Volvo's New Concept Points to More Buttons Across 13 New ModelsAutoblogSebastian CenizoMon, September 21, 2026 at 8:03 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Forced to take different paths due to legislation banning certain Chinese elements, Polestar is leaving the U.S., while Volvo is staying. Since the news broke, Polestar has put on a brave face, showing off a new concept that will inform design direction going forward, and while Volvo is technically a separate brand, the timing of its concept that will also inform upcoming designs is remarkably similar. Volvo released a teaser image that whets the appetite for a new concept, and it's going to influence the 13 new models the brand has planned by the end of the decade, inside and out.Volvo's New Concept Arrives in 2027VolvoWe're nearly three quarters of the way through 2026, but Volvo won't reveal its new concept until early next year. But it should be worth the wait, as everything is changing. Design boss Thomas Ingenlath says that the new concept – which appears to be an SUV, due to the high hood, flat face, and angular outlines seen above – will show clear links to legendary Volvo designs. Moreover, the diagonal slash that runs through the brand's badge in the center of a Volvo grille is seen as a key element, much like BMW's kidney grilles or Bugatti's horseshoe grille are, but Ingenlath and his team are still working on the "big, big task" of finding a way to bring Volvo's aesthetic flavor forward. What he does know is that the user interfaces in the cabin must be reimagined, maintaining a minimalist design but improving the user's appreciation of how interactions feel. In other words, more physical switchgear with more satisfying clicks, knob turns, and button presses.Related: The Volvo 850 Was a 13-Year Gamble That Changed the BrandIt seems Volvo is listening: "The over-emphasis of screens and the interaction with the screens is something customers and journalists heavily criticize," noted Ingenlath, adding that Volvo has to "aim for a better harmony, a better balance between the interaction that we have with our digital device and the physical interaction." Of course, touchscreens aren't going anywhere, and Ingenlath is aware that too many buttons can also be bad for the interior ambiance, but it sounds like he and his team are obsessing over finding the right balance.Volvo Wants to Get Screens RightVolvo"We're not going away from touchscreen, it's just to use the screen for what it's good at," said Ingenlath. "My dogma is any function you display all the time on the screen should not be on the screen. The screen is about flexibility and displaying what you don't need to display all the time. So it's use [of] the touchscreen for what it's good for and the reintroduction of a couple more buttons than in today's cars." Things that are displayed all the time may include the time (so perhaps Volvo will return to analog clocks), the speed (of the engine and the vehicle (potentially hinting at physical gauges, though this would be expensive), and the climate control (perhaps suggesting physical buttons for air conditioning and controlling the seat temperatures). We'll keep our eyes open for new teasers, hopefully including of the interior, over the coming weeks and months.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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