The past year was not an easy one for the Volkswagen Group, to put it politely. All German manufacturers are currently stumbling, but the VW Group and Porsche in particular are deep in crisis.

Overall, the Wolfsburg-based company and all of its brands suffered a 53 percent decline in operating profit.

More than 20 new VW models, small cars in the spotlight

The ongoing slow business with China, US tariffs and costs associated with adjustments to the product strategy at Porsche are mainly responsible for the unsatisfactory result.

But you know: The show must go on. Everything should get better in 2026 and this will primarily be achieved with new products.

Has VW left too much behind when it comes to small cars out of arrogance?

More than 20 new or revised models are expected across all brands in the group this year. The spotlight mainly belongs to small cars. A lot has been left behind here – perhaps a little arrogantly – in recent years.

Now people seem to notice that affordable cars are definitely important for the company. This is what we can expect:

Electric VW Polo: small car, but powerful

The most exciting and most anticipated innovation is certainly the VW ID.Polo. The electric Polo looks back on a complicated development history.

An affordable small electric car was announced for the first time in 2021 with the ID.Life study, but after cautious reactions, the concept was fundamentally revised. The original design was considered too unconventional.

The Epiq will be Skoda’s smallest electric car

With the ID.2all from 2023, a very pleasing and familiar design was shown, which ultimately resulted in the ID.Polo. The car will be based on the MEB+ platform, designed specifically for B-segment cars and designed for front-wheel drive (the standard MEB architecture has rear-wheel drive). Volkswagen is also planning to introduce the electric T-Cross brother ID. Cross.

They also just showed a first teaser including a new name for the ID.3, which is part of the ID. 3 Neo will.

Skoda is pursuing a similar strategy to the ID.Polo with the Epiq, which will be the Czechs’ smallest electric car. Meanwhile, the Cupra Raval is expected to be a traditional compact car measuring around four meters in length.

More SUVs, of course

Unsurprisingly, SUVs continue to be the focus of customer interest. And Volkswagen wants to serve exactly this purpose. The most important model in this regard has recently been on sale: we are talking about the new Volkswagen T-Roc. The second generation of the successful compact SUV will offer a full hybrid drive for the first time.

The major overhaul of the ID.4 is also extremely important for Lower Saxony. Whether he became an ID as part of the facelift. Tiguan will remain to be seen. Comprehensive changes to styling and technology appear to be fixed.

The SUV lineup is also being expanded to include the Skoda Peaq, a fully electric SUV with three rows of seats. Many people will also be able to pick up the new Audi Q7 and Q9. The Q9 will effectively take over the role of brand flagship from the A8, whose production is expected to end.

Audi is also preparing a facelift for the Q4. We will probably have more information in April. Meanwhile, the Seat Arona is getting a facelift. The same has already been revealed. The Spanish crossover will go on sale from 24,150 euros. For Porsche, 2026 will bring the new electric Cayenne with a maximum output of 1,156 hp.

What else awaits us in terms of innovations?

Of course, the Volkswagen Group has further models in the pipeline for 2026. One of them is the new Audi A2 – an electric reinterpretation of the model from the early 2000s based on the MEB platform.

In the high-performance sector, the Ingolstadt-based company just showed the much-hyped RS 5. Now attention is turning to the next RS 6. The extremely popular power station wagon is likely to retain its V8, but in the future as part of a plug-in hybrid system. We will also probably see a comeback of the RS 6 sedan.

Volkswagen itself is expected to launch a hybrid version of the Golf this year, which uses the same full hybrid drive as the T-Roc.

Aside from the Cayenne, Porsche could unveil the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman in 2026 after reports of their discontinuation were denied. Bentley’s next SUV will also be fully electric – a first image of it has already been released as a teaser – while Lamborghini is reportedly preparing the Urus SE Performante.

Audi A2Audi RS 5Audi RS 6Bentley Urban SUVLamborghini Urus SE PerformantePorsche 718 EVVolkswagen ID.3Volkswagen Golf