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Gigantic

The dimensions of the ID.7 are impressive: 4.96 meters long, 1.86 meters wide and 1.54 meters high. With this, it surpasses the Touareg and even the ID.Buzz in length. Only the ID.Buzz LWB (Long Wheelbase) and Multivan match it within the Volkswagen Group. In short, the ID.7 is tall.

Luggage space

In the luggage compartment you can fit a generous 500 liters. By moving the rear seat slightly upright, this even grows to 605 liters. A ski box thus becomes almost superfluous during a winter sports trip. Within the Volkswagen Group, only the Tayron (885 liters) and Skoda Superb Combi (660 liters) offer even more luggage space, if we include vans such as the Transporter, Multivan and ID. Buzz LWB disregard.

Raised knees

The wheelbase is no slouch either: 2.97 meters of space is between the front and rear wheels The resulting legroom in the rear is therefore sufficient even for tall basketball players. You have more legroom in the back than in an average Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series. However, the bench sits relatively low – a well-known disadvantage with many EVs because of the batteries in the floor – resulting in somewhat raised knees. Our advice: sit back and relax.

Range under winter conditions

The theoretical range of the ID.7 Tourer is up to 690 kilometers with the largest 86 kWh battery. With the slightly smaller 77 kWh battery in our test car, it is 605 kilometers. During our test week, with temperatures around freezing and literally icicles on the car, we achieved a range of 400 kilometers. This is about 200 kilometers less than the WLTP specification, but certainly acceptable given the weather conditions. The rest of the year you’ll probably get 500 kilometers or more on a full battery with little problem. But note that a heat pump is not standard and costs 1,090 euros. Without this option, the range would have been considerably lower during our test. So keep this in mind, especially if you plan to go on annual winter sports trips.

Payload

The ID.7 can fast charge with power up to 175 kW. This peak power is not maintained for long periods, but the charging power remains at a stable and relatively high level thereafter, so charging is still fast. A useful feature is the battery pre-heating, which brings the battery to the optimal temperature for charging. You can easily activate this function yourself via the screen. This allows you to optimally fast charge even in winter.

Manual preheating of the battery is an option not to be underestimated. In many other EVs, preheating is done automatically, but only if you select a stop at a fast charger via the navigation system. This means that you always have to enter a fast charger, even though – especially in the Netherlands – you often already know where and when you want to fast charge. With the ID.7, you can arrange this faster by simply pressing the preheat option when you are on the way to a quick charger.

No leather

The interior offers great comfort and the center console is spacious, with plenty of storage space. The finish is of a high standard, especially for a Volkswagen. The ID.7 is clearly the top-of-the-line model. No real leather is available, which suits the durable nature of the car. The alcantara upholstery and faux leather on the dashboard look classy and make up for the absence of real leather. Via a gigantic (38.1 cm!) screen you can easily control all kinds of things. Physical buttons for climate control we do miss.

Driving  

Despite its hefty size, the ID.7 is surprisingly agile. Behind the wheel, it feels much more compact than you might expect. This is partly due to the electric motor located on the rear axle – and thus not in front – which allows a large steering angle of the front wheels, resulting in a relatively small turning circle of only 10.9 meters. When taking thresholds, the weight of almost 2,200 kg is noticeable, however. However, the adaptive suspension manages to absorb uneven road surfaces well. In Comfort mode, the car offers a particularly comfortable driving experience and “floats” over the asphalt. With 286 hp at the rear wheels, the ID.7 is more than sufficiently powerful. Both when accelerating at traffic lights and when smoothly overtaking a predecessor on the highway.

Conclusion  

The ID.7 Tourer is an interesting option for families looking for a lot of space and comfort. Its range, even in winter conditions, is neat and is no reason to abandon it and opt for a gasoline-powered car. Competitors in this segment are still scarce. The BMW i5 Touring and Audi A6 Avant e-tron are comparable electric estate cars, but are more expensive. The BMW in particular is hefty in price. The ID.7 Tourer is available from 58,990, the BMW i5 Touring from 74 grand and the Audi A6 Avant e-tron starts at 65,490. Tick all the options, and the Volkswagen is no bargain either. The test car we drove has all the bells and whistles – including a dimmable panoramic roof with liquid crystals – and therefore a price tag of just under 70 grand. As a sedan, the ID.7 starts from 57,990 euros.