As Volkswagen’s new electric flagship, the ID 7 has a lot to prove. Let’s see whether its talents run deep enough to beat the Tesla Model 3
What you’re looking at might just be the most important Volkswagen of the past decade. It’s called the ID 7 and it represents the sum total of everything Volkswagen has learnt about building electric vehicles (EVs) up to this point – a learning curve that has proved steeper than anticipated for the brand.
You see, while its first ID product, the ID 3 hatchback, impressed us with its spacious, practical interior and decent range, it was far from perfect, suffering from a bug-riddled infotainment system and a level of material quality that didn’t live up to its elevated price. And while several ID models have been launched since, including the ID 4 and ID 5 SUVs and the ID Buzz MPV, these haven’t fully addressed our criticisms.
Hence the importance of the ID 7 – a ‘benchmark’ car for Volkswagen and one that, on paper at least, has some promising specifications. We’re talking about a next-generation infotainment system, fancy ergonomic seats, an impressive array of standard features and a heightened standard of interior quality that will soon be implemented throughout the ID range; hard plastics are out, soft-touch materials are in. Additionally, an all-new motor and related electrical gubbins promise efficiency gains, resulting in an impressive official range of 383 miles.
But what to put it up against? It was a question that we wrestled with, because one aspect that doesn’t come across until you see it in the metal is the sheer size of the ID 7. With a length of 4961mm, it’s longer than a BMW i5 or Mercedes-Benz EQE, so you could argue that it is a rival for luxurious premium models like those.
However, its price (which is well below what you’ll pay for an i5 or EQE), electric range and standard equipment suggest the ID 7 has been positioned to steal sales from the EV of the moment: the recently facelifted Tesla Model 3. In entry-level RWD form,
