Volkswagen ID.7 review

Volkswagen’s ID. range of electric vehicles has been highly successful, with customers flocking to the ID.3 family hatchback and the ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs, and now the German company has built something a little smarter and a little sleeker. It’s called the ID.7, and if you want to think of the ID.3 as an electric Golf, then this is in effect an electric Passat or Arteon. A big car designed to offer some premium quality without the emissions (or the resulting tax bill), it’s an upmarket offering, but that means it comes up against some upmarket rivals. Can the big, battery-powered Volkswagen really topple the Polestar 2 and the Tesla Model 3?

Aerodynamic shape

In order to squeeze every last metre of range from the batteries, the ID. models have all been designed with aerodynamics in mind. Even the ID. Buzz van gets smooth surfaces. So, it’s no surprise to find the same logic applied to the ID.7, which looks almost exactly as you might expect. There’s more than an air of lowered ID.5 about it.

But whatever the design inspiration, it seems to have worked. Not only is the ID.7 a fairly handsome thing, but it’s very aerodynamically efficient. That blunt nose and long body all combine to ensure it cuts through the air as cleanly as possible, allowing it to eke impressive range from a medium-sized battery.

Of course, styling plays a part too, and Volkswagen has fitted the full-width front light system, an aerodynamically optimised bumper and a rear windscreen that flows into the car’s stylish rear end. Perhaps it isn’t as chiselled as the rather attractive Polestar 2, but it’s much easier on the eye than a Tesla.

And it has an equally attractive cabin, which feels much more premium than that of the lowlier ID. products. The ID.7 gets premium materials, solid construction and smart styling, complete with an ambient lighting system that has a striking impact on the atmosphere inside.

High tech

Which leads us neatly on to the in car-technology, of which there is plenty. Even the basic models get goodies including a massive touchscreen and an ‘augmented reality’ head-up display, which not only shows vehicle speed and battery data, but also projects turn instructions onto the windscreen so they look as though they’re on the road. It’s very clever and surprisingly effective, particularly at complicated junctions.

Volkswagen has also fitted its ‘Ida’ driving assistant, which is essentially a voice control system that offers information and help with tasks that might ordinarily require you to delve through touchscreen menus. Not that you have to do much of that these days, because VW claims to have taken on board customer feedback about the touchscreen systems fitted to other ID. models, making the new system easier to navigate. Admittedly, configurable taskbars on the screen do make life easier in the ID.7, but it’s still a slightly fiddly system in places.

But whatever you think of the technology, the ID.7’s cabin is at least roomy. Naturally, the car’s roofline means very tall rear-seat passengers might find headroom a little tight, but anyone of average height will feel flush for space. Rear legroom is a particular strong suit, although right-hand-drive cars come with a small glove compartment. Boot space, on the other hand, is enormous, and it’ll only get better when VW launches the upcoming ID.7 estate.

Batteries included

At launch, just one version of the ID.7 is available: the Pro model that comes with an 82kWh battery, of which 77kWh is usable. That will be joined by a larger battery option in the not-too-distant future, but the ID.7 doesn’t really need more kilowatt-hours because it’s fairly efficient. Official figures suggest you’ll get more than 600km from a single charge, and a charge speed of 175kW means the ID.7 can charge from 5-80 per cent in less than half an hour. Assuming you can find a charger that’s up to the job, that is.

For most, that will be more than ample, as will the ID.7 Pro’s 286hp electric motor powering the rear wheels. That’s enough to get from 0-100km/h almost as quickly as a Golf GTI, so performance isn’t going to be an issue. Nevertheless, VW is expected to bring out more powerful options, potentially with all-wheel-drive traction, over the ID.7’s lifetime.

Armchair comfort

Although the ID.7’s power output suggests it’ll be a sporty car, it really doesn’t feel like that on the road. Instead, it’s tuned for comfortable cruising, and it delivers that thanks to supple suspension that soaks up most of the bumps with ease. A few sharper imperfections will expose the fact this is a heavy car with big alloy wheels, but by and large it’s a wonderfully comfortable thing.

Oddly, the brake pedal takes quite some getting used to. It’s true that the ID.7 has to balance efficiency with brake effectiveness, but there’s no feel for what the brakes are doing, despite the pedal being quite heavy. Normally, such weight would come with pin-sharp responses, but you will need to push that pedal quite a long way to slow the big, heavy ID.7 quickly. In fairness, the brakes are highly effective at maximum power, but you will need to push them hard.

Paying the price

The ID.7 is due to come in from around €60,000, which makes it costlier than a basic Polestar 2, and comparable to a BMW i4. Yes, the Volkswagen is hugely well equipped, so you can’t really compare it with entry-level products from other brands, and it’s efficient, comfortable and spacious, too. But the fact remains that the price tag will be difficult for some customers to justify.

What next for Volkswagen?

VW has big plans, with an updated version of one of its most popular cars arriving this spring. Yes, there’s a new Golf on the way this year, alongside the new Tiguan SUV and a tweaked T-Cross compact SUV. The ID. range is set to grow, too, because Volkswagen has already shown off a concept that previews a new compact hatchback, possibly set to be called the ID.2.