“Volkswagen crisis worsens” was the scary scream from Reuters, one of the world’s most respected news agencies just one month ago. Around the same time, “RIP Volkswagen?” appeared as a headline in a leading British broadsheet alongside a claim by the newspaper that the giant German automotive group “stares into the abyss”.
But could recent difficulties with its finances, factories, workforce and China result in the death of the world’s second-largest car maker? Not a chance.
The VW Group is way too resilient, determined, flexible, talented, productive and strategically important to depart this rapidly changing automotive world. If anything, in recent days and weeks, the wounded corporate beast has returned to its best form, courtesy of an all-new, affordable-ish array of models it’s just put on sale.
Four of those products – the Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq, VW ID. Cross and VW ID. Polo – are the right cars, at the right time, with the right dimensions and powered by the right electric motors. If we’re focusing on all-new models between 4.0 and 4.2 metres long, what we have here is the finest line-up of accessible, state-of-the-art cars for 2026-27.
Private buyers living in the real world will soon realise this ‘multi-brand range within a range’ is a no-brainer. They’ll find traditional or sporty superminis (respectively, the ID. Polo and Raval), an understated SUV (the ID. Cross) and the bigger, more rugged Epiq, which has better ground clearance and more luggage space.
