Interior of the Volkswagen ID. Era 9X full-size EREV crossover was exposed in China ahead of the official debut. It offers a large touchscreen and a stalk-mounted gear shifter. The ID. Era 9X boasts AWD and an electric range of up to 340 km of electric range.
The Volkswagen ID. Era 9X is a full-size crossover jointly developed by the German automaker and the Chinese state-owned enterprise SAIC. On January 8, the ID. Era 9X applied for a sales license, revealing core specs. On January 19, Autohome shared spy photos of the new model’s interior.
Volkswagen ID. Era 9X interior
The Volkswagen ID. Era 9X’s interior looks like a generic full-size Chinese NEV crossover. The car’s center console adopts a large display. It functions as a central screen for the driver and an entertainment monitor for the front passenger. The same layout is utilized by the Geely Galaxy M9, the Li Auto L9, the Lynk & Co 900, the Zeekr 9X, the Wey 07, etc.
The ID. Era 9X has no physical buttons in the center tunnel. It means most functions will be controlled by a touchscreen or voice interaction. Other features of the ID. Era 9X includes a wireless phone charging pad, a spacious compartment, and a gear shifter behind the steering wheel.
The ID. Era 9X has a six-seat interior with a 2+2+2 layout, which is also common for most of the Chinese full-size new energy crossovers.
More about the ID. Era 9X
The Volkswagen ID. Era 9X is a full-size crossover with dimensions of 5207/1997/1810 mm. The wheelbase reaches 3,070 mm. For clarity, it is 27 mm longer, 3 mm narrower, and 25 mm lower than the BMW X7. It rides on 20-inch or 21-inch wheels. The 9X adopts a minimalistic styling with thin running lights, an active radiator grille, and retractable door handles.
The Volkswagen ID. Era 9X has a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine for 105 kW (141 hp) under the hood. This ICE acts as a generator, sending power to electric motors and the battery pack. The entry-level crossover has a single electric motor in the rear axle for 220 kW (295 hp) paired with two battery options for 51.1 kWh or 65.2 kWh. The AWD variant of the 9X features two electric motors, producing 380 kW (510 hp). This crossover can run up to 340 km in electric mode, according to the MIIT filing.
Editor’s comment
The Volkswagen ID. Era 9X’s interior could scare off some conservative car buyers due to the lack of physical buttons. And it is the main consumer audience of the German brand in China. The 9X’s interior looks close to many other Chinese crossovers in the segment, which is also a drawback. It is not yet clear what the unique selling proposition of this Volkswagen model is.
Volkswagen currently maintains its leadership in gasoline car sales in China. However, this category is constantly shrinking, reducing the potential market capacity. Therefore, Volkswagen aims to solidify its market position in the new energy vehicle segment. But the ID. Era 9X is in real danger of being lost among the other full-size crossovers flooding the Chinese market.
