Volkswagen’s all-electric ID. Polo has won the Budget category at the German Car of the Year (GCOTY) awards, finishing ahead of seven competitors including the Renault Twingo and Renault Clio. According to Volkswagen, the international jury gave the small electric car top marks in four of its five evaluation categories. The company says the ID. Polo is priced from 24,995 euros (about $28,670).
Highlights
- Category win: First place in the GCOTY Budget category, ahead of the Renault Twingo and Renault Clio in a field of eight
- Jury scores: 85.8 percent of the maximum rating in Design and Driving Pleasure; 84.2 percent in Safety and Environment; 83.8 percent in Significance and Innovation; 82.0 percent in Comfort and Practicality
- Design awards: Second across the entire field for the Special Award Best Interior Design and third for Best Exterior Design, as judged by 47 jurors
- Pricing: Starting at 24,995 euros (about $28,670), according to the company
How Did the ID. Polo Score With the GCOTY Jury?
Volkswagen reports the ID. Polo posted its highest score in Design and Driving Pleasure, at 85.8 percent of the maximum rating. Safety and Environment followed at 84.2 percent and Significance and Innovation at 83.8 percent. Comfort and Practicality rounded out the evaluation at 82.0 percent.
Kai Grünitz, Member of the Board of Management responsible for Development at Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Brand Group Core, said: “The ID. Polo is seamlessly leading one of our absolute bestsellers into the electric era. The success at the German Car of the Year awards proves that its overall package is highly convincing: clear design, plenty of space, intuitive operation, high safety standards and technologies usually found in higher segments. This is a fantastic recognition for the entire team and a strong signal for our goal to make electric mobility accessible and desirable for significantly more people.”
Cross-Category Design Recognition
Beyond its class win, the ID. Polo placed second across the full field for the Special Award Best Interior Design and third for Best Exterior Design, according to the company. The design rankings were determined by the 47 GCOTY jurors.
Jens Meiners, co-founder of GCOTY, said: “The VW ID. Polo outperformed the runner-up in four out of five criteria, securing an undisputed class victory. The jury’s clear vote reflects the significance this car holds for the Volkswagen brand.”
An Electric Successor to a 20-Million-Unit Nameplate
The ID. Polo is the all-electric reinterpretation of a model the company says has sold more than 20 million units to date. Developed in Wolfsburg, it uses front-wheel drive and, according to Volkswagen, combines a clear design with interior space, quality and technologies drawn from higher segments.
The company says the ID. Polo is available at prices starting from 24,995 euros (about $28,670). The EV Report covered the ID. Polo world premiere in April, and the start of series production at Martorell in June.
