Expected in dealerships from November 2023, the Volkswagen ID. 7 is the new grand tourer from the Volkswagen brand. The venerable Passat is only available in the SW (station wagon) version and the Arteon is not expected to have descendants, it has the heavy responsibility of being adopted by all fans of this type of silhouette. A task which will probably not be made easier by its price of access to the range, very high at 62,650 euros. Let’s see what advantages it has despite everything for this.
The ID. 7, which is one of the 10 electric models that VW must launch by 2026, is positioned in the E segment. With its 4.96 meters long, it is in fact clearly at the top of the European automobile basket, where it is in close proximity to a Mercedes EQE (4.95 m), a BMW i5 (5.06 m), a Hyundai Ioniq 6 (4.85 m) or the future Zeekr 001 (4.96). Even if it does not share the same ambitions in terms of on-board luxury as its German premium counterparts, Volkswagen assures that it has paid particular attention to the quality of the materials used on board.
In addition to its overall length, its wheelbase of 2.97 meters and its width of 1.86 meters promise a comfortable interior volume.
Its controlled height (1.54 m) also avoids the disproportion sometimes encountered on electric vehicles where the thickness of the battery pack requires raising the roof line to preserve habitability.
From the side, we notice that the dynamics of the tilted windshield frame and the C-pillar reminiscent of a coupe. The roof and pillars are an elegant glossy black, with aluminum finishing strips. The side design is also marked by a characteristic beltline which runs under the long edge of the windows, extending with a pronounced curve, from the front headlight to the rear. Front and back, Volkswagen renews its horizontal LED bars which are intended to be distinctive, but which are undoubtedly more so than that as many manufacturers also integrate them into their designs. In the end, the design is certainly not revolutionary, but its aerodynamic efficiency seems to be there, with a drag coefficient less than 0.23.
Welcoming and technological
As mentioned previously, the long wheelbase suggests a welcoming interior for all passengers, front and rear, all without encroaching on the trunk which claims here a volume of 532 liters, bench in place. At the front, the dashboard revolves around the large central screen (15 inches) installed in landscape mode and slightly oriented towards the driver. The upper part of the dashboard is highlighted by a rectilinear air vent strip into which is inserted the instrumentation block called ID. Displaythus breaking with the “traditional” small rectangular block attached to the steering wheel that is found on other vehicles in the ID range.
Here it is reminiscent of what Ford offers in its Mustang Mach-E, or even the Chinese Aiways with its U6. However, its indications remain minimalist, but they are supported by an augmented reality head-up display, offered as standard. In addition to the speed, it displays ground markings, distance indications and navigation direction indications. A depth effect prioritizes information according to their importance, a bit in the spirit of what Peugeot offers with the dual screen display of the i-Cockpit 3D.
Below the line of vents, the design is however broken at the level of the front passenger’s legs to refine the line and give more room at knee level. In the dark, the atmosphere is provided by many LED strips and backlights on the dashboard and door panels.
Finally, above the heads of the occupants, a “smart” glass roof offers a glass capable of becoming opaque on demand to allow more or less light to pass through. The latter is based on PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology. By default, when the ignition is turned off, the roof becomes opaque to prevent the sun from penetrating the passenger compartment. This equipment is offered in the Design Plus options pack (2,490 euros).
The man-machine interfaces of the ID.7
Many interface elements passing through the central 15-inch screen are entirely new, including the two touch bars at the top and bottom that are constantly displayed (regardless of which app is visible in the foreground). Several programmable shortcuts are thus offeredin particular to configure driving aids.
In the bottom bar, we will find all the comfort elements linked to the seats, knowing that a touch bar is also present just below for permanent access to the main functions of the air conditioner. Note that in the ID. 7, Volkswagen brings up to date an idea developed in its time for its Phaeton luxury sedan and which makes it possible to vary the air flow while avoiding draft phenomena thanks to active regulation of the diffusers. In practice, vertical and horizontal motors automatically open and close the vents to distribute air quickly and far across the cabin using an oscillation function.
In addition to touch controls, the ID. 7 offers a new “IDA” voice assistant capable of interacting with on-board controls (air conditioning, ambient lighting, driving mode, glass roof, user profile, etc.). Interaction with the car does not stop at its tactile or vocal functions, since for the first time at VW, seats feature temperature and humidity sensing capability which automate the heating or ventilation needs of occupants. In addition, these so-called ergoActive Premium seats developed with AGR (also a long-standing partner of Opel) feature massage and muscle group activation functions of the spine and pelvis, in order to avoid the phenomena of driver ankylosis. In practice, there are ten pneumatic cushions housed in the backrest which are involved in massaging the pressure points, and two others installed in the seat.
New driving aids
The new ID. 7 is obviously equipped with all the driving aids of the moment, including the Park Assist Pro which allows you to record the last 50 meters traveled to automate parking maneuvers. In addition, it is also possible to control from the outside entering or exiting a parking space from a smartphone.
Among the improvements to already existing ADAS, it should be noted that Travel Assist (transverse guidance of the car) no longer needs to see at least one line to position the car on the road, a curb or sidewalk being sufficient. Likewise, Travel Assist is now capable to anticipate the route of the road to automatically adapt the vehicle’s speed and thus avoid entering a sharp bend at 80 km/h, for example.
Motors and batteries
When it was released, the ID. 7 will initially only be available with a single 286 horsepower engine And 545 Nm of torque positioned at the rear. This is the first implementation of the manufacturer’s new APP550 engine. In addition to its compactness, this new block has the particularity of not requiring an oil pump for its cooling. The circulation and distribution of the fluid is ensured by the gears of the transmission, which improves overall energy efficiency.
The motor is here powered by a 77 kWh battery pack of net capacity, with a 11 kW on-board charger. Volkswagen anticipates that thus equipped, the ID. 7 will be able to reach up to 620km WLTP autonomy depending on the equipment level of the vehicle. The approved consumption of the high-end version is 14.2 kWh/100 km.
On the performance side, 0 to 100 is assured in 6.5 secondsthe maximum speed being limited to 180 km/h.
Secondly, the catalog will be enriched with a Pro S Style version which will have the particularity of offering a battery larger than 86 kWh of net capacity. It will enable the ID. 7 to display more 700 km of autonomy.
Finally for a third time, the brand has already promised thata GTX version would offer two enginesfor four-wheel drive and a total power inflated to more than 550 horsepowerfor 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds. Ground clearance would also be lowered to give the large sedan a sportier ambition. This model was to be presented at the last Munich motor show, but the brand ultimately preferred to focus on its electric ID concept. GTI Concept.
Versions and prices
At its launch, Volkswagen is playing the simplicity card with only two versions, Pro Style and Pro Style Exclusive. Both are already available to order. The first one, Pro Styleis accessible from 62,650 euros. For this price, it offers as standard:
- augmented reality head-up display
- tri-zone air conditioning
- Travel Assist autonomous driving which notably allows assisted lane changes
- a 360° camera
- communication with infrastructure (Car2X)
- 19 inch rims
- the Discover Pro multimedia system
For 67,990 eurosthe version Pro Style Executive adds:
- the electric trunk
- LED matrix projectors
- ErgoActive upholstery
- adjustable ambient lighting
- the Harman Kardon audio system of 700 watts distributed from 12 speakers
Our impressions
Even if the large touring segment is no longer the royal road, Volkswagen has deliberately chosen not to abandon it during its evolution towards 100% electric. Although expensive on paper, the ID. 7 ultimately remains competitive compared to its direct competitors, especially if they wear a Mercedes and BMW badge, less if it is the Korean Hyundai Ioniq 6 whose call price is more than 10,000 euros lower. Nevertheless, the German company from Wolfsburg has numerous technological arguments to put forward, which for some will have to be confronted with the reality of the field test, for example with regard to the efficiency of the new engine. In this area, the Hyundai is very well placed, helped by its spectacular aerodynamics.