Volkswagen’s replacement for the ID.4 crossover is here

Based on the images VW provided to Ars, I think they’ve mostly met that mandate; the interior of the R-Line in particular looks pretty good to me. Most importantly, VW listened to the feedback.

The return to normal door handles will be welcome, although it may have been prompted by Chinese vehicle regulators. Even more welcome is the plethora of physical controls: real buttons on the steering wheel, real switches for the air conditioning and windows, and real physical air vents, not controlled by computers. There’s a new 15-inch infotainment screen that looks nice but will need to be responsive, as well as the option of a 12-inch passenger screen, a trend I continue to bemoan like Grandpa Simpson shouting at the clouds.

One feature that really caught my attention was one of the options on the new 10-inch digital main instrument display: retro dials. Instead of something that probably looks 21st century – I don’t know since we haven’t received any press photos of the default theme – you can choose to replicate the dials and warning lights of a Golf Mk1, Golf Country Mk2, Golf Mk 4, first generation Tiguan, racing Toureg or the Beetle. (I’m not sure if this is the original rear-engined Beetle or the retro Beetle designed by J Mays in the late 1990s.)

Pre-sales for the electric Tiguan will begin in Europe next week, with a starting price in Germany of €42,695 ($44,716). Although the ID. Tiguan coming to the U.S. VW told us it “has not announced the North American timeline for the vehicle. Following the European launch of the ID. Tiguan in early 2027, the company will share the North American timeline, offering structure, pricing and other market-specific details in due course.”