Volkswagen ID Polo: the electric supermini we've been waiting for

Electric supermini is intended as a practical, affordable and fun-to-drive alternative to the hot-cakes Renault 5

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We've already driven Volkswagen's new ID Polo in pre-production form, but this is our first go in the finished article. It squares up to the hot-selling Renault 5 with a starting price of £22,445 (Electric Car Grant included) and class-leading 282-mile range.

And while it shares its MEB+ underpinnings with the Cupra Raval, it has a Wolfsburg-specific suspension set-up and a new, more analogue interior. In more ways than one, then, this represents a new direction for electric VWs. The question is: is it the right one?

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DESIGN & STYLING

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While the MEB+ platform that underpins the ID Polo was initially developed by Cupra, there has been no shortage of effort to make sure it becomes authentically VW here.

In contrast to the Raval, the ID Polo arrives in non-sporting guise first, so at launch in Britain four trims will be available: the series-production Life and Style, to be followed by two limited-run Launch Editions that build on those trims.

But things will be decidedly understated no matter the spec: only 18in and 19in wheels give away a car's rank. Perhaps predictably, the ID Polo blends the design languages of the ID EV family and the petrol Polo to create a handsome but not particularly bold-looking five-door.

Mind you, all the modern essentials are there. LED lighting includes illuminated badges and light bars on the front and rear, while the rear doors have handles hidden on the C-pillars. 

INTERIOR

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The interior's use of many more physical buttons than you will find in other VWs of late is reason enough to welcome the ID Polo's arrival.

Gone are the slidey heater and volume controls that have frustrated VW drivers since they were introduced via the Mk8 Golf; in their place are more conventional climate control buttons. They're not all that different from the ones you find in the Renault 5, actually, and that's no bad thing.

The digital screens retain the retro mode seen on the ID 2all concept. There's a display based on the dash of a Golf Mk1, complete with a virtual tape deck.
James Attwood
Associate editor

And, yes, there are four window switches on the driver's door once again. The ID Polo's dashboard features a 10in driver's display and 13in infotainment touchscreen, and it even offers ChatGPT AI. This stuff is more evolution than revolution, but the big digital widgets and simple menus make using the tech on the go easy enough.

More fun is the addition of 'retro' displays for both screens, which turn the clean, modern front-end look into one emulating that of the Mk1 Golf. That means dials for not only speed and power but also an illustrated tape deck. It's a nice touch that offers something different from the competition. 

That said, while a mix of sustainably sourced fabrics and plastics add to the ID Polo's green credentials, it's a shame that there's only the option of a grey or black cabin theme, while the seats can only be wrapped in cloth, with no leather or synthetic leather options. There's also some cheap-feeling, scratchy plastic in easy reach on the top of the door trims, revealing where costs have been kept down.

The space in the back doesn't leave you feeling short-changed, however. In fact, with enough knee, foot and even head room for a six-footer to get comfortable, the ID Polo is one of the roomiest cars in the 4m-long hatchback class. The middle rear seat naturally offers less space than the outer pair but, thanks to a flat floor, will still be fine for smaller passengers on shorter journeys-which isn't something that can be said for the Renault 5. 

Better yet, this decent rear passenger space doesn't hamper the boot. Far from it: with 441 litres of space that includes an almost flat loading lip and a large underfloor storage area, the ID Polo has 115 litres more room than the 5 and 90 litres more than the Hyundai Inster even when the Korean car's rear bench is slid forward.

The ID Polo shames every other car in the class to a similar degree. It even has 60 litres more room than the current Golf and 90 litres more than the petrol Polo.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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Entry-level cars get a 37kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery with a 208-mile range, while the bigger 52kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt option that we're sampling here promises 282 miles between charges. 

That ranks it 15 miles ahead of the recently enhanced Renault 5 and just ahead of the Cupra equivalent, while rivals such as the Mini Cooper Electric and Fiat Grande Panda Electric are even further behind. With no lower-powered models available yet, our test is limited to the 208bhp, 52kWh ID Polo, which has a 7.1 sec 0-62mph time.

It feels that nippy on the road, with punchy off-the-line and rolling performance, especially in Sport mode. Even before the GTI variant arrives, it's clear this is a front-driven hatchback that can claim to be more than just lukewarm.

RIDE & HANDLING

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While there's none of the Raval's hot hatch-pointiness, the ID Polo reacts keenly enough to steering inputs with a confidence-inspiring neutral balance after the slightest hint of safety-engineered understeer, even at a higher pace.

VW says it has given the MacPherson-strut front suspension and small rear torsion beam set-up a different tune, and it is noticeably more softly sprung than the Cupra. But body control remains decent, meaning swift progress along a B-road feels natural and easy. Certainly it gives the Renault 5 a run for its money in this regard. The ride is good too, with bigger road bumps being soaked up without fuss, even when they arrive mid-corner.

Admittedly the ID Polo's new vibration dampers and axle guide bearings can't quite prevent some of the vibrations on rougher surfaces from making their way into the cabin, but there's no denying this is a comfortable car. Driving effort can be reduced via the one-pedal-enabling B mode.

Unlike in the 5, there's only one regenerative braking mode, but it's easily turned on or off with a twist of the drive selector behind the wheel. Also helpful is VW's intelligent driving assistance system, which can steer, brake and even recognise traffic lights before reacting accordingly with minimal driver input.

First impressions suggest this tech is the best in the class. It's not uncommon these days to find that the ownership prospects of a good car come undone with frustrating driving assistance features, but the ID Polo's lane keeping aid is subtle enough and its speed limit alert is quiet enough that you won't want to park up and walk away after the first bong.

You can, of course, switch them off using the touchscreen, but after that your fingers can remain largely screen-free. Thanks to helpful rather than annoying tech and that ergonomic interior, it's clear this is a VW that's going to be easy to get along with. 

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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It helps, of course, that the ID Polo is also only a grand more than the much less practical Renault 5 (both cars qualify for the Electric Car Grant), and while the higher-spec Style costs £26,970, aside from a few scratchy interior plastics it feels like genuinely good value.

It should be efficient to run too, given that our test car returned an indicated 4.2mpkWh after a day of driving on mixed roads. That equates to a real-world range of about 215 miles, which isn't bad going. It's worth noting that our motorway stints did cause efficiency to temporarily drop as low as 3.2mpkWh, which would equate to a real-world range of about 165 miles.

While that's still decent for this class of suburban-focused hatchbacks, it suggests the ID Polo won't be as much of a go-anywhere small car as the petrol Polo. No surprise there, though. Charging speed is respectable, with a 105kW peak for our 52kWh car ranking it top of the class once again.

The 37kWh version isn't exactly off the pace either, with a respectable 90kW peak that means longer-distance motorway jaunts won't require especially long top-up stops at the services. 

VERDICT

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The ID Polo's impressive range, fast charging and massive boot are key class advantages on paper, but it's a user-friendly interior and a quality driving experience that ensure its brilliance.

It has a classically Volkswagen feel, poise and maturity and blends a pleasingly mature driving experience with decent practicality and a reassuringly solid feel.

The ID Polo – a car that didn’t start out life as a Polo, and which was developed and built in Spain – feels remarkably like the current Polo. Switch from the petrol Polo into this and, lack of engine noise aside, you would barely notice the difference.

A Volkswagen that feels like a Volkswagen, then. For that alone, it should be a winner.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.