--- title: "VW Proves It’s Listening With ID.Tiguan That’s Big on Buttons: TDS" date: "2026-10-09" modified: "2026-10-09" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/vw-proves-its-listening-with-id-tiguan-thats-big-on-buttons-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" tags: - "Electric Vehicle" - "suv/crossover" - "Tiguan" - "Volkswagen" --- # VW Proves It’s Listening With ID.Tiguan That’s Big on Buttons: TDS ![VW ID.Tiguan studio front 3/4 view]() *\Volkswagen\* Happy Friday and welcome to [The Downshift](), our sweep of top headlines from the auto industry and car culture every morning, curated by *The Drive's* editorial team. Each story gets a short summary and a link to the original source if you want to dive deeper. Here's the report for Friday, October 9, 2026: 🆔 Volkswagen has revealed the ID.Tiguan, which will succeed the ID.4. It has a more conventional SUV design with a tweaked interior that features way more physical buttons than before, from the center stack to the steering wheel. The top trim will carry a 77-kWh battery and make just shy of 300 horsepower from front and rear motors. All told, expect a range somewhere in the ballpark of low-to-mid 300 miles. The ID.Tiguan will hit Europe first early next year, and the U.S. sale date is TBA. *\[[Volkswagen]()\]* 📉 Porsche's global sales were down 16% over the first nine months of 2026, a result the company attributes to the discontinuation of its 718 model line, as well as a 33% plunge in China, specifically. *\[[Reuters]()\]* 🆕 Honda has updated the Civic with a new Sport-L trim, adding leather seats and other conveniences you formerly needed to spring for the Touring model to get. Meanwhile, the Sport Touring Hybrid is receiving the S+ Shift technology introduced on the Prelude, which shares its powertrain. *\[[Honda]()\]* ⭐ Polestar has nearly sold through all of its remaining 2026 model-year vehicles in the U.S., according to CEO Michael Lohscheller. Of course, after that happens, there won't be any more new Polestars to buy on this side of the pond. *\[[Reuters]()\]* 🍁 A study commissioned by a think tank called Clean Energy Canada found that 47% of Canadians would prefer an automotive market that more closely reflects Europe's with cheaper, more compact, and alternative-energy options, compared to one that mirrors the U.S. market. *\[[Automotive News]()\]* 🔋 In other studies, BMW commissioned one of the U.S. car-buying public that found that 42% of Americans require at least 300 miles of range from an EV before considering a purchase. 53% said they'd be more likely to buy an EV if it supported super-fast charging that could add 150 miles of range in 10 minutes. *\[[BMW Blog]()\]* 👋 If you have been waiting to snap up a McLaren 750S, now's your last chance. The automaker has confirmed that the model will end production soon, and final orders are being collected now. *\[[Motor1]()\]* 🛻 Honda will reportedly sell a rebadged version of Mitsubishi's Triton body-on-frame pickup in Southeast Asia, perhaps precipitating similar options globally. *\[[Automotive News]()\]* 🏆 Porsche specialist Manthey, which the automaker recently increased its stake in to 67%, has introduced two ultra-limited-run models. The 992.1-based 911 GT3 Cup MR 30 features a flat-six with an increased displacement of 4.2 liters, while the (deep breath here) 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport MR 30 offers more aggressive aero and even more drastic weight savings. *\[[Manthey]()\]* ✖️ The JAS Tensei—a Honda NSX restomod designed by Pininfarina—has been completed, and sounds great, with a Judd-tuned version of the NSX's V6 now making 420 horsepower, sending power through a six-speed gearbox, and a reduced weight of 2,750 pounds owing to carbon-fiber body panels. 35 will be built for just under $1 million a pop, which almost sounds like a solid deal until you realize that does not include the price of a donor NSX. *\[[Road & Track]()\]* 🏁 Weekend races to watch (all times Eastern): - **NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Charlotte:** Friday at 5 p.m. on Fox - **Intercontinental GT Challenge Indianapolis 8 Hours:** Saturday at 12 p.m. on [YouTube]() - **NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series at Charlotte:** Saturday at 4 p.m. on CW/ESPN - **MotoGP Indonesia Grand Prix:** Sunday at 3 a.m. on FS2 - **Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix:** Sunday at 8 a.m. on Apple TV - **NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte:** Sunday at 3 p.m. on USA *Got feedback? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()