Volkswagen ID 7 review

From The Mummy to Top Gun: Maverick, some film reboots make big money. And VW will be hoping the reboot effect works for the Volkswagen ID 7.

The ID 7 is an all-electric reimagining of a hugely successful model – the VW Passat – and takes its place as VW's flagship executive car. While those are big shoes to fill, the ID 7 has lots of tech and a spacious interior to help it compete with rival electric cars.

The version with the most stamina – the ID 7 Pro S Match Plus – can officially go up to 433 miles on a charge, so in theory you could drive it from London to Edinburgh without stopping. Real-world ranges are a different matter, but that's still a good start.

VW ID 7 video review

Before you snap up an ID 7 (or choose one as your next company car) there are a few other models to consider. They range from the BMW i4 and BYD Seal to the DS No 8 and Hyundai Ioniq 6. Oh, and let's not forget the big-selling Tesla Model 3.

So is the VW ID 7 a great executive car or should you pick something else? Read on to find out. Or to read about the estate car version see our VW ID 7 Tourer review.

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The entry-level VW ID 7 – called the Pro Match Plus – has an official range of 380 miles, which is usefully more than the Tesla Model 3 RWD (323 miles).

The next step up, the Pro S Match Plus, has the longest range in the ID 7 line-up, at 433 miles. That’s not quite as far as the DS No 8 (443) but matches the Model 3 Long Range and beats any BMW i4.

The range drops to 364 miles if you choose the only version with four-wheel drive – the GTX Plus – because it has two motors to power, rather than one.

Those are all impressive figures so it makes sense that the ID 7 is designed to be a polished long-distance cruiser. And polished it is too. There's virtually no motor whine when you're accelerating up to motorway speeds, and at 70mph there’s less wind and road noise than in an i4 or Model 3. Only in the GTX Plus version do you notice a mild level of road noise from its large, grippy tyres.

While the ID 7’s brakes are not the most progressive, we do like the adaptive regenerative braking function. It automatically brakes if the car in front slows down, and does so in a gentle and progressive manner, while also topping up the battery.

There's an additional B mode that increases the braking effect, so there are two levels of regen available. The DS No8 has four levels of braking strength to choose from using paddles on the back of the steering wheel.

The ID 7's B mode isn’t strong enough to act as a one-pedal driving function, unlike in the DS No 8 and Model 3 (in which you rarely need to touch the brake pedal during stop-start driving) but it activates smoothly and isn’t too jerky.

The standard passive suspension on the ID 7 Pro Match Plus and Pro S Match Plus delivers a ride that's comparable with a BYD Seal – which is to say it's relatively soft but occasionally trips up over sharp-edged abrasions.

For that reason, we recommend adding the adaptive suspension system, called Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). DCC is available as part of the optional Exterior Pack Plus on Pro Match Plus and Pro S Match Plus versions, and is standard on the ID 7 GTX Plus. It does a much better job of ironing out crumbly roads to deliver a level of plushness comparable with the significantly more expensive Mercedes EQE.

As well as getting standard-fit DCC, the ID 7 GTX Plus has a slightly firmer set-up than the Pro Match Plus and Pro S Match Plus versions. It retains most of the ride comfort, although it does subject occupants to a mild level of jostling over larger bumps on standard 20in wheels. We’d avoid the optional 21in wheels because they reduce ride comfort.

Dynamically, the ID 7 steers accurately and grips hard enough to feel more composed than a DS No 8, but if you push harder you’ll find its limits sooner than you would in a BMW i4 or Tesla Model 3.

The GTX Plus gets a system called Progressive Steering that quickens the steering response at low speeds. You can pay extra to add it to the Pro Match Plus or Pro S Match Plus but we don't think it sharpens up the driving experience enough to justify it.

Blitzing along a country road isn’t really what the ID 7 was made for, but the DCC suspension does a decent enough job of reducing body lean through quick changes of direction in its firmer settings. The GTX Plus leans less during quick cornering but it's not what you'd call engaging to drive.

What about performance? Well, entry-level ID 7 Pro Match Plus versions come with a single 282bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels, and will officially sprint from 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds. The Pro S Match Plus, with its heavier battery, takes 6.6 seconds, while the GTX's two motors produce 335bhp, cutting the time to 5.4 seconds.

Regardless of which version you go for, the ID 7 gains pace without hesitation as you squeeze the accelerator pedal. Indeed, pulling away from junctions and overtaking slow-moving traffic is a doddle, and the Pro S Match Plus feels more urgent than the equivalent DS No 8 (the FWD Long Range).

"The adaptive suspension that comes as part of the ID 7's Exterior Pack Plus is not exactly cheap, but it’s a relatively small price at this level and I reckon it’s worth it for the polished ride and handling balance it brings." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

It’s really easy to get comfortable at the wheel of the VW ID 7. Its driving position is fundamentally sound, lining you up with the pedals and steering wheel. The standard seats get plenty of electric adjustment and adjustable lumbar support, plus a memory function and massage feature.

Despite having a sweeping silhouette, which would usually come at the expense of visibility, the ID 7 is a very easy car to see out of. Indeed, the slim front window pillars mean it’s easy to see out at junctions, while big rear windows and cut-outs in the wide rear pillars give you a great view over your shoulder.

Better still, to help you park this five-metre-long executive car, the ID 7 is fitted with front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree view camera as standard. It also has VW’s Park Assist Plus system, which allows the car to park itself in certain spaces. The standard matrix LED headlights make driving at night easier because you can leave them on high beam without dazzling oncoming drivers.

What’s a little disappointing is the ID 7's digital driver’s display, which is smaller than the displays in most cars and is not configurable. Still, most of the information appears on the head-up display – and at least there is a driver display, unlike in the Tesla Model 3.

The ID 7’s interior quality is significantly better than that of any other VW electric car. There’s a pleasing variety of materials, ranging from perforated vegan leather on the seats to suede inserts on the doors and soft-touch plastic on the dashboard.

The glossy black trim and the touch-sensitive climate control sliders are backlit, which adds some welcome visual glamour, as does the large (15in) touchscreen that dominates the interior. That, too, is a great step forward. The touchscreen’s responses are snappier than on previous Volkswagen car models and its huge size allows you to see lots of information in one go.

We experienced far fewer glitches than with previous VW infotainment systems and there's an impressive level of customisation. For example, you can create five shortcuts at the top of the screen and change the features you see on each of the menu screens.

The voice-control assistant has been upgraded with AI technology to recognise a wider range of phrases and has access to pretty much every system in the car. However, we found it inconsistent at best, which is frustrating when your hands are cold and you want the smart air-con vents to direct warm air at your hands.

You see, like the Tesla Model 3, the ID 7 doesn’t have physical air-vent controls. Instead you have to manipulate them through the climate-control screen of the infotainment system or using voice control. You can set two custom settings (at your face and at the wheel, say) but it’s still incredibly fiddly trying to get them to point at your preferred angle and is a step back from simple manual vents.

“I like the VW ID 7's touchscreen until I have to delve into a sub-menu to move the air vents and end up leaving my fingerprints smeared all over it.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

One aspect of the VW ID 7 that doesn’t come across until you see it in the metal is just how big it is. With a 2966mm wheelbase (the gap between the front and rear wheels) and a length of 4961mm, it’s even larger than the Mercedes EQE, let alone a BMW i4, BYD Seal, DS No 8 or Tesla Model 3.

That leads to a spacious interior that feels airy up front and positively limo-like in the rear. A six-footer will easily fit behind a driver of the same height, with more head room than in a Hyundai Ioniq 6 and more leg room to stretch out in than the already-generous DS No 8.

Thanks to the ID 7's flat floor, three adults can sit comfortably in the back. In fact the only demerit is that the middle seat is raised slightly, making head room tight for a six-footer sitting in the middle.

On top of the space for people, there's a good amount of interior storage, with large door bins in the front, a deep cubby within the armrest, a generous space below the centre console, two cupholders in the centre console and a place to charge your phone wirelessly.

In the rear, you’ll find door bins large enough for a bottle of water, plus two cupholders in the fold-down middle-seat armrest.

The rear seats in the ID 7 don’t do anything particularly fancy, but they split 60/40 and fold flat. You do get a ski hatch, helping to get around the lack of more versatile 40/20/40 split seats (which you do get in the i4 and DS No8).

The ID 7 has 532 litres of boot space – which is more than the i4, the EQE and the Model 3. The DS No 8 boot is even bigger, with up to 620 litres. Meanwhile, the Model 3 has extra space in its front boot. We managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases in the boot of the ID 7, against nine in the Model 3's two boots.

Boot access is good through the wide hatchback opening (although VW calls the ID 7 an electric fastback). It has a height-adjustable floor so you can eliminate the loading lip at the boot entrance.

For even more storage space, there's the estate car version – find out more in our VW ID 7 Tourer review.

“I much prefer the VW ID 7’s hatchback boot opening, which is much larger than the small saloon openings you get in the BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

As a cash purchase, the VW ID 7 will cost you more than the equivalent BYD Seal or Tesla Model 3 but about the same as a BMW i4 or DS No 8. As ever, it's worth checking for discounts using our New Car Deals pages.

The ID 7 is expected to depreciate a little more quickly than the No 8 but at a similar rate to the other executive car rivals.

As with all electric cars, the ID 7 attracts a very low BIK tax rate so it's much cheaper to run as a company car than any petrol or diesel. The Seal and the Model 3 – with their lower P11D prices – will cost slightly less per month in BIK tax.

The two single-motor versions – the Pro Match Plus and Pro S Match Plus include plenty of standard kit, including 19in alloy wheels, three-zone air conditioning, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, a head-up display, heated front seats with massage, rear privacy glass and a heated steering wheel.

The Exterior Plus Pack adds DCC adaptive suspension, progressive steering and laminated rear side windows (the front windows are laminated on all versions).

The dual-motor GTX model has its own trim and comes with sportier styling, 20in alloy wheels and a black roof. It’s also the only ID 7 available in a red exterior paint finish. Inside, there are ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, laminated rear windows and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

The ID 7 Pro’s maximum charging rate of 175kW should allow you to charge it from 10-80% in around 28 minutes at a suitably powerful public EV charger.

That’s a slower rate than the i4 and Model 3, which can accept 200kW and 250kW respectively, but due to the average speed they each hold across the charge, the ID 7 still takes about the same time. Using an 11kW home EV charger, the ID 7’s 77kWh battery will take around eight hours to fully charge.

Meanwhile, the bigger 86kWh battery in the Pro S and GTX is capable of charging at a slightly faster rate of 200kW, resulting in a 10-80% charge taking 26 minutes.

The ID 7 is too new to have been included in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Volkswagen as a brand didn’t do particularly well. It came 18th out of 31 brands ranked, placing it above Audi and Mercedes but below BMW, Hyundai and Tesla.

For some peace of mind, you get a three-year, 60,000-mile standard warranty, which is nothing special. BMW and Mercedes offer three years too, but with unlimited mileage.

Safety is a strong point for the ID 7 – which won a Best For Safety award at our 2024 Car of the Year Awards. The experts at Euro NCAP gave it the full five stars when they tested it in 2023, with the highest scores of any car that year in three of the four categories.

What’s more, the ID 7 comes with lots of standard safety equipment, including lane assistance and automatic emergency braking (AEB) that can detect cars, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles.

“Unless you really need the long battery range of the VW ID 7 Pro S Match Plus, I’d stick with the entry-level Pro Match Plus and spend the savings on the optional DCC adaptive suspension.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

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