Check out the sleek cabin of Volkswagen's new 2021 ID.4 electric crossover

Volkswagen has revealed the cabin design for its ID.4 electric crossover, and if all goes to plan it's an interior a lot of US drivers will be getting familiar with. The first of VW's EVs to arriving in North American using its latest electric vehicle architecture, dubbed MEB, the ID.4 will land right in the midst of the increasingly popular small SUV category, though with more than just zero-emissions to recommend it.

For a start, VW points out, by not having to accommodate the usual internal combustion engine, that frees up new space in the ID.4's cabin. The result, so it's claimed, is a roomy interior more akin to "a conventional SUV in the next higher category."

There'll be seating for five, and over 19 cubic feet of trunk space with the rear bench seat still upright. The doors have flush exterior handles, unlocking electrically and, VW claims, offering wider openings to make getting in and out easier. That should come in useful if you're trying to navigate a child in or out of a car seat, too.

Unsurprisingly there are clear connections with the ID.3 hatchback, which has launched in Europe but which won't be coming to the US market. The dashboard has a suspended, floating design, with a separate center console. Background lighting with 30 different LED color options will be offered, and a large, tilting glass sunroof will be optional.

Below the windshield there's a light bar which VW has branded ID. Light. Set to be shared by all ID electric models from the automaker, it'll be used as a signal to the driver. Different light colors and patterns can be used for signifying the ID.4 is locked or unlocked, or that the drive system is active. It can also warn if the driver is in the wrong lane, blink to recommend a lane change, and highlight incoming calls, upcoming navigation maneuvers, or other messages from the infotainment system.

That system is controlled via a sizable central touchscreen, protruding from the top of the dashboard. Below it there are dedicated controls for the key system, like adjusting the HVAC. The steering wheel gets buttons for cruise control, multimedia, and navigating through the digital driver's gauge cluster that shows things like battery status, speed, drive mode, and other metrics.

There'll be a number of different trims, kicking off with the ID.4 1st Max limited edition. That'll include power seats with massage, and use animal-free fabrics that combine leatherette and ArtVelours microfiber. The latter is made from around 20-percent recycled plastic bottles, VW says.

There'll also be an ID.4 1st trim, also a limited edition but with less standard equipment. Both will be offered with interiors in Platinum Grey or Florence Brown, with a choice of Piano Black or Electric White for the steering wheel, steering column, the display and control housings, and the door trim.

We'll see the full VW ID.4 later this month, and reservations of the EV – using Volkswagen's brand new preorder system – will begin shortly after. The first examples of the electric crossovers are expected to arrive in the US before the end of 2020.