There’s probably no good reason the upcoming all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 (the one that will be sold here) doesn’t have a bench seat, and I wish center screens were a little more mobile, but otherwise, I like the minimalism of VW’s design. It is, very happily (to me) not too busy, in new images released today by Volkswagen.
It also fits somewhat with what the car will look like on the outside: it looks very electric, and it certainly looks modern, but it also isn’t going out of its way to impress.
As you can see, there will be two screens, one for the driver that will presumably display a speedometer and readings, and another for both driver and passenger that will presumably have navigation and most other infotainment bell and whistle modern cars have. (VW has not said what just yet.)
And while it’s sad to not see a bench seat, it is nice to see that the center console isn’t linked to the dashboard, which is one-way electric cars can take advantage of space that might otherwise be occupied in an internal combustion-engined car.
Also intriguing is what VW calls ID Light:
The ID.4 will feature ID. Light—a light strip below the windscreen to support drivers in a host of situations with intuitive lighting effects in different colors. For example, ID. Light signals to the driver that the vehicle’s drive system is active and that the car has been unlocked or locked. It accentuates information issued by the driver assist and navigation systems and signals braking prompts and incoming phone calls.
Here is the key:
This car won’t be on sale in the U.S. until 2022, so we can only gaze at what VW has to offer for now, but at the right price this could be a good alternative to the Model 3, especially for those who like buttons with their screens.
