How ID. Yuzhong Can Spark Volkswagen's Golden Age
Today, Volkswagen’s all-electric coupe SUV, the ID. Yuzhong, officially launched with a price range of RMB 209,900 to RMB 249,900 across three trim levels.
In 2024, launching an all-electric SUV is no longer unusual, but A-segment all-electric coupé SUVs remain rare. Coupé SUVs appeal to users primarily due to their youthful, sporty styling combined with practicality nearly identical to traditional SUVs, perfectly aligning with the purchasing needs of younger demographics.
This makes excellent exterior design a significant test of a manufacturer’s capabilities. The ID. Yuzhong precisely targets the all-electric coupé SUV segment; after its redesign, it stands out as highly distinctive among other Volkswagen models.
Furthermore, built on the mature MEB all-electric platform, equipped with the ID.S 5.0 infotainment system, and featuring standard Level 2+ driver assistance, the vehicle sets a benchmark for practicality in its price bracket.
So, how does the ID. Yuzhong, distinguished by its gold logo, perform in terms of product strength within the A-segment all-electric SUV market? Can it usher in a golden era for Volkswagen’s new energy transition?
01Coupé SUV, Gold-Logo Volkswagen
Currently, the theme in China’s A-segment all-electric SUV market is intense competition ('involution'). Domestic brands have accelerated their electrification transitions and achieved sales leaps. Among joint-venture brands, Volkswagen’s sales are also reaching new highs.
In 2023, Volkswagen delivered more than 75,700 ID.3 units and over 61,700 ID.4 units for the full year. By June 2024, orders for the ID.3 alone reached 44,447 in the first half of the year, representing a year-over-year increase of 300%. The sales performance of the Volkswagen ID. family continues to improve.
Recognizing the growing demand from Chinese users, ID. Yuzhong was officially launched.
ID. Yuzhong features a new Coupe SUV design, with dimensions (mm) of 4,663 in length, 1,860 in width, and 1,610 in height, and a wheelbase of 2,766 mm.
From an exterior perspective, ID. Yuzhong adopts Volkswagen’s latest design language, with details specifically tailored to appeal to younger buyers.
The front of the ID. Yuzhong features a dynamic, forward-leaning stance. The full-width light bar, which is lower in the center and higher at the sides, adds significant motion to the front fascia. Paired with muscular hood lines, the vehicle immediately conveys a sporty character.
On the side profile, a steeply raked A-pillar and a Fastback Coupe-style sloping roof create an elegant silhouette. ID. Yuzhong also features a floating roof design inspired by the ID. R concept supercar. High-gloss black A-pillars connect the windshield to the side windows, producing an effect similar to a racing sun visor.
The maximum 21-inch low-drag mecha-style wheels elevate the visual impact of the ID. Yuzhong. Indeed, large wheels simply look good.
The ID. Yuzhong’s appeal is further enhanced by two details: the gold Volkswagen emblem and gold accents throughout the vehicle, along with the IQ. Light intelligent matrix LED headlights.
The ID. Yuzhong is the first model to feature a gold Volkswagen emblem, which appears on the front and rear of the car as well as at the center of all four wheels. Gold accents are also used inside the lighting units and on body trim strips, making it unique among Volkswagen models globally.
Regarding the lighting, the IQ. Light intelligent matrix LED headlights have a sharp, distinctive gaze, particularly in their high recognizability—a feature that has already received considerable praise from users of other ID. family models.
If you observe the Class A pure electric SUVs in the Chinese market, you will find that most models adopt an "error-proof" SUV design. Volkswagen is no exception. In 2021, the ID.4 X and ID.4 CROZZ were launched, both adopting a standard SUV design. Indeed, such a design is more acceptable to users, and many colleagues in the garage chose models from the ID family at that time.
However, cars are personalized products, and everyone has their own logic for choosing a vehicle and their own personality. When you feel that ID. family models are already everywhere on the road, and buying another one truly cannot showcase your individuality, the ID. Yuzhong—a personalized, sporty coupe SUV—might be the better choice in its class.
02Smart Technology: Nothing Missing
Once inside the ID. Yuzhong, the first impression is a sense of familiarity; this is the interior design language of the ID. family.
A 5.3-inch instrument cluster, the largest 15-inch 2K central control screen in the ID. family, and a 70-inch AR HUD all give this car strong technological attributes. The built-in system also differs from older models: the ID. Yuzhong is equipped with the ID.S 5.0 infotainment system, paired with the UNYX.OS operating system.
If compared with the already launched ID.3 and ID.4 models, the ID. Yuzhong’s central control screen is noticeably larger, matching that of the ID.7. A larger screen creates a completely different visual impression at first glance. So, how is the user experience?
Previously, we briefly tested this infotainment system and were deeply impressed by its AI intelligent companion. By customizing the AI companion’s appearance through face sculpting, styling, and action settings, users can interact with the system more realistically. The infotainment system can also clone real human voices, making the AI feel even more human.
Volkswagen has also collaborated with Kedaxunfei on a next-generation cognitive intelligence large language model. With natural language understanding and stronger AI technology, “Hello Volkswagen” is no longer just about opening windows or playing music; it can now answer more complex questions as well.
In addition, the in-car app store supports third-party applications and includes more than 50 built-in mini-programs, such as Youkushipin and local life services. These can be launched directly without downloading, ensuring that the application ecosystem covers nearly all driving scenarios.
These points highlight the smart cockpit upgrades of the ID. Yuzhong over the ID.4 model. After upgrading to UNYX.OS, the infotainment system offers significantly richer functionality.
Regarding smartphone integration, the ID. Yuzhong supports wireless CarPlay and CarLife, along with wired Huawei HiCar connectivity. This means it is compatible with almost all mainstream smartphones on the market, making core functions like navigation and music intuitive and easy to use.
If you prefer a straightforward infotainment experience rather than seeking an advanced, geeky interface—or if you are already a heavy user of CarPlay or HiCar—the ID. Yuzhong’s system will certainly meet your daily needs.
Another aspect of intelligence is autonomous driving. The ID. Yuzhong comes standard across all trims with an L2+ driver assistance system and active safety features. Volkswagen officially refers to these as the Travel Assist 3.0 All-Journey Driving Assistance System and the Emergency Assist 3.0 system.
The Travel Assist 3.0 system provides L2+ level assistance. Once activated with a single button, it controls the distance to the vehicle ahead and steers the car along the current lane markings. When the driver activates the turn signal, the system assesses the surrounding environment to assist with lane changes.
The Emergency Assist 3.0 system comprises nine comprehensive driving assistance functions: three lateral active safety features, five forward-facing active safety features, and one rear-facing active safety feature.
An examination of the current A-segment pure electric SUV market reveals that most models offer a low-priced "entry-level" variant. This strategy typically involves stripping features, with active safety and driver assistance systems—requiring significant hardware investment—being the first to be cut.
It is also common to find that entry-level A-segment EV SUVs are equipped only with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or even outdated standard cruise control.
ID. Yuzhong takes a different approach. The Travel Assist 3.0 full-journey driver assistance system and Emergency Assist 3.0 emergency assist system are standard across all trims.
Additionally, an automatic parking function is available as an option. Utilizing 12 ultrasonic radars and a Top View 360° panoramic camera, ID. Yuzhong can perform functions such as parallel parking and perpendicular parking.
The realization of these intelligent features relies heavily on Volkswagen’s MEB pure electric platform. It is this MEB platform that enables ID. Yuzhong to excel in battery, electric motor, electronic control systems, range, and driving dynamics.
ID. Yuzhong is equipped with an 82.4 kWh battery pack. The rear-wheel-drive version achieves a CLTC-rated range of 621 km. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive version is also available, delivering a combined output power of 250 kW and a maximum torque of 472 N·m, with a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 5.6 seconds.
In China's A-segment pure electric SUV market, such performance and range figures are highly competitive.
The ID. Yuzhong is equipped with Volkswagen's latest high-performance chassis system, featuring the DCC adaptive chassis control system and the MEB two-stage flexible vibration isolation system. By processing real-time road condition data received from sensors, this system dynamically adjusts shock absorber damping stiffness. Whether in comfort mode or sport mode, it enhances both driving comfort and handling performance.
Additionally, the ID. Yuzhong features a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, along with asymmetric mixed tire widths of 235 mm at the front and 255 mm at the rear, all of which enhance the vehicle's overall handling.
The ID. family of models already on the market has a significant advantage—a notably small turning radius, which is immediately apparent to first-time drivers. At narrower intersections requiring U-turns, while other vehicles may need to move back and forth to complete the maneuver, ID. family cars can do it in one go. Thanks to the advantages of the MEB platform, the ID. Yuzhong inherits this benefit of a small turning radius, with a minimum turning radius of 4.7 meters.
For rear-wheel-drive models, the front inner and outer steering angles are 48.83° and 40.17°, respectively. Achieving agile steering through an increased difference in steering angles is a relatively uncommon feature for vehicles at this price point.
Built on the MEB pure-electric platform, the ID. Yuzhong excels in battery, motor and electronic control systems, range, driving dynamics, and intelligence; as of 2024, it remains a highly competitive A-segment pure-electric SUV.
03Rooted in China, Anchored in Anhui
For Volkswagen, the ID. Yuzhong holds extraordinary significance.
This year coincides with the 40th anniversary of Volkswagen Group's entry into the Chinese market, where approximately 50 million Chinese owners now drive vehicles under brands within the Volkswagen Group. Clearly, the Chinese market is of particular importance to Volkswagen Group. Over the past 40 years, Volkswagen Group has become one of the automakers with the largest sales volume in the Chinese market.
Meanwhile, intelligence and electrification are driving rapid upgrades in the automotive industry. Volkswagen Group’s latest layout in smart connected vehicles is located in Hefei, Anhui Province.
Spanning 510,000 square meters with a planned annual capacity of 350,000 units, this is the Volkswagen Anhui MEB factory. The first model to roll off the line was the ID. Yuzhong, and another model will enter mass production later this year.
This demonstrates that Volkswagen Group places high hopes on the Anhui MEB factory and has invested significant resources to address the rapid transformation of smart connected electric vehicles in the Chinese market.
In fact, beyond the vehicle manufacturing plant, Volkswagen Group has invested approximately EUR 1 billion to establish Volkswagen Automotive (China) Technology Co., Ltd. (VCTC) in Anhui, focusing on the research, development, innovation, and procurement of smart connected electric vehicles.
Beyond the layout for the Volkswagen brand, Volkswagen Group has also established another important project in Anhui: models developed in cooperation between Volkswagen and XPENG will be produced there. On February 29 this year, Volkswagen announced it had signed a platform and software joint development technology cooperation agreement with XPENG. Through VCTC, innovative technologies will be applied during the vehicle design and engineering phases, while joint procurement can shorten product development cycles by more than 30%. By 2026, two models from the Volkswagen-XPENG collaboration will launch, marking another key milestone in Volkswagen’s transition to smart connected electric vehicles in the Chinese market.
In Hefei, Anhui, Volkswagen Group has also established digital sales services and a parts company. The initial annual capacity of the parts company is 150,000 to 180,000 sets of high-voltage battery systems, which will be used for pure electric models produced at the Volkswagen Anhui MEB factory. Guoxuangaoke, the cell supplier in which Volkswagen Group holds a stake, is also headquartered in Hefei, and a battery plant with a total capacity of 20 GWh is already in planning.
04Conclusion
In 2024, automakers found the Chinese automotive market to be intensely competitive, while consumers benefited from a surge in cost-effective vehicle models. This trend extended beyond domestic brands; many joint-venture manufacturers are now launching vehicles with stronger product capabilities at lower prices to maintain their market share.
Consequently, the new energy vehicle (NEV) market has become more active than ever before.
Among the numerous joint-venture brands operating in China, Volkswagen is one of the most proactive companies in its transition to new energy vehicles. As Volkswagen expands its model lineup with additional offerings such as the ID. Yuzhong to meet diverse user needs, its transformation into intelligent connected electric vehicles will continue to accelerate.
Written by: James Edited by: James