Overview

This is the Volkswagen ID.7, the firm’s new flagship electric car. It’s a large five-door hatchback that replaces the stylish Arteon Coupe and Passat Saloon. It’s altogether larger than the big-selling Tesla Model 3, and aimed at a different set of buyers.

The ID.7 has acres of room inside, a huge boot, and takes up a lot of road space. And that puts it up against the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE, which are rather more expensive than VW’s more down-to-earth offering.

Although the aforementioned cars are firmly in the ID.7’s sights, other rivals include the BYD Seal and Hyundai Ioniq 6.

It looks, and is, essentially a big ID.3 with short overhangs, a stubby bonnet, flush headlights and a raked windscreen. The styling isn’t just for show either as it helps the ID.7 achieve a super sleek 0.23Cd drag coefficient. It also gets uprated motors and a revised control system to improve the already excellent efficiency.

Volkswagen launched the ID.7 in early 2024 with a single generously-equipped Match trim, and with that, you get three-zone air conditioning, a head-up display, heated front seats with a massage setting, a heated steering wheel and 19-inch alloy wheels. This came with the 77kWh ‘Pro’ battery, allowing for a claimed 381 miles of range.

Later in 2024, Volkswagen expanded the ID.7 line-up with three new derivatives. Of most importance is a new ID.7 Tourer, which we’ve reviewed separately, and arrives as the firm’s first electric estate car. The second was the introduction of a larger 86kWh ‘Pro S’ battery, which gives the ID.7 a claimed range of up to 436 miles, putting it among the longest-range electric cars you can buy.

The final addition to the line-up was a GTX version, which gets a second electric motor (allowing it to be four-wheel-drive) that takes the total power up to 335bhp, making it one of VW’s most powerful cars. It gets various additional features, including a Harman Kardon sound system, cooled front seats and standard-fit adaptive suspension.

Prices for the ID.7 start from £51,550, rising to £61,980 for the top-spec GTX. So it’s a big car at a reasonable price in terms of metal for money, but is the ID.7 good enough to tempt you away from its superstar rivals? We’ve driven the ID.7 extensively abroad and in the UK to give you the definitive verdict – read more about how we test cars at Parkers.

Click through the next few pages to read everything you need to know about the Volkswagen ID.7, including its practicality, how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive – and whether we recommend buying one.