I drove the VW ID. Polo – the little car that you’ll love to drive

The ID. Polo marks a change of direction for VW, which sees the use of established brand names in its fully electric range. Though the ID. line-up has been successful – not least the ID. 4 and ID. Buzz – this new approach aims to prove more appealing to existing users.

With the Polo, VW has created its cheapest electric car to date. Much as the Polo once was the cheapest car in the range when it was first released back in 1975. Popular with new drivers and those wanting a well-built city runaround, it’s arguably the perfect car for an electric platform.

It is based on the VW MEB+ platform, which is also used by the ID. Cross and the Cupra Raval. This is a front-wheel-drive system, designed to reduce complexity and weight, while offering space for both passengers and luggage.

Price and availability

UK prices for the VW ID. Polo start from £23,945, while in Europe it costs just under €25,000. There are two variants available in the UK, the Life and Style models, each with a choice of motors and batteries. A Trend model is only available in Europe.

The launch editions are the Life with either a 37kWh or 52kWh battery, and the Style model with a 52kWh battery. The model I drove was the Style Launch Edition, which is priced at £32,995. This has the 211 horsepower motor and 52kWh battery for a range of up to 274 miles.

There is a choice of seven paint colours: a solid paint in candy white and six metallic colours, including a python yellow metallic, which really stands out, and a celestial blue metallic that my test car was finished in.

How does it look?

Seeing the new ID. Polo in person for the first time, it looks very familiar. Though slightly taller and with a few updates, it's unmistakably a Polo and close to the sixth-generation car that was released in 2017. The rear door handles are hidden behind the window, making it look more like a two-door model than a four-door one.

The front headlights are connected by an LED bar that runs the width of the car, with only the front VW badge to divide them. At the rear, it follows recent models with an LED that goes the full width of the car too, along with square LEDs at the corners and an illuminated red VW badge.

Inside the Polo

Inside, the cabin has been kept clean and simple to enhance the feeling of space. A driver display sits behind the steering wheel, while a large centre screen stands alone in the middle.

The dash and doors are finished in a textile material that feels soft to the touch, much like a soundbar speaker. Under the centre display is an array of physical buttons providing tangible control of the climate functions, while a volume dial sits lower down the centre console.

There are mirror controls in the door mount, and a neat door opener that sits around the electric window controls. It’s a welcome return to real buttons and dials, while still offering the digital functionality on the screen for other tasks, such as driving modes.

For a small car, there’s a decent amount of space in the back of the ID. Polo. It will seat five at a push, though it is more than comfortable enough for a family of four. There’s plenty of luggage space too, with 441 litres of storage in the boot. That’s a 25% increase on the petrol model thanks to the MEB+ design. You can also get up to 1240 litres with the back seats down.

Tech

A 13-inch touchscreen display sits in the middle of the dash, somewhat dominating the space. This high-resolution screen is an update on the original ID screens, and no longer features the sliding volume control along the bottom. Instead, there is a dedicated volume dial in the centre console and proper buttons for the climate controls just below the fans.

The driver information is shown on a 10-inch screen just behind the steering wheel and offers a choice of viewing styles, including a retro display. This is based on the dials of the Mark I Golf, complete with speedometer and odometer, and shows a power output/recovery in place of the rev counter.

The retro styling also carries through to the centre screen, with an old TV surround on the map, an old-style fuel gauge for the battery charge and a radio/cassette deck graphic for the media player.

Both retro displays are very stylish, but I did find the information harder to read, so after a few minutes, swapped back to the modern displays, which are clean, simple and stylish. I suspect this will be the case for most drivers, but it’s a nice novelty feature to have.

The entertainment system is bolstered by a Harman Kardon sound system, with 10 speakers, 12 channels and 425 Watts of power. It’s a solid system for this car, with good volume and clarity.

For such an entry-level position, there’s a lot of driving tech on the ID. Polo. The IQ Drive system is an optional extra on both variants and includes the Connected Travel Assist. This provides level 2 acceleration, braking and steering assistance, alongside speed limit detection, either from road signs or mapping. This is a truly impressive system with great lane centring, like something you’d expect to find on a flagship model.

The system also includes traffic light recognition and assisted lane changing. On standard traffic lights, the system works really well, bringing the car to a stop, even with no cars in front. However, on more complex junctions with lights on filter lanes, it can at times get confused, so it needs monitoring more closely.

VW’s mapping software is provided by TomTom and is mostly decent; however, I did find the directions slightly confusing at times. Like most OEM systems, it’s still no match for Google Maps or Apple Maps, even if it provides integrated benefits such as charging locations on route.

Driving

For a small car, the ID. Polo feels great on the road. The spacious interior means you don’t feel penned in or exposed on motorways. In standard comfort driving mode, the acceleration feels a little slower than some electric cars, but it’s nippy enough off the line and put it into sport mode, and it can really go. The 211 horsepower model I was driving has a 0-62 mph time of 7.1 seconds, which isn’t bad for this type of car.

Suspension is firm but not rigid, and the braking is responsive. The model I was driving was the premium offering, so I couldn’t comment on how the more affordable Life edition feels, though I suspect the overall driving experience is much the same. The lower-powered motors will feel slower, though potentially still quicker than you’re used to if you’re moving from a petrol car of a similar size.

Depending on the battery size you go for, the ID. Polo has up to 281 miles of range with the 52kWh battery. If you opt for the base-level 32 kWh battery, you will get up to 206 miles. If you’re looking for a city runaround, that’s still plenty of range. The larger battery, though, gives you more options, allowing you to take on longer journeys without worrying about charging along the way.

Charging speed is just 105kW on the 52kWh battery and 90kW on the smaller 37kWh battery, though that still means a charge time of 23-24 minutes (10-80%), which is less time than a normal service station stop.

Should I buy the ID. Polo?

VW has done a great job creating an electric Polo. This car has the spirit of the petrol model and yet brings advantages thanks to its MEB+ electric platform. It’s compact but spacious inside, premium in finish and fun to drive.

There are now a few great options around this price point that compete directly with the ID. Polo. The Renault 5 E-tech has proved hugely popular and costs a little less, while the new Cupra Raval, which sits on the same platform as the Polo, comes in at almost the same price but offers a very different styling.

What the ID. Polo offers a sense of reassurance; a trusted model from a trusted brand. That kind of pitch may appeal to an older audience looking to move over to electric for the first time. The retro element reinforces this, but could also help it appeal to a younger crowd too.

I’m really pleased to see the Polo brand not only going electric but such a faithful interpretation of it in electric form. While it might not be the most exciting of compact electric models, it’s a great little car for the money and one that is likely to stand the test of time.

As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.