Volvo is preparing a new concept that will influence the design of 13 new models planned by the end of the decade. The concept, which will be revealed in early 2027, is expected to shape Volvo’s future styling both inside and out while rethinking how drivers interact with the cabin.
Volvo Concept Will Arrive in 2027
Although 2026 is nearly three quarters complete, Volvo will wait until early next year to reveal its new concept. Design boss Thomas Ingenlath says the vehicle will establish a new direction for the brand while maintaining clear connections to legendary Volvo designs.
The teaser image suggests the concept is an SUV, with a high hood, flat face and angular outlines. The design will also retain the diagonal slash that runs through the Volvo badge at the center of the grille, an element Ingenlath considers important to the brand’s visual identity.
Ingenlath and his team are still working on what he described as the “big, big task” of carrying Volvo’s aesthetic flavor forward. The concept will ultimately influence 13 new models planned by the brand through the end of the decade.
Volvo Plans a New Approach to Interior Controls
The changes will extend into the cabin, where Volvo plans to reimagine its user interfaces while maintaining a minimalist design.
Ingenlath said the company wants to improve how interactions feel, including through more physical switchgear and more satisfying clicks, knob turns and button presses.
“The over-emphasis of screens and the interaction with the screens is something customers and journalists heavily criticize,” Ingenlath said.
He added that Volvo needs to “aim for a better harmony, a better balance between the interaction that we have with our digital device and the physical interaction.”
Touchscreens will remain, but Ingenlath acknowledged that too many physical buttons can also affect the interior ambiance. The company is therefore working to find a balance between digital displays and physical controls.
Volvo Wants to Use Touchscreens Differently
Ingenlath said Volvo is not abandoning touchscreens, but wants to reserve them for functions where they make the most sense.
“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.”
Functions that need to remain visible could include the time, potentially pointing to Volvo returning to analog clocks. Engine and vehicle speed could also be displayed through physical gauges, while climate controls could potentially use physical buttons for air conditioning and seat temperatures.
More Volvo Teasers Could Follow
The upcoming concept is expected to establish the design direction for Volvo’s 13 planned models, including their interiors and exteriors. The company could provide additional teasers in the coming weeks and months, potentially offering a closer look at the interior as the 2027 reveal approaches.
