Volkswagen has revealed the ID Cross, an electric compact crossover designed to compete directly with the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E in the crowded small SUV market. The new model serves as an electric counterpart to the standard T-Cross, slotting in between the Polo and the larger ID 4 in the automaker’s lineup. It is the fourth vehicle built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB+ platform, a modified version of the architecture underpinning the ID 3 and ID 4.
The ID Cross is marginally larger in every external dimension than its combustion-engined sibling, but Volkswagen claims the packaging of electrical components creates a significant gain in usable interior space. The car features 475 litres of boot capacity, which is 20 litres more than the petrol T-Cross. It also includes a 22-litre front compartment for storing the charging cable.
Interior design director Andreas Mindt described the cabin atmosphere as something meant to “feel like a friend.” The interior is lined with fabric on the centre console, dashboard, and door cards, paired with ambient lighting to create a lounge-like environment. Mindt noted that physical buttons on the steering wheel and dashboard provide more tactile responses than the touchscreen controls used in previous electric vehicles. A rotary-style controller on the centre console allows the driver or front passenger to adjust the infotainment system easily. He stated that these controls create a sense of “stability” inside the cabin and reflects his view that dropping physical buttons was a “mistake” in previous designs.
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Drivers will have three motor options, delivering outputs of 114bhp, 133bhp, and 208bhp. Two battery configurations are available: a 37kWh lithium-iron-phosphate pack offering a range of 196 miles, and a larger 52kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt pack with a range of 271 miles. Charging speeds vary between the two options, with the smaller battery capable of up to 90kW and the larger pack reaching 105kW. Both battery sizes can charge from 10% to 80% in under half an hour.
This charging capability places the ID Cross on par with the related Skoda Epiq and surpasses the current Renault 4 model, although the French automaker is preparing an imminent update that could boost its power and range. The vehicle will be built in Pamplona, Spain, using European-made batteries. Prices are expected to start from around £25,000, though it remains unclear if the car will qualify for the government’s Electric Car Grant. Volkswagen has indicated that the ID Cross will likely fall into the same grant band as the Polo, Raval, and Epiq, which offer a discount of either £1500 or £3750 based on production factors.