Does anyone really like the ID. names for VW’s EVs? No, no they don’t.

Volkswagen is now admitting its mistakes with the naming of its line of EVs. The ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7 aren’t the worst we’ve seen, but the ID.Buzz, ID.Every1, and ID.2all are just plain weird and utterly forgettable. It’s too easy to forget what kind of vehicle goes with what name. Seriously, why couldn’t Volkswagen just call its electric minivan the Westfallia or something similar from its past? It has a retro style, so give it a name that’s evocative, not strange. Now, the brand wants to pivot by returning to proper names, the kind that many brands abandoned over the past few decades.

What happened to the memorable names?

The guilty parties are the brands that have employed alpha-numeric model names in place of names with character, having copied the Germans’ methodology. Car companies wanted to be viewed as cultured and sophisticated like the Europeans, but almost nothing dilutes a car’s personality like getting rid of a proper name. Acura used to have great names like the Legend and the Integra (thankfully, it’s back now), but moved to meaningless names like RL, CL, TL, et al. Mazda eliminated names like Tribute and Millenia in favor of 626, 6, CX-5, CX-9, and so on. Cadillac used to have the DeVille, the Eldorado, and even the Allante. Okay, so we don’t miss the Cimarron or the Catera, but at least we remember what those cars looked like. Thankfully, it still has the Escalade

When Lexus and Infiniti emerged as luxury sub-brands, they went right to alpha-numeric names without hesitating. The LS, SC, RX, and ES were born, and Infiniti’s Q, J, QX, FX, and M names weren’t much better. When Genesis hit the scene decades later, it did the same with its G80, then G70, G90, GV70, GV80, and the electric GV60. 

Then, there are just plain confusing ones that don’t roll off the tongue. The BMW X5 sounds fine, but transmogrify it into the BMW X5 sDrive40i? Really? Enough already with all the letters and numbers. How about a real name? 

Volkswagen’s admission is refreshing

We love it when automakers do the right kind of course correction, and we get that naming vehicles presents challenges. Model names should be unique and evoke the brand identity well, but that doesn’t mean the results are always worthy of respect. According to Volkswagen, ‘ID’ stands for “Intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies”. Snooze. Where’s the passion?

The “ID.” style naming convention isn’t widespread across VW’s stable, but it dominates its EVs. The brand still has the Golf, Jetta, Taos, Tiguan, and Atlas (no one misses names like the hard-to-pronounce Touareg or the tepidly labeled Passat), but it recognizes that the ID. vehicles lack some naming verve. VW’s head of marketing and sales, Martin Sander, stated to the German publication Auto Und Wirtschaft: “The cars will get proper names again. Neither the ID. 2all nor the ID. Every1 will have those names in series production. We’ll announce that when the time comes.”

The Best Volkswagen Names

What the revised EV names will be is unknown, but we know that the current ones really need to go. You can’t just slap an “ID” and a “.” along with goofy made-up words tacked on in hopes that customers will know what they are. They sure won’t go down in history as great car names. Here are some of the best names from Volkswagen’s illustrious past that we think should make a resurgence.

“Rabbit” (1975 – 1984) should replace the “ID. Every1”

The Rabbit name never should’ve disappeared. It was used for the first generation of the North American Golf, and was cute and memorable, more than even the iconic Golf. It was boxy-handsome, fun to toss, and very affordable. VW would earn the praise of just about everyone if it brought back the name. Of course, the Golf “Rabbit” is perfect for the upcoming ID. Every1.

“Scirocco” (1974–1992) should replace the “ID. CODE”

The Scirocco (shir-ROC-o) is probably the best name VW ever came up with. It comes directly from a Mediterranean wind, and boy, does it sound cool. Also known as the Type 53, the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback was meant to be a successor to the Karmann Ghia coupe and a sportier alternative to the more economical Golf. Please, VW, put it on the ID. CODE and bring that China-only EV here. The name alone would make it sell.

“Corrado” (1988-1995) should replace the “ID. CROZZ”

The Corrado was the successor to the Scirocco, but it didn’t last long in the United States. It briefly sold next to the outgoing Scirocco, but its price and limited practicality prevented wider appeal. Its last year stateside was 1994, and the two-door, front-wheel drive hatchback never had a successor. The name came from the Spanish verb “correr” (to sprint), and boy, did it leave quickly. The Corrado name would be a great replacement for the ID. CROZZ 2-door electric crossover.

“Thing” (1968–1983) should replace the “ID. LIFE”

Ok, so we’re not 100% behind this one, but hear us out. The originally military-use vehicle isn’t pretty by any means, but the name is totally memorable. Otherwise known as the Volkswagen Type 181, it was originally created as a semi-amphibious vehicle for the West German Army. We don’t doubt that any modern Volkswagen would look prettier than this boxy SUV inspired by cardboard boxes, but we could definitely see a boxy Jeep-style electric SUV with the “Thing” name slapped on it. It would be perfect if the ID. LIFE concept was brought to life.

Final thoughts

We get that the future of automotive is electric, but that doesn’t mean VW’s EV names have to suck. Finally, someone higher up in the Volkswagen ranks is talking sense, and maybe other automakers will follow suit. Is it marketing suicide to change names midstream? Not necessarily. It could be risky, but it’s been done before. VW would be making a smart move, in our opinion, and properly done names could make their vehicles more easily identifiable and memorable.

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