Volkswagen’s low-cost electric SUV caught rocking a new look as the camo comes off

The ID.Cross is due out in mid-2026 as part of Volkswagen’s new family of affordable EVs. Like the ID.Polo, the electric T-Cross sibling, is set to bring a fresh new look that VW promises will deliver “the secret sauce” we’ve been waiting for.

The Volkswagen ID.Cross is a low-cost electric SUV

Just a few days after the first ID.Polo prototypes were tested by journalists in Europe, we are getting a closer look at the second member of Volkswagen’s upcoming entry-level EV lineup.

The ID.Cross is essentially an electric alternative to the T-Cross, one of Volkswagen’s best-selling models in Europe.

Like the ID.Polo, the electric SUV marks the beginning of a “new generation of Volkswagen” that’s more efficient, smarter, better looking, and, perhaps, more importantly, more affordable. It will be the second ID model to bear an established Volkswagen name.

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We got our first look at it in September after Volkswagen showcased a near-production ID.Cross concept at the Munich Motor Show.

With its official debut just around the corner, Volkswagen’s low-cost electric SUV was spotted with barely any camouflage, giving us our best look yet.

The new spy photos from Auto Express show the first prototypes out in public, nearly undisguised. Although Volkswagen tried to hide it with the gas-powered T-Roc grille and front bumper, it’s pretty clear that the electric SUV will arrive as a near replica of the ID.Cross concept.

Andreas Mindt, Volkswagen’s design boss, said the new entry-level EVs deliver the “secret sauce” with a new and improved look.

You can see the ID.Cross features a more upright stance with wide wheel arches. Volkswagen pulled design elements from some of its classic models, like the Golf and minibus, as part of the new look. The electric SUV appears to be “smiling” with a new 3D light bar and LED headlights up front.

The ID.Cross is 4,161 mm long, 1,839 mm wide, and 1,588 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,601 mm, or about the size of the current T-Cross.

The interior features a simple, minimalistic setup with 13″ infotainment and 11″ driver display screens. Although it’s a smaller SUV, VW promises the ID.Cross is an “all-rounder” with 450 liters of boot space. Like VW’s minibus, the seats can fold completely flat to open up interior space.

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It will be based on the same MEB+ platform as the ID.Polo, delivering an estimated WLTP driving range of 420 km (261 miles).

Volkswagen will reveal prices closer to launch, but the ID.Cross is expected to sit below the ID.4, which starts at about €35,000 ($41,000).

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