Volkswagen’s Legacy Meets the Future
In September 2025, Volkswagen took a decisive step toward the future of mobility – and it started with something as seemingly simple, yet deeply emotional, as a name. The German automaker announced a new naming strategy that will see its beloved combustion-engine models reborn within the company’s all-electric ID. family.
At the heart of this transition is one of Volkswagen’s most enduring bestsellers: the Polo. For nearly five decades, the Polo has represented reliability, safety, and affordability. Now, as Volkswagen charts its path into an all-electric future, the Polo will live on as the ID. Polo – the first of many legendary nameplates to bridge past and future. The concept car is known as the ID. 2all.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, emphasized the emotional resonance of this strategy:
“Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning.”
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Why Names Matter in the Age of Electric
Model names are not just identifiers – they carry cultural significance, memories, and trust. For decades, the Polo has been more than a car. It has been a first car for countless drivers, a family companion, and a global symbol of democratized mobility.
Martin Sander, Volkswagen’s Board Member for Sales, Marketing, and Aftersales, explained this connection:
“Our cars often accompany people for many years – they shape memories and stages of life. A model like the Polo shows just how powerful a name can be: it stands for reliability, personality and history. That’s precisely why we are again giving our ID. models names that arouse emotions and are anchored in people’s everyday lives. Electric mobility should not only be progressive, but also accessible and personal.”
This strategy is more than marketing. It’s a roadmap that helps customers navigate a complex landscape where combustion engines and electric vehicles still coexist. By transferring established names to electric successors, Volkswagen is creating continuity in a time of transition.
The Arrival of the ID. Polo and the ID. Polo GTI
The ID. Polo will officially launch in 2026 – coinciding with the Polo’s 50th anniversary. Positioned as the electric heir to one of Volkswagen’s most iconic cars, it will carry forward the values of quality, safety, and innovation, now underpinned by cutting-edge electric mobility.
But Volkswagen isn’t stopping there. In a bold move to electrify passion as well as practicality, the legendary GTI badge will also make the leap into the future. The ID. Polo GTI, derived from the ID. GTI Concept, will debut alongside the standard ID. Polo. It promises outstanding dynamics and driving pleasure – proving that high performance and sustainability can indeed coexist.
Both models will make their first public appearance at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich (September 8–14, 2025). The anticipation is already building.
Expanding the ID. Family: The Rise of the ID. Cross
The unveiling of the ID. Polo lineup is only the beginning of Volkswagen’s ambitious rollout. On September 7, just before the Munich show, Volkswagen will premiere the ID. CROSS Concept, an all-electric compact SUV that will evolve into the production-ready ID. Cross by late 2026.
Designed as the electric counterpart to the T-Cross, the ID. Cross will represent another step in Volkswagen’s push to make electric driving more affordable and accessible to a broader audience.
Listening to Customers, Elevating Quality
Volkswagen’s new generation of ID. models reflects not only technological progress but also a deeper responsiveness to customer feedback. Future models will feature improved interior quality with soft-touch materials, a smarter balance between digital and physical controls, and intuitive user interfaces.
These updates are more than cosmetic. They highlight Volkswagen’s understanding that the EV revolution is not only about batteries and range but about creating cars people feel at home in – comfortable, practical, and emotionally resonant.
A Story That Began in 2018
The ID. family was born in 2018, with the launch of the ID.3. Since then, the lineup has grown to include models across segments, from the compact ID.4 SUV to the spacious ID.7, which currently leads EV sales in Germany and Europe.
But until now, the ID. naming convention relied heavily on numbers that lacked the emotional depth of Volkswagen’s traditional lineup. By reintroducing established names like Polo and GTI into the ID. family, Volkswagen is closing the gap between its past and its future.
Volkswagen Today: A Global Powerhouse
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand remains one of the world’s most influential automakers. With operations in 28 locations across 12 countries, it delivered 4.8 million vehicles in 2024 alone. From classics like the Golf, Tiguan, and Passat to its growing fleet of ID. models, Volkswagen continues to shape global mobility.
The company’s ACCELERATE strategy underscores its mission to become the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility – not only by building efficient electric cars but by preserving the emotional DNA that made Volkswagen iconic in the first place.
The Future is Familiar, Yet Electric
Volkswagen’s new naming strategy is more than a shift in branding. It’s a recognition that the future of mobility must be both innovative and human. By carrying names like Polo and GTI into the electric era, Volkswagen ensures that the future feels familiar, rooted in trust and history, while opening the door to a cleaner, more sustainable tomorrow.
In other words: the road ahead is electric, but the spirit of Volkswagen remains the same.
