- The Volkswagen ID. Cross is the German automaker’s cheapest new electric crossover.
- Based on the same underpinnings as the ID. Polo hatchback, the ID. Cross starts from €27,995 or roughly $32,000 in Germany, including VAT.
- The longest-range version can deliver up to 265 miles (WLTP) on a full charge.
Volkswagen’s electric car portfolio just got a little bigger, at least in Europe. This is the new Volkswagen ID. Cross, the brand’s cheapest new electric crossover, which goes on sale today.
You can think of the ID. Cross as the crossover brother to the recently revealed ID. Polo—it sits slightly higher off the ground and has a few extras, but the powertrain, interior, and specs are very similar.
Photo by: Volkswagen
All ID. Cross versions are front-wheel drive, but there are three motor options and two battery capacities to choose from. The entry-level spec comes with a 37-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery pack and a 114-horsepower electric motor. VW also offers a 133- and a 208-hp motor, as well as a larger, 52 kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery pack that offers more driving range.
The lower-spec LFP battery can be recharged at up to 90 kW from a DC fast charger and needs 23 minutes to go from 10-to-80% state of charge, while the larger NMC battery can accept up to 105 kW and needs 24 minutes to hit 80%. The shortest WLTP range rating is 196 miles (316 kilometers), while the range-topper delivers up to 265 miles (427 km) on a full charge.
Size-wise, this is not a large car. Measuring 163.5 inches (4,153 millimeters) long, 77.7 in (1,974 mm) wide, and 62.2 in (1,581 mm) tall, the ID. Cross is considered a subcompact car in Europe. Its 102.4-inch (2,601-millimeter) wheelbase is the same as the ID. Polo’s, but still shorter than the second-generation Chevrolet Bolt.
Photo by: Volkswagen
Inside, VW’s new electric crossover features a 12.9 in infotainment touchscreen and a 10.25 in digital instrument cluster that can be set up to show a retro scheme inspired by the first-generation Golf. There’s also an adequate number of physical controls for the temperature settings, fan speed, windshield defroster, and volume. Individual buttons for each power window are also back.
Trunk space is quite generous, with 16.7 cubic feet (475 liters) of capacity, including an underfloor compartment that can fit two crates of drinks, according to the automaker. Under the hood, there’s a small storage compartment that can hold nearly 0.9 cu ft of stuff (25 liters), making it suitable for a charging cable and other bits and bobs.
Speaking of the charging cable, the ID. Cross comes standard with vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, enabling owners to export energy from the high-voltage battery through a separate adaptor that goes into the charge port. The car can deliver up to 3.6 kW of power to charge e-bikes or power camping equipment.
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Source: Volkswagen
The options list includes a 425-watt high-end Harman Kardon sound system with 10 speakers, as well as a massage function for the electrically adjustable 12-way front seats—a feature that VW claims can’t be found anywhere else in the ID. Cross’ segment.
Models with the largest-capacity battery and the most powerful electric motor are on sale now in Germany, with prices starting from €36,525 ($41,700 at today’s exchange rate), including VAT. The basic version, as well as other variants, will follow soon.