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Volkswagen promises physical buttons… and in the meantime unveils a rolling cinema: the ID. Era 9X
In Europe, Volkswagen suddenly sounds almost humble.
Less touch, more feel. Physical buttons are making a comeback. Even the future ID.2 is said to get real controls again. And then Volkswagen presents this: the ID. Era 9X. A gigantic electric SUV with so many screens that you might spontaneously think you are sitting in a rolling MediaMarkt. Hypocritical? Not really. Strategic? Absolutely.
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What is the Volkswagen ID. Era 9X?
The ID. Era 9X is a fully electric luxury SUV with a range extender, three rows of seats and room for six occupants. But what really defines this model is the interior. Up front, we find two 15.6-inch screens:
– one central infotainment screen
– one separate display for the passenger
That alone is substantial. But in the back, a 21.4-inch screen folds down from the roof. A genuine cinema experience for the second and third rows.
There are also projections in the doors and almost 13 metres of ambient lighting running through the interior. This is not a dashboard. This is a digital lounge.
But… wasn't Volkswagen supposed to go back to buttons?
Correct. In Europe, criticism of interiors fully dominated by touchscreens is growing. Euro NCAP has even announced that vehicles without physical controls for essential functions may be rated less favourably in the future.
Volkswagen itself previously acknowledged that certain minimalist interiors went too far. But the ID. Era 9X is not for Europe.
China is a different world
This SUV was developed specifically for the Chinese market. And different expectations apply there. According to Volkswagen board member Ralf Brandstätter, Chinese customers want more technology, more displays, more digital integration.
Where Europeans complain about too many screens, Chinese buyers see it as a sign of luxury and modernity. That is the fundamental difference.
Strategy over ideology
Volkswagen is currently balancing between two markets with completely different preferences:
Europe: ergonomics, safety, physical controls
China: high-tech experience, digital luxury, entertainment
The ID. Era 9X demonstrates that the brand does not follow a uniform philosophy, but optimises regionally. Is that inconsistent? Perhaps. Is it commercially logical? Without a doubt.
AutoNext Take: this is not a car, this is market research on wheels
Personally, we see two things at once here. On one hand, it is impressive how far interior technology has evolved. A 21-inch roof screen in an SUV? Science fiction ten years ago.
On the other hand, this feels like overcompensation. Screens are cheap to update, easy to scale and perfect for marketing photos. But driving experience still revolves around intuitive controls and minimal distraction.
Volkswagen appears to have understood that in Europe. That they do the opposite in China mainly shows how different the market is there. Our prediction? In five years, both worlds will converge. More screens, yes, but once again combined with smart physical shortcuts.
