying to make a budget
version of the Range Rover Evoque.
By far the most arresting detail, though,
is the segmented C-pillar, which is already found on the ID.Buzz, but here,
reminds us more of the slats on the early 1970s Alfa Romeo Montreal and the
stripe treatment fitted to some Plymouth Road Runners of the same period.
Whether they’re simply graphics, as on the Plymouth, plastic trim, as on the
Buzz, physical slats, as on the Montreal, or mini glass windows like on the
earlier Montreal concept, isn’t clear.
Though the image gives little away about
the front and rear design of the baby SUV, we can presume that the headlight
and grille interplay will borrow heavily from the ID.2all concept, which
previewed the upcoming ID.2 production car that will effectively serve as a
replacement for the Polo. The interior, too, is likely to be carried across
from the hatch with few changes, which means we can expect a 12.9-inch
tablet-style infotainment system and a 10.9-inch digital gauge pack.
uilt, like the ID.2, around a shorter,
entry-level MEB electric platform that is designed to accommodate only a single
motor at the front and driving the front wheels, the SUV should be available
with both the 38 kWh and 58 kWh batteries VW has earmarked for the hatch. But
the heavier body and inferior aerodynamics mean it won’t match the supermini’s
280-mile range, and naturally, it’ll also be more expensive. VW talks of a € 23k
(£ 20k / US$ 25k) starting price for the ID.2 hatch, so € 25k (£ 22k / US$ 27k) for the
SUV seems like a reasonable guess. And that kind of sticker will make it among
the most affordable electric SUVs in Europe.
