New ID. Cross unveiled

Volkswagen has unveiled the new ID. Cross, an all‑electric compact SUV positioned in the small car and compact segment, writes Brian Byrne. With a WLTP range of up to 427 km, it is designed for both everyday use and longer trips. 

Priced from around €28,000 in Germany, the model combines a sleek design with technologies previously reserved for higher vehicle classes. 

Inside, high‑quality materials, fabric-covered surfaces and generous seating aim to create a premium, feel-good ambience.

The ID. Cross features Volkswagen’s new Innovision infotainment system and will be offered with three power outputs and two battery sizes (37 kWh and 52 kWh net). 

Positioned alongside the ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI, the ID. Cross represents a new generation of small and compact electric models from Volkswagen. 

VW eTransporter and eCaravelle review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

A couple of interesting things are happening in the light commercial vehicles space, writes Brian Byrne. One, the proportion of electric powertrains in registered vans has, in two years, upshifted from 2.3 per cent to 4.6 per cent. The other is that more than a third of vans are now bought with automatic transmissions compared to just a quarter in 2024. If I were a city van driver, in the environment where most small and mid-sized vans operate, I'd definitely be seeking both attributes to help make my working day less fraught. I was thinking about that during recent review experiences with two versions of the Volkswagen Transporter. One a van, the other an 8-seater passenger Caravelle, both with electric powertrains. 

The Transporter has a long pedigree, all the way back to 1950 and the brand's Type 2 van and iconic bus vehicle derived from the Volkswagen Beetle. In its 7th generation, it is the Volkswagen part of a co-design with Ford, whose version is the current Transit Custom. Both nameplates have strong reputations, neither of which is diminished by now being closely related.

I've always liked vans. Not least because you're that bit higher than other traffic, even up a bit from the large SUVs that have proliferated on our roads. That has benefits for awareness of what's going on around, important especially in close-encounter urban work. It's also more relaxing on a long working day. 

Going back to the Transporter, and to my opening statistics, it's interesting that the model's current sales show that over 16 per cent of registrations this year are electric variants, around three times the segment penetration. Also, and partially related, almost six in ten Transporters bought in 2026 are automatics. I reckon that if you look at the Transporter drivers around you in new vehicles, they will, in general, be quite happy-looking people.

It's hard to get anything as boxy as a mid-sized van looking anything other than the efficiently utilitarian vehicle it is designed to be. So the e-Transporter I've been reviewing is tidy rather than sexy in styling. The long-wheelbase version, the only one on which the Caravelle is sold in Ireland, is almost 5.5 metres long, so it's a fair hunk of vehicle to move around in. The front end, with a dominant VW badge, is a clean design, with a smart cut in the lighting shapes and a bumper section that looks capable of handling the small dings of daily delivery impacts. The little kick up in the very back panel is an open hint of the Ford Custom relationship.

There are sliding access doors on either side in both the cargo and passenger versions, and the high tailgate that can also serve as a rain shelter when loading or unloading from the rear is also common to both.

Design and ergonomics in the driver's space are both strong, with good trim materials aimed at lasting a heavy-duty life. The instrumentation and infotainment are both to car standard, in a joined-together pod, with bright and colourful graphics that don't need distracting interpretation on the run. Climate control is virtual buttons permanently along the bottom of the centre screen, easy to access, though still requiring some screen stabbing.

My van version was also LWB, and with the standard roof offered a cargo volume of up to 6.8 m3 and a payload of 760kg, with three Euro pallets easily accommodated in the maximum 1777mm load width and 1392mm between the wheel housings. My Caravelle passenger version had the advantage of the 3.5-metre wheelbase to easily carry seven passengers along with the driver, in sturdy and comfortable seating with lots of leg room. The middle and rear rows of seats had controls for their own space's climate management, part of the top Style grade package. In the same grade, there are heated seats for both front occupants, LED matrix headlights, and a total of ten speakers for the audio.

The EV powertrain is available in the Caravelle in either 218hp or 286hp, with my review car powered by the latter. Drive is to the rear wheels. Needless to say, it was much quieter than the normal diesel in the Transporter (there's also a petrol hybrid option in this generation), and the higher horsepower made it a very peppy mover when pushed. The nominal range is 300km, but I got closer to 275km in my time with it, though that was with a significant amount of motorway driving. In local urban work, it was noticeably easier on battery, especially using the 'B' enhanced regeneration mode. I did have passengers during my time with the Caravelle, who also enjoyed being able to see over the ditches.

PRICE: Van from €63,995; Caravelle from €62,725, review vehicle €69,495. WHAT I LIKED: Being on top of the traffic world. 

Volkswagen reveals ID. Polo

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID. Polo, an all-electric reinvention of one of its most successful models, writes Brian Byrne. Debuted in Wolfsburg on 29 April 2026, the compact hatchback combines familiar Polo branding with a new electric platform and a starting price of €24,995 in Germany.

The ID. Polo will be offered with three power outputs — 85 kW, 99 kW, and 155 kW — along with two battery options. Volkswagen says the top version can deliver a WLTP range of up to 454 km, while DC fast charging from 10% to 80% takes around 23 to 24 minutes, depending on the version.

The front-wheel-drive ID. Polo offers space for five and a luggage compartment larger than some compact-class rivals. The interior features a Digital Cockpit, a 13-inch infotainment display, and physical buttons. 

Higher-spec versions add features such as Connected Travel Assist, automatic traffic light recognition, one-pedal driving, and vehicle-to-load capability.

Pre-sales in Germany have opened. 

Volkswagen to launch new full-hybrid Golf and T-Roc

Volkswagen has unveiled a new full-hybrid powertrain for the Golf and T-Roc, with both models due to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2026, writes Brian Byrne. The system is designed to enable short periods of all-electric driving without the need for plug-in charging, using energy recovered through braking and a turbocharged petrol engine paired with a generator.

The new system will be offered in two output levels and is positioned between Volkswagen’s existing mild-hybrid eTSI models and plug-in eHybrid variants. It will deliver lower fuel consumption and emissions than a mild hybrid, while avoiding the higher purchase cost and charging requirements of a plug-in hybrid.

The system is based on a 1.5-litre TSI evo2 petrol engine, two electric motors and a 1.6 kWh lithium-ion battery. It can operate in electric-only, serial and parallel hybrid modes. 

VW's ID. Cross testing in Amsterdam

Volkswagen’s ID. Cross will debut in the European market in the second half of 2026, priced from around €28,000, writes Brian Byrne. This five-seater electric car targets customers seeking affordable, everyday mobility. 

Pictured here in Amsterdam with a camouflage wrap, the ID. Cross will provide flexible powertrain options with power levels of 114hp, 133hp, and 208hp, paired with battery sizes of 37 kWh and 52 kWh.

Volkswagen promises a compelling price-performance ratio with its compact size, advanced technology, and spacious interior. 

2025 a record year for VW Group in Ireland

Images: Trish Whelan.

With 40,950 vehicles registered across its six brands, 2025 was a record-breaking year for Volkswagen Group Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. The group achieved a 29 per cent share of the overall new car market.

More than one in four electric vehicles sold in Ireland were VW Group cars, with the ID.4 being the top EV seller for the fifth year in a row.

Skoda Ireland saw a 300 per cent rise in battery-electric registrations, contributing to a third year in a row of record sales for the brand. Audi's electric and electrified vehicle orders for 2026 represent 40 per cent of the total order bank. Cupra increased Irish registrations by 55 per cent in 2025.

The Volkswagen Group plans to launch 20 new models in 2026, including the 325PS Golf GTI Edition 50 from the parent brand, the all-new T-Roc, Passat, and ID.Polo and ID.Cross Concept. New Škoda models will include the Epiq, a seven-seat Peaq SUV, and an updated plug-in hybrid Superb. The Cupra Raval will be the first model in the Group’s Urban EV family, arriving in September. Audi will introduce a new RS5 sports saloon and Avant, an updated Q4 e-tron, and new Q7 and Q9, along with an entry-level, fully electric crossover. SEAT has new versions of the Ibiza and Arona. VW Commercial Vehicles will debut the all-electric e-Caravelle. 

ID. Polo in final testing phase before launch

Volkswagen is doing final road testing of its new small electric car, the ID. Polo, in various places around the world, writes Brian Byrne. The vehicle is scheduled to make its international debut in a few months.

The new car, arriving 50 years after the original Polo's debut, will be available with two battery sizes and a range of up to 450km. Four power outputs will include a 226hp Polo GTI arriving later in the year, following the spring debut of the new model.

The electric powertrain will be the brand's latest and most efficient, developed in-house, and will include a new battery-pack production system that reduces cost and weight while increasing density.

  

Volkswagen ID.3 GTX review - by Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Volkswagen’s ID.3 GTX hatchback arrived here in the second half of last year as a new addition to the brand's electric model family. It's a real head-turner with an improved interior and very impressive performance. The car is built on Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform, which is also used for other ID. models and for some electric cars from other brands like Cupra, which the Volkswagen Group also owns. 

In size, my review car — the top-of-the-range Performance Plus trim — is a bit shorter, wider, and taller than a VW Golf, with more interior space provided by its longer wheelbase and short overhangs, and with the batteries below the floor. The car looked the business in a King’s Red metallic exterior with black roof, tailgate and pillars. There's a new black air intake with a special diamond design, and the tailgate is a standout feature. GTX badging appears on front doors, but the logo fades against the black background across the rear. New 20-inch alloy wheels are fitted as standard. 

Visibility is good with the forward slope of the windscreen and good A-pillar windows, while the big windscreen wipers cleared the entire windscreen in heavy rainfall. The cabin is well designed with high-quality materials and many GTX-specific features. Front sports seats with integrated headrests feature GTX velour seat trim and power adjustments with lumbar support. Sporty red stitching on the dash, doors and steering wheel added to the car's sporty ambience. The special GTX leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel can be heated, and the twist-type transmission selector located here includes the parking brake. 

The dash has a large free-standing 12.9-inch central touchscreen with colourful graphics and menus for things like vent controls, which I didn’t find very intuitive. It has built-in ChatGPT artificial intelligence, voice control, and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sliders below the screen are for temperature and volume controls. I prefer actual buttons and knobs for key features. The small driver information digital cluster provides all relevant data, and since your current speed is also shown on the head-up display, it really doesn’t need to be any bigger. A small touch panel between the two screens is for adjusting exterior lighting and demisting, but it’s not easy to reach. There’s a good rear-view camera, a Park Assist function that detects a suitable parking space and automatically manoeuvres your car during the parking procedure, and front and rear parking sensors, as well as good blind-spot monitors. 

Details include a wireless mobile phone charger, two C-Type USB ports front and back, three ISOFIX child anchor seats, a really good Harman Kardon sound system, and VW's We Connect Plus connectivity. 

On one trip, three male adults managed to squeeze into the back seats, with the guy in the middle having the narrower seat but appreciating the flat floor. Headroom was fine. Boot capacity is 385 litres with all seats up, expanding to 1,267 litres with the back seats folded down. The high boot floor is not adjustable; there is nowhere below to store the charging cables. 

The GTX Performance Plus has a single rear-mounted electric motor on the rear axle that delivers up to 326hp and a massive 560Nm of torque, powered by a 79kWh battery pack. Combined, they allow for a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 200km/h, making this the fastest ID.3 model yet. The 52kWh battery of the standard ID.3 GTX provides a range of around 388 km and power consumption of 15.2 kWh/100km, while the 79kWh battery provides up to 604km, but in real-world driving is somewhat less, and power consumption of around 15.7kWh/100km. You can charge the battery from 10-80 per cent in around 30 minutes with a DC fast charger; home charging of 11kW AC from 0-100 per cent can be done overnight. 

The Performance Plus version comes with adaptive dampers that you can adjust through the drive modes of Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Individual, allowing you to choose the responses you want in various driving conditions, like on urban or country roads. 

This is a snappy, compact sports car which Volkswagen claims is the electric counterpart to their sporty compact icon, the Golf GTI Clubsport. I found the steering on the heavy side, which I prefer, but the ride was a bit firm even over good roads; the cabin was quiet with little road noise filtering through. 

The ID.3 GTX Performance Plus competes in the electric hot-hatch space where its main competitors include the Cupra Born VZ and Alpine A290, among others. Priced from €39,025 after VRT Rebate and SEAI Grant; my car €41,258. Annual road tax is €120.

 

 

Most powerful Golf GTI on the way

Volkswagen is launching a special edition of the Golf GTI with 325hp to mark the 50th anniversary of the model next year, writes Brian Byrne. The Golf GTI Edition 50 has a starting price of €54,540 in Germany.

The version will be the most powerful Golf GTI ever produced, with a 0-100km/h performance of 5.3 seconds.

More than 2.5 million Golf GTIs have been produced.

New T-Roc reveal by Volkswagen

A second-generation Volkswagen T-Roc will arrive in Ireland in the second quarter of next year, with pre-sales opening in late 2025, writes Brian Byrne. The car is a complete redesign of a model first rolled out in 2017.

The new car was revealed on 27 August and is longer than the current version. It is the third Volkswagen to be built on the latest version of the modular MQB platform, after the new Tiguan and the Tayron.

Powertrains will be new mild-hybrid and full hybrid engines with dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

Three grades are planned, each with several option packages.

A total of more than two million T-Rocs have been sold.

 

ID.3 battery endurance test very positive

A four-year endurance test of a Volkswagen ID.3 has shown that almost 91 percent of battery capacity was retained after covering more than 160,000 kilometres, writes Brian Byrne. The test was carried out by the German independent automotive evaluation company ADAC.

Unlike what might be the norm for actual owners, the testers were more hard on the battery, using rapid charging stations for 40 percent of charge sessions and charging up to 100 percent many times, which would not be recommended.

During the endurance test, the ID.3 received several software updates – including the Electric Vehicle Route Planner, which plans the charging stops on a longer route so the destination is reached as quickly as possible. In addition to the charge level, the system also takes into account the current traffic situation and forecasts. Alongside various bug fixes, the updates included an increase in charging capacity to up to 170 kW.

The testers also found that the axles, suspension, and steering coped well with the vehicle weight and did not show any significant issues or problems. 

50th anniversary VW Polo

Volkswagen has introduced a special version of the Polo to mark five decades since the model was introduced, writes Brian Byrne. The '50'-badged version includes 16-inch wheels with an option of 17-inch, and dark rear windows. 

Inside, it features ‘Edition 50’ lettering on the front sills, and ‘50’ on the steering wheel and dashboard. Standard items include chrome-look pedals, black headliner, ambient lighting, a chrome package, heated front sports seats, leather steering wheel, rear view camera, Park & Comfort assist, Discover Media infotainment, and driving profile selection. 

An optional Plus package adds a panoramic sunroof, two-zone climate control, and Keyless Access. The new Polo editions are available with three powertrains, with outputs between 68hp and 116hp, and manual and dual-clutch auto transmissions.

The car is available for pre-order in Germany for €28,000. 

Pricing and specifications revealed for new VW Transporter, Caravelle

The new generation Volkswagen Transporter van range is now available in Ireland at a starting price of €39,265, writes Brian Byrne. It's the seventh generation of the van and the Caravelle derivative.

They offer significantly more space and higher payloads than the previous versions and they also have a higher towing capability. There are two wheelbase and two height options.

Three new 2.0 diesel engines offer outputs of 110hp, 150hp and 170hp, with choice from 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatics. There will be an AWD variant. An electric version, the e-Transporter comes with the option of three power outputs between 136hp-286hp and with a rated range of up to 331km. Prices for this version start art €53,695 after grants.

The new Caravelle comes with the possibility of 6-,8- or 9-seater formats, at a starting price of €62,725. There's also an electric version with two power options.

The new range comes with a 5-year warranty and five years of roadside assistance and service plan. 

VW's Tayron rolling into showrooms

Volkswagen's new medium SUV is now arriving in showrooms across a number of European markets, writes Brian Byrne. The Tayron is available to order in Ireland from €55,125.

The Tayron with diesel or PHEV powertrains and can accommodate up to seven people in a 3-row configuration. 

Five people with up to 885L of luggage space give an indication of the capacity of this car, which sits between the Tiguan and the Touareg and is an all-new model in the VW SUV range. 

VW reveals concept of entry-level EV

This is the concept of Volkswagen's electric car for everyone, the ID. Every1, the production version of which will be the replacement for the Up! mini car, writes Brian Byrne. The company is focusing on the idea of likability as as a key selling point.

The car is just under 3.9 metres long and both externally and with its interior features a minimalist look and finish but which includes clever storage and working shelf ideas.

The ID. Every1 will be larger inside than the bigger Polo and the powertrain of the concept is a 96hp electric motor and a range of at least 250km.

A starting price of around €20,000 is envisaged when the car goes into production in 2027. 

 

VW teases '€20,000' entry electric car

Volkswagen will showcase a concept entry-level electric car at the beginning of next month, but it won't go into production until 2027, writes Brian Byrne. The carmaker is floating a price in the region of €20,000.

A first glimpse of the concept car was given at a  works meeting in VW's headquarters at Wolfsburg. Workers were told that the company has a target of making e-mobility 'attractive for everyone'.

Volkswagen plans nine new models by 2027 including the production version of the already-announced ID.2all for less than €25,000. 

Volkswagen to celebrate 75 years in Ireland with many new arrivals

VW Group Ireland MD Pierre Boutin — celebrating 75 years in Ireland in 2025.

Volkswagen Group Ireland is forecasting increased sales of electrified vehicles by 35pc in 2025, building on a one-in-four share of sales of EVs from the group's brands during 2024, writes Brian Byrne. This was against a total new cars market share in Ireland of 11.6pc by the group, which comprises Audi, Skoda, SEAT and Cupra, and Volkswagen.

A number of new and regeneration models are launching this year, including the VW Tayron SUV, new T-Roc, and the electric ID.2all. Audi will launch the new A6 e-tron, the new A7 Avant and saloon, the A5 PHEV, the Q3 SUV and Sportback, Q5 PHEV, RS5 PHEV as well as a refreshed Q4 e-tron.

Skoda will introduce the new Skoda Superb Combi iV and the Kodiaq iV with electric ranges of 130km and 100km respectively, the brand-new Skoda Elroq in spring and the new model Enyaq and Enyaq Coupe in the summer.

SEAT will have the new Leon PHEV 2.0 as well as the updated Arona and Ibiza coming later this year. Meanwhile, the Cupra range will expand to five models thanks to the addition of the new Terramar and the all-electric Tavascan.

Volkswagen is celebrating 75 years in business in Ireland this year, and Group MD Pierre Boutin says the company is looking forward to celebrating some historic milestones in that story in 2025. 

VW debuts new large SUV

Volkswagen has revealed full details of a new large SUV, the Tayron, writes Brian Byrne. It is due to arrive in Ireland early next year.

The Tayron slots between the Touareg and the smaller Tiguan, and will be available with five or seven seats. 

A total of seven powertrains are available across markets, for Ireland there will be plug-in hybrid and diesel options at the start. All cars will be automatic.

Irish pricing will be notified closer to launch, but in initial european continental markets Tayron prices start at €45,475. 

New generation VW Transporter revealed

The new generation of Volkswagen's Transporter has been revealed and will be part of a pre-sales campaign in Ireland towards the end of this year, writes Brian Byrne.

Along with the Caravelle people carrier, the new Transporter will be available in diesel, plug-in hybrid, and electric drive. Diesels will be available in three power options, from 110-170hp. The electric versions will start with 64kWh battery and three power options, and there will later be a smaller battery version for urban deliveries use.

The seventh generation Transporter will have more space and payload and a greater towing capacity than the outgoing T6.1.

LED main and tail lights will be standard, as will be an electronic parking brake and fully digital instruments.

More specification details and pricing coming closer to the launch. 

VW upping power of ID.3 GTX

Volkswagen have announced an even more powerful version of their GTX variant of the ID.3 electric hatchback, the 326hp GTX Performance, writes Brian Byrne.  It's the first of what will be a powertrain Performance drive system that will be rolled out in other models.

The car has a 5.7s sprint to 100km/h potential, with a new 79kWh battery that provides a range claim of up to 601km.

A adaptive chassis control will be available as an option to an already upgraded suspension, and the ID.3 GTX Performance will also have specific exterior style elements and interior details.

Irish price and availability in due course.