Volkswagen is set to unveil the ID.2 X SUV concept in September 2025 at the Munich Motor Show. The design, inspired by the ID.2all, will influence upcoming changes to the current ID. models. Additionally, the Volkswagen Polo will receive a significant update, extending its production run until the end of 2027.
Volkswagen plans to refresh and expand its ID. lineup, while also updating the Polo in 2025.
During the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show, Volkswagen’s Technical Development Director, Kai Grünitz, shared details with Autocar about the brand’s future plans for both its electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) models. As the company navigates the shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), it faces challenges, including slower-than-expected sales of its ID. series and delays in its new SSP platform. Meanwhile, the European Union’s delayed Euro 7 emissions standard allows Volkswagen to continue selling smaller ICE models for a bit longer, which will require updates to meet the revised regulations.
The Polo’s Lifeline and Updates
Volkswagen had originally planned to discontinue the Polo in Europe by 2024, but the revised Euro 7 regulations have given the compact car a reprieve. Initially, the Euro 7 rules, set to take effect in 2025, would have required costly new pollution-control systems for ICE vehicles, putting the future of affordable cars like the Polo in jeopardy. However, the revised and softened Euro 7 standard will now apply from November 29, 2027, allowing Volkswagen to keep the Polo in production in the European market.
Although production of the Polo has ended in Spain, the car will continue to be manufactured for Europe at Volkswagen’s South African plant in Kariega. The Polo is expected to receive technical updates in 2025 to remain competitive until the end of its production life in 2027. The details of this update are yet to be confirmed, but the introduction of mild-hybrid powertrains is possible, though uncertain due to the Polo’s smaller MQB A0 platform. Volkswagen also plans to reduce its ICE offerings over the next two years, while potentially using its MQB and MQB Evo platforms for future electric vehicles, much like it did with the previous-generation e-Golf.
An Electric Polo Successor: The ID.2 X
Volkswagen is also set to introduce an electric successor to the Polo with the ID.2 in late 2025, with an ID.2 GTI version expected in 2027. Grünitz confirmed that the ID.2 will be joined by an electric small SUV, potentially called the ID.2 X. This vehicle will be revealed as a concept at the Munich Motor Show in September 2025. The ID.2 X will share its platform with the Skoda Epiq and will be produced at Volkswagen’s newly adapted plant in Pamplona, Spain. The ID.2 X is expected to be priced under €30,000, competing with models like the Renault 4 E-Tech when it launches in 2026.
Volkswagen’s ID. Models: Restyling and Technological Upgrades
The upcoming ID.2 X will adopt a fresh design language, influenced by the ID.2all concept, which marks a shift from the current ID. models. This updated aesthetic will retain core Volkswagen design elements while adapting them for electric vehicles. Andreas Mindt, who took over as head of design for Volkswagen in 2023, led this transformation, which involved revising the original ID.2all design just before its official reveal.
While Volkswagen works on developing its new SSP platform, which is now expected around 2029 (delayed from 2026), the brand is planning significant updates for its existing ID. models. Beginning in 2026, the ID. lineup will undergo substantial improvements, both technical and aesthetic. Current electric models will transition from the MEB to the MEB+ platform, which will support a range of up to 700 km (WLTP). The first vehicle to use this updated platform will likely be a new compact SUV, possibly named the ID.3 X. The styling of the current ID. models will evolve, reflecting a return to the core Volkswagen design ethos, as Grünitz hinted, aligning closer to the ID.2all concept.
As Volkswagen continues its partnership with Rivian to enhance its electronic and software architecture, the SSP platform is expected to bring cutting-edge advancements, ensuring the brand stays at the forefront of the electric vehicle market.
