SEVEN - VOLKSWAGEN'S LUCKY NUMBER?(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 58

The ID.7 is Volkswagen's most sophisticated and luxurious full-electric ID model yet. It showcases a different level of drive and battery technology to anything previously seen from the brand. And manages to do so with a polished presentation that for some will make this smart Fastback-style five-door a really credible alternative to similarly-sized offerings from the premium makers.

Background word count: 202

In the combustion era, Volkswagen's brand equity couldn't quite be stretched far enough to sell large luxury saloons. As a company found with the ill-fated Phaeton, produced between 2003 and 2014. But might this new EV era be different? A time when customers are supposed to be more interested in battery technology than badge work. We're going to find out because here in the ID.7, we have one of the most upwardly premium-orientated Volkswagen models to be launched in a decade. And a flagship for the company's fast-growing ID all-electric range. This, if you like, is beginning of a second wave of ID models, learning from the design lessons of the ID.3, the ID.4 and the ID.5 and incorporating more of the cabin sustainability from the ID.Buzz. Not all of these are sold worldwide, but the ID.7 will be, sized and shaped similarly to the combustion Arteon Fastback five-door model, which aimed to be the next step up for Passat people, but never quite was. Volkswagen is confident that the ID.7 will be and to that end has gone to town on technology here. Not least with the brand's biggest, fastest-charging, longest-range battery to date. Sounds promising. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience word count: 333

Predictably, this ID.7 delivers a very tranquil driving experience. Not really because of the subdued levels of wind and road noise, though they're very well suppressed. More because there's such a measured, predictable feel to everything this Volkswagen does. A sports saloon it isn't, but what two-tonne EV of this kind can never really be that? There's lots of fresh drive technology here, principally with the new 210kW e-motor known in VW circles as the APP550. This differs from previous VW Group EV motors, with stronger magnets, a higher wire cross-section, more windings and improved cooling, all of which ought to improve efficiency and power (rated at 286PS). This ID 7 was launched in single motor rear-driven form - that's what we tried. A dual motor AWD GTX performance version is also available, which offers a combined output of 340PS, allowing 62mph in 5.4s. You'll want to know about drive range on the mainstream models. The familiar 77kWh 'Pro' battery will take the car up to 381 miles. A larger 'Pro S' battery (at 86kWh the VW Group's biggest to date) improves that to 437 miles in the Fastback or 425 miles for the Tourer. The GTX manages up to 366 miles in Fastback form (359 miles as a Tourer). To get anywhere near these figures, you'll need to almost permanently progress in the most frugal of the available drive modes - 'Eco'. The others are 'Comfort' and 'Sport', the latter needed to release the powertrain's full 545Nm of torque and replicate the claimed 6.5s sprint time to 62mph, en route to the usual ID limited top speed of 112mph. Thanks to the standard fitment of the latest version of Volkswagen's DCC adaptive damping system, these settings are able to influence ride quality as well as throttle response and steering feel. The brand doesn't though, offer the driver any opportunity to alter brake regeneratiion; there's just the 'B' setting on the drive selector if you want to more greatly energise the battery off-throttle.