Volkswagen ID 7 review: goes the distance

Introduction

I’m a big fan of small, fun electric cars. The new Volkswagen ID 7 is the opposite of that. It’s one of the largest VW’s you can buy and certainly the biggest ID model in the portfolio. But if you’re keen on sizeable saloons and feel it’s time to go electric, the ID 7 is sure to appeal.

This incredibly roomy sedan has seating or five, and a capacious boot to back it up. It’s refreshing to drive a big EV that isn’t an SUV, too. What you don’t get are exciting exterior looks; the ID 7’s profile is undeniably bland from most angles. On the other hand, that fastback shape contributes to the very low drag coefficient of 0.23, meaning there’s potential for up to 383 miles of range per charge.

Another major plus point? An interior that’s nicely trimmed and sports an improved array of tech. Central to this is a 15in touchscreen infotainment system that’s much better to use than earlier ID models such as the ID 3. The innocuous styling therefore hides some really great features.

The styling

I wasn’t blown away by the ID 7’s exterior shape when it first arrived, but the more time I spent with it, the better it got. There’s a nice line running along the side, which combined with the 20in Montreal alloys on my example makes the side profile a highlight.

The front and rear ends benefit from LED lights; the matrix ones fitted to the front working really well after dark. My test car also had a panoramic glass roof, with a cool silver trim section running down into the tailgate making for an interesting contrast with the Aquamarine Blue metallic paintjob.

It’s quite manageable width wise, but at nearly five metres long the ID 7’s length is very noticeable. Especially so if you’re edging back into standard-sized parking spaces, where the reversing camera becomes a vital bit of kit.

The interior works well, mainly because there’s so much space. It’s all very functional, with plenty of storage for front and rear occupants. I’m not sure about base spec cars, but my loaner had the £2000 Interior Pack Plus option; that meant I got to benefit from front massage seats and an excellent Harmon Kardon audio system. The ambient lighting is great too, with 30 different colour options giving the quite dark cabin a lift.

I can’t fault the boot area, which has a compartment beneath the floor for charging cables. The 532 litres is accessed via a reasonably flat lip. Drop the rear seats and this is boosted to 1586 litres, which is very impressive. Anyone with something tall to get in might struggle due to the slanting upper line of the tailgate, but it’s otherwise very practical.

The drive

The most memorable aspect of the Volkswagen ID 7 is its efficiency. For a large saloon it’s hugely impressive. A good example of this was when I had to do a 100-mile run late at night and just wanted to get home with about 40 percent charge left in the battery. Admittedly, I did take it very easy, but still managed to arrive with eight percent by barely touching the spongy brakes (and doing the odd bit of slipstreaming behind slow-moving petrol tankers on the midnight run).

Naturally, efficiency starts to plummet when driven more enthusiastically or Sport mode is enlisted. To be honest though, the ID 7 is best if you simply sit back and take your time, mainly because it’s such a comfortable saloon to drive. It’s an easy thing to get down the road in too, with shifter controls on the steering column and everything falling to hand nicely.

I found the Volkswagen ID 7 pretty good on B roads, although it’s not the sort of car that feels particularly happy if you start pushing your luck through the bends. There’s a four-wheel-drive GTX version on the horizon, which might be more interesting for car enthusiasts. However, anyone with family in the back will probably be taking it easy anyway. Things were made better though by the Exterior Pack Plus option (£2,100), which included adaptive chassis control and a selection of driving profiles.

The technology

Much like most other folks who’ve tried earlier ID models, the infotainment setup was one of my biggest disappointments. Things are much better inside the Volkswagen ID 7, with a 15in central touchscreen that runs a new operating system. I found it much easier to use and most of it worked as expected. Only the new IDA voice control system proved a little hit and miss when I requested directions to a fairly simple location.

It all looks really good, with crisp vivid colours and a sensible layout that allowed me to dip into apps with ease. I like the way it’s quick and simple to get to core controls too, but I’m not so sure about the climate control screen. It offers up lots of touch sensitive views of the cockpit, which I had to tap in order to turn vents on and off. It works, but adds another level of complexity to an otherwise simple task.

Volkswagen ID 7 verdict

I hope the Volkswagen ID 7 doesn’t get overlooked by people who are after a sizeable premium saloon, purely because of its rather mundane exterior. This is a great car, mainly because of its very good efficiency but there’s also loads of space, comfort and a much-improved tech setup. Admittedly, I’ve been enjoying a version which pushed the price up from £51,550 to £56,130 – but the extra toys, cosmetic touches and comfort that come with it feels justified.

Once word gets around that this is a very efficient EV, things could look up for the ID 7. Although the WLTP figure of 383 miles is probably over optimistic, I experienced different types of driving in the car and was always left feeling blown away by just how good it was at nibbling away at battery power. This seems like a real step up from other ID models, although they are arguably a little more visually interesting to live with.

VW ID 7 technical specifications

Powertrain	Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Battery	77kW
Power	282bhp
Torque	401lb ft
0-60mph	6.5sec
Top speed	112mph
Range	383 miles
Charge rate	175 kWh
Cargo volume	532 litres