Overview

• At IAA Munich, VW brand CEO Thomas Schäfer called flush door handles “terrible to operate” and pledged “proper” handles on future models.
• Near-production ID. Cross and ID. Polo designs shown in Munich feature conventional grab handles rather than hidden pop-outs.
• Chinese regulators are reportedly drafting rules to prohibit fully concealed and electronic retractable handles on new cars from July 2027, permitting only designs with mechanical redundancy.
• Reporting cited by outlets indicates the aerodynamic benefit is small—about 0.005 to 0.01 Cd—translating to roughly a mile of extra range.
• Safety concerns in China include reports of frozen or short-circuited electronic handles trapping occupants and post-crash failures that impeded rescue efforts.