{"id":927,"date":"2026-01-04T03:02:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T19:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/04\/volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T03:02:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T19:02:46","slug":"volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/04\/volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev\/","title":{"rendered":"Volkswagen is bringing physical buttons back to the dashboard with the ID. Polo EV"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We could be witnessing the start of the renaissance for <a data-i13n=\"elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:1;pos:1\" class=\"no-affiliate-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/volkswagen-drivers-want-more-physical-buttons-instead-of-touch-controls-044931087.html\">real buttons in cars<\/a>, courtesy of Volkswagen&#8217;s <a data-i13n=\"elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:2;pos:1\" class=\"no-affiliate-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.volkswagen-newsroom.com\/en\/press-releases\/volkswagen-unveils-a-new-cockpit-generation-debuting-with-the-all-new-id-polo-20056\">ID. Polo<\/a>. The German automaker unveiled the interior of its upcoming compact EV, which features real buttons, switches and even a knob for audio controls.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact,&#8221; Volkswagen&#8217;s chief designer, Andreas Mindt, said in a press release. &#8220;Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-01\/c5f02030-e8d2-11f0-89d6-5695db5b245e\" data-crop-orig-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-01\/c5f02030-e8d2-11f0-89d6-5695db5b245e\" alt=\"Full view of the Volkswagen ID. Polo's dashboard\" data-uuid=\"9cfcee69-d7d8-38a3-99bd-d6a4c792118c\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><div class=\"photo-credit\">Volkswagen<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Last year, Mindt told <a data-i13n=\"elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:3;pos:1\" class=\"no-affiliate-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.autocar.co.uk\/car-news\/new-cars\/volkswagen-reintroducing-physical-controls-vital-functions\"><em>Autocar<\/em><\/a> that Volkswagen would commit to reintroducing physical buttons for the most important functions &#8220;in every car we make from now on,&#8221; starting with the <a data-i13n=\"elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:4;pos:1\" class=\"no-affiliate-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/vws-id2all-compact-ev-will-cost-under-25000-when-it-arrives-in-2025-194635462.html\">ID. 2all concept car<\/a> that has since evolved to become the ID. Polo. The EV maker backed up those claims since the ID. Polo will feature tangible buttons underneath the infotainment display, along with a steering wheel that&#8217;s packed with even more clear buttons. Between the driver and passenger, Volkswagen even included a knob that can adjust audio volume or shuffle between tracks and radio stations.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-01\/250a3ed0-e8d2-11f0-baba-01ef6281faa0\" data-crop-orig-src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2026-01\/250a3ed0-e8d2-11f0-baba-01ef6281faa0\" alt=\"Volkswagen's \" data-uuid=\"295e7243-3c1c-382c-93b5-ad92797e97b4\" \/><figcaption><\/figcaption><div class=\"photo-credit\">Volkswagen<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Besides the renewed emphasis on physical controls, Volkswagen still included a 10.25-inch digital cockpit behind the steering wheel. In the center, there&#8217;s a nearly 13-inch touchscreen that serves as the infotainment system. For a retro throwback, the ID. Polo can swap its cockpit display to one that&#8217;s inspired by the classic Golf I from the 1980s through a button on its steering wheel or with the infotainment touchscreen.<\/p>\n<p>The ID. Polo is expected to be the first of <a data-i13n=\"elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:5;pos:1\" class=\"no-affiliate-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/transportation\/evs\/volkswagen-previews-its-%E2%82%AC20000-ev-for-everyone-211053623.html\">four new EVs<\/a> in Volkswagen&#8217;s small and compact car segment, which will see releases in European markets starting this year. However, it&#8217;s not all good news, since Volkswagen has no plans to release the compact EV in the US.<\/p>\n<p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/transportation\/evs\/volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev-190246116.html?src=rss<\/p><p>Please credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/obagg.com\">OBA Blog<\/a> &raquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/04\/volkswagen-is-bringing-physical-buttons-back-to-the-dashboard-with-the-id-polo-ev\/\">Volkswagen is bringing physical buttons back to the dashboard with the ID. Polo EV<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We could be witnessing the start of the renaissance for real buttons in cars, courtesy of Volkswagen&#8217;s ID. Polo. The German automaker unveiled the interior of its upcoming compact EV, which features real buttons, switches and even a knob for audio controls. &#8220;We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact,&#8221; Volkswagen&#8217;s chief designer, Andreas Mindt, said in a press release. &#8220;Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink.&#8221; Volkswagen Last year, Mindt told Autocar that Volkswagen would commit to reintroducing physical buttons for the most important functions &#8220;in every car we make from now on,&#8221; starting with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-share"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obagg.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}