Buttons are back in Volkswagen’s next-generation cockpit that makes its debut in the automaker’s entry-level electric compact hatchback, the ID.Polo. 

Shaped by extensive consumer response, the cockpit features a return to more physical buttons for direct functions including a multifunction steering wheel with clear button controls, according to a Jan. 3 press release. 

That said, the interior will feature two displays, including a 33-cm touchscreen for the infotainment system and a 26-cm instrument display that can be changed to a retro display reminiscent of the first VW Golf (aka Rabbit) of the 1980s at a flick of a button.

Separate buttons for climate functions and the hazard warning lights are built into a strip below the infotainment screen. 

Meanwhile, a rotary controller, for audio volume and track/station selection, is placed between the smartphone tray and the cupholders and is accessible for both driver and passenger. 

At the same time, a new software generation brings fresh functions to the ID.Polo such as one-pedal driving, advanced parking assistance and the option of a new generation of Travel Assist, which will recognize red traffic lights and stop signs.

“We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact,” said Volkswagen’s chief designer Andreas Mindt in the Jan. 3 company release. “Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink,” he added. 

The new ID.Polo is set to make its public debut in Europe in spring 2026 with sales expected to begin in the autumn.