I took to the road in future of electric cars – driving a prototype VW

The ID Cross was first announced at the Munich Auto Show in 2025. Like the upcoming ID Polo, this is based on VW’s new MEB+ platform, specifically designed for smaller electric cars.

Like the Polo, the ID Cross is a city car, but it has four doors and a decent amount of space inside. It’s 10cm longer than the ID Polo and has trunk space similar to the ID.4. However, it remains significantly smaller than the ID.3 or the Golf. In fact, it’s 400kg lighter than the ID.3 and is due to be much cheaper too.

Though the global release isn’t until later this year, we already know most of the specs. This is a front-wheel drive car, so the electric motor is positioned in front of the driver, much like a traditional engine. This generates 155kW of output, which is around 207 bhp, and 290 Nm of torque, making it pretty nippy.

A larger, comfier Polo?

In addition to this ID Cross and the ID Polo, there is also an ID Polo GTI coming, which will be the hot hatch model. The ID Cross is more of a family option. Here, economy is the more important metric, and with a choice of a 37kWh or 52kWh battery. This provides a range of up to 312km / 193 miles for the smaller battery and 436km / 270 miles for the larger battery. Importantly, that means up to 5.2 miles per kWh.

The batteries are also fast charging, with a maximum of 90kW for the smaller battery and 105kW for the larger battery. VW says it has reduced the maximum speed slightly but improved the charging curve, allowing it to maintain a faster charge for more of the charging time. This means it can go from 10% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes.

Bi-directional charging is also possible from these batteries, allowing vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-load to power your gadgets on the move, with up to 3,600W via an adaptor.

Topped up with tech

As you might expect, there’s plenty of tech on the ID Cross too. There’s the IQ lights, offering intelligent headlights, while the driving system benefits from Park Assist and what it calls the connected travel assist system. This uses swarm data, with excellent lane-keeping functionality and even the ability to detect traffic lights, bringing the vehicle automatically to a stop when using the level 2 autonomous driving function.

Inside the car, the screen layout is similar to the ID Polo, with a 13-inch centre screen and a smaller 10.25-inch driver display behind the wheel. There’s a new steering wheel too, with lots of manual buttons.

The real showpiece, though, is the retro display mode, which turns the driver's screen into a copy of the Mark 1 Golf instrument panel, and the centre screen into an equally 1980s-designed panel, complete with cassette tape graphic for your music and an old-style fuel gauge and odometer.

On the road

I was given the chance to take one of the prototype versions of the ID Cross out on the roads of Amsterdam to see how the car performs. Despite being one of the smallest models in the fleet, the car feels spacious inside and offers a comfortable driving position. While you’re not high up like an SUV, it gives plenty of vision of the road.

The first thing I really noticed was the power of the ID Cross. Without feeling sports car fast, it was hugely responsive when you put your foot on the accelerator, allowing me to nip through the heavy morning Amsterdam traffic and head out of the city.

The ride is solid but not too firm; there was very little body movement taking the car around corners and roundabouts. Taking the car over speed bumps, there was enough response to save shaking you in your seat, and a little extra bounce as the springs returned. It’s certainly a well-balanced system between firmness and comfort.

Connected Travel Assist

I tried out the adaptive cruise control features on the ID Cross, which include lane positioning and traffic light response. I was really impressed at the lane positioning here, even when taking sharper bends, it kept the car well placed, with only minimal pressure from my hands on the wheel. A lot of cars now offer lane positioning, but few feel as confident as this.

The traffic light recognition is a really nice touch for those wanting to use the level 2 autonomous functions in a city environment. A traffic light symbol appears on the driver's display when it’s spotted, and if it’s a red light (or amber) it will slow the car down to a stop, even without a car in front. When the light turns green, it notifies you on the dashboard, but it needs a gentle press on the accelerator to allow it to move on.

Only once did this system get slightly confused when it spotted a red light on a filter lane, but a press on the accelerator easily overrode the car slowing down, and we carried on as normal. This, of course, was still a prototype system, so there are still tweaks to be made.

With the extra space, solid drive and amount of tech on board, the ID Cross looks like it will be a winner when finally released later this year. While UK prices are yet to be confirmed, in Europe it will start from €28,000, going up to around €40,000 for the fully specced model.