Nobody saw this coming from Volvo. For years, the Swedish brand has been among the automakers that strip down their cabins the most, with minimalist dashboards where nearly everything runs through the central screen. Now, it appears Volvo has gotten the message from drivers and the auto press, who have been asking for real controls, at least for certain functions.
Volvo will add a few more buttons than in its current models
The touchscreen will remain dominant, but some everyday controls will go physical again
A concept expected in 2027, for the brand’s 100th anniversary, should tell us more
The Screen Stays, but Not for Everything
The message came from design chief Thomas Ingenlath, who is returning to Volvo, during the Q&A that followed the company’s Strategy Update 2026 presentation. His goal is clear: rethink how people interact with the car. He ruled out going back to the “rows and rows” of buttons found in the brand’s products 20 years ago.
“We are not moving away from the touchscreen,” he said. “We’ll use it for what it does best.” He did add something interesting, though: a function you need to access constantly doesn’t belong on the screen. It deserves its own control.
Climate control is a good example. In Volvo’s cars, it runs through the central screen. There’s no shortage of frustrating moments spent digging around for defrost settings in freezing weather, not to mention the times the system’s screen won’t respond because it’s… too cold.
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To illustrate his vision, Ingenlath brought up a Leica camera. The appeal isn’t just being able to operate it by hand, but the feel of the controls, the materials, the click you hear and the shapes that change depending on the function. Picture rotary dials where they make sense and switches that are easy to tell apart, lending the whole cabin a premium feel.
A New Face for 2027
The cabin isn’t the only project Ingenlath wants to tackle. He also wants Volvo to become more recognizable again, hinting at a reinterpretation of the brand’s signature look, its badge, and the grille that surrounds it.
A concept will be unveiled in 2027, when the Geely-owned brand celebrates its 100th anniversary. By then, we should have a good idea of where Volvo is headed as it begins its second century.
As for the buttons, the sooner the better. The latest models the brand has unveiled, the XC40 and XC60, still follow the current formula, where practically everything lives on the screen.
