Car-Editors.news: 13.11.2023

VW ID 7: performance, luxury and long-distance capability

Not even on the market yet and has already won the first "German Car of the Year 2024" award. With the ID 7, VW is not only continuing its electric transformation, the almost five-metre-long hatchback is also intended to show "how we can make electric mobility suitable for long journeys and comfortable," says VW brand boss Thomas Schäfer. It has all the prerequisites for this: good aerodynamics, a long range, fast charging, a long wheelbase and plenty of luxury-class features.

The ID.7 is positioned as the top model in the ID family in the upper mid-range segment, competing against rivals such as the Mercedes EQE, BMW i5 and Hyundai Ioniq 6. The 4.96-metre-long electric vehicle impresses with a coupé design, black roof and roof pillars and a striking LED front section. The aerodynamic shape with a drag coefficient of 0.23 gives the ID.7 a remarkable streamlined look.Inside, VW has created a new ID cockpit layout with an augmented reality head-up display as standard, which projects important driving information directly onto the road. The 15-inch touch display of the infotainment system, free-standing and easy to operate, is reminiscent of Tesla and offers logical menu navigation. The interior has a tidy and high-quality appearance, especially in the Pro version with heated steering wheel, ambient lighting and top navigation system.With an electric drive of 210 kW (286 PS) and a 77 kWh battery, VW promises the ID.7 a remarkable range of up to 621 kilometers according to the WLTP. In practice, a good 450 kilometers of this could still remain. The saloon can also recover electricity for around 200 kilometers in ten minutes at fast-charging stations with 175 kW. The assistance systems, especially Travel Assist, use swarm data to increase safety and driving comfort.Despite the impressive features, the price of at least 56,995 euros represents a challenge, especially in light of the changes in state subsidies for electric cars. (aum)