Electric Volkswagen ID.7 Is a Worthy Competitor to Tesla Model 3

The "People’s Car" manufacturer is betting not all drivers want SUVs. Here's everything to know about its powerful sedan.

Volkswagen is bringing us what we hope will be the first of many fun cars, beginning with the rear-wheel, not front-wheel-drive Volkswagen ID.7.

If you’re a fan of VW it’s likely because the brand, somewhat like Mazda and Volvo, occupies an alternative space in the U.S. market. Volkswagens usually default to a sportier ride, the cabins (usually) are a half-grade more upscale, and the instruments and controls are more driver focused. No, VWs aren’t as swanky or as high-performance on the whole as cousin Audi, but they tend to be reasonably priced alternatives to the vanilla.

However, VW also has an unfortunate habit of killing off cars that, yes, tend to be niche, but are still very good: The Passat is dead. So is the VW Sportwagen and Alltrack variant of that wagon. Save your rage, Wagenheads! It’s not Volkswagen that deserves your stink eye, it’s your neighbors who prefer SUVs to cars.  

Here are three reasons Volkswagen ID.7 excites us—and two reasons to still be concerned.

Volkswagen ID.7 Specs: Rear-wheel Drive and a Potent Motor

Volkswagen already sells the ID.4 in the U.S., but that crossover’s base, rear-wheel drive version comes with a rather pokey 201 hp, 229 lb-ft of torque motor that holds back performance. One feature that’s been appealing to new EV customers has been the ultra-fluid acceleration, especially for passing, that’s characteristic of gearless transmissions and electric motors. VW seems to have heard the gripes because Volkswagen ID.7 receives a more powerful rear-drive setup. 

Its new powertrain delivers 282 hp, but more importantly, delivers 406 lb-ft of torque, nearly doubling that figure from ID.4. Indeed, ID.7 should feel quick, and early reports are that it’s getting a fairly firm, sporty suspension, which should relieve VW fans hoping the brand would carry forward its signature character into the gas-less future.

Rear-wheel-drive cars, by default, are more entertaining because you’re not fighting torque steer or having that propulsion tamed electronically. It may go against VW heritage, but look across Germany to peers like Porsche (also a VW corporate cousin) for proof that you want power from the back tires.

A Roomy Interior That Smacks Down Tesla Model 3

Passat left our market last year, but for comparison’s sake, that roomy sedan is being replaced by an even roomier one that’s an inch longer, 1.5 inches taller, and a half-inch wider. Pretty significantly, ID.7 has a much longer (by 6.5 inches) wheelbase. That should lead to far more cabin space and an airier feel than can be had from some key competitors, like Tesla Model 3 with its very cramped second row and Mustang Mach-E, which is great, but also a little tight for back benchers. Bonus, too: ID.7 gets a hatchback design to take better advantage of its swoopy rear end. This is just smart, since every crossover sold is really a hatchback, so why not make all sedans this way?

Standard features on ID.7 include using recycled bottle and ocean plastics to knit a comfortable yarn for seating surfaces. We’ve been lucky enough to try these seats out in ID.4 and in a preview of the forthcoming ID. Buzz and they’re superb; we’d take them over leather any day. Volkswagen also says seats will be heated and cooled, and the cooling system includes a “drying” function, which we presume is using the A/C in a more efficient way to keep you comfortable in humid climates.

ID.7s also get an optional panoramic, electronically dimming glass roof and all models will have a 15-inch touchscreen.

About the latter: Volkswagen acknowledged in the debut of ID.7 that not every customer has loved the controls of various functions in the ID series cars (of which more models are sold overseas than here) and revised some of that interface on ID.7. This is a good thing, since a lot of carmakers followed Tesla’s lead of burying all functions in a tablet-like interface vs. retaining traditional knobs and buttons. Tapping and swiping takes your eyes off the road and that’s not good. VW also says they’ve added augmented reality to the heads-up display as well as more voice-based prompts; we’ll hold comment on these until we get a test drive.

Automated Parking Assistant

One feature we’re curious to try out is an automatic parking system that lets the driver push a button and have the car park itself—or step out and use a proprietary app to park the vehicle. This technology isn’t new, but VW says the car will always “record” the last 55 yards of its environment and, presumably, 3D map them as well. This should make for a more seamless automatic parking experience, and since so many drivers find parallel parking a challenge, the system could be a boon for city dwellers. Volkswagen also says it’ll include several level 2 driving assistance systems as well, though didn’t specifically detail these for U.S. buyers.

Charging Speeds Trail Rivals

Although VW says it’s targeting 300 miles of range from its 77-kWh battery, at least right now Volkswagen is mum on selling a bigger battery version here. Overseas it's going to offer an ID.7 with an 86-kWh battery and that may come here when we get an AWD version, which seems likely since ID.4 is offered this way and ID. Buzz van will be, too.

One additional concern is that VW says maximum charging speed is limited to 200 kW; the new Hyundai Ioniq 6, which is very similarly sized, can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes, with VW saying ID.7 will take a half-hour to do the same deed.

Pricing Could Be Tricky

EV prices continue to peg into the luxury realm. ID.4 bucks this trend by being reasonably affordable and because it’s U.S.A.-made, qualifies for the maximum, $7,500 federal tax credit. 

Unfortunately, ID.7, at least at present, is built in Germany, exempting it from that sticker shock relief. Some peers, like the aforementioned Hyundai, also can’t qualify, and it’s possible VW will find a way to sell us this lustworthy ID.7 at competitive prices, but in the long term you can bet Volkswagen will find a way to make all its EVs in this market.

[From ~$55,000; vw.com]