Volkswagen brings back the door handles: they consider that removing them was a mistake

Innovation has become the banner of many brands in order to make their models more appealing to potential buyers. But it has also become a handicap for some of these buyers who are reluctant to approach models they consider too innovative and that have elements that feel alien to what they are used to.

Volkswagen has found that many potential buyers are put off by a design element they don’t quite like. The door handles hidden within the doors, so that they are not visible, are not appealing to potential buyers.

Handles hidden in the bodywork, about to disappear

The policy of many brands has been to incorporate this decorative element into the design of new models. But it has happened that this has been questioned in several markets. On the one hand, it has been noted that many buyers prefer to choose models that are recognisable, that have things like traditional handles, visible.

This is explained because, according to the words of Volkswagen’s CEO, Thomas Schaëfer, buyers look for recognisable designs, which they can associate with cars they know. This makes it harder for them to identify with models that have this feature. For that reason, although the brand’s electric models feature this type of hidden handles, it has opted to recover the original design and return the handles to view.

The upcoming Volkswagen ID.Cross and the electric Volkswagen Polo will no longer have hidden handles, and users will be able to enjoy the traditional door design. But there are other reasons that will probably weigh more than buyers’ tastes.

The Chinese, reluctant about this system

Another reason may be the doubts that arise about the safety of this system. The Chinese authorities are considering whether to withdraw this system. There are reports of failures and that point to it as responsible for several accidents in the country. If this decision goes ahead, it is more than likely that other manufacturers will opt to do away with this way of presenting door handles.