John Challen reports back on our Volkswagen ID.7 long termer.

Volkswagen ID.7 Pro Match 77kWh

PRICE £51,495 BiK 2% RANGE 383 miles ON FLEET RANGE 320 miles EFFICIENCY 4.5mpkWh

Report 2:

More miles for the ID.7 and more friends being made along the way as Volkswagen’s flagship EV attracts a lot of attention. While its overall appearance is conservative enough for it to blend in, it’s got a presence that means you almost can’t help but notice it. The size is one thing – it’s a pretty long car – but also elements of the styling such as the light bar that stretches across the front of the ID.7.

It has to be said that these are all positives and it people seem more impressed when they get inside the car. I’ve mentioned the seats before – finished in ‘Art Velours’ microfleece with added support – and they are ideal for keeping you comfortable on long journeys. And that’s where a lot of ID.7s are likely to come into their own – motorway cruisers that benefit from nearly 400 miles of driving range.

Elsewhere, the boot has come into action recently when required for some deliveries – the 532 litres being more than ample for the load that featured various items that needed to be distributed. Given its size, the only thing I would’ve liked is one of Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ solutions, the boot supports that keep smaller items in place.

The warmer weather is helping keep the available mileage reasonable, but it has dropped a bit due to a more shorter, urban journeys this month. I’ve got a couple of longer runs lined up, so I’m hoping the trip computer and clever electronics will drag it back up to closer to the WLTP and manufacturer stated maximum. Out on the road, meanwhile, the ID.7 is serene and makes good progress effortlessly. There is minimal noise throughout the cabin, plenty of power when required and the regen braking system – operated by the steering wheel mounted gear lever – works like a treat. It’s even more comfortable since I turned off the IDA voice assistant. Too many occasions where it would spring into action and then be a faff to cancel meant it got put on the subs bench for a while. I’ll go back and revisit it down the line, but I’m enjoying not having the interruptions right now!

First report:

It might seem like you can’t move for SUVs in the car market, but the options for those who favour a more ‘traditional’ style of vehicle, with an electric powertrain, are growing. Step forward the Volkswagen ID.7 – crudely referred to by some as an electric Passat or, alternatively, “the most advanced, capacious and luxurious member of the ID. family yet offered by Volkswagen in the UK”. Not my words [Carol], the words of Volkswagen UK!

Like a lot of drivers, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the controls in Volkswagens but, having driven the ID.7 on the UK launch, I knew that the latest model had undergone a lot of changes, based on some of the feedback the company had received from disgruntled drivers. The main gripe with the first ID.3s (including me) was the lack of physical buttons and common sense with the controls. In the larger ID. model this has been rectified with an interface that is easier to use (more on that over the coming months).

Like many models in this sector, there are plenty of bells and whistles. That means heated seats with massage functionality, heated steering wheel, loads of USB-C ports, a 15-inch infotainment screen, head-up display and much, much more.

The only option on our ID.7 is a heat pump (a £1,050 option); the paint – ‘Grenadilla Black metallic’ – is a no-cost option. There’s also an assistant that, on first impressions, is a little bit over-zealous and tends to butt in when not required, but I’m sure will prove useful at some point over the next six months or so.

On the road, much like the BMW i5 that it replaces, the ID.7 is hugely impressive. Road and tyre noise is limited, performance is good (the zero to 62mph is a more than adequate 6.5 seconds) and it rides and handles well for a car that tips the scales at 2,630kg.

One quirk that took a little bit of getting used to was the gear selector mounted on the steering wheel column – but actually it’s very convenient and probably the type of thing that I’ll miss when stepping into another long-termer.

One final thing to add at this stage is the interior space, which is really impressive. With a recently turned 20-year-old Challen Jnr and two others that are growing up fast, the more rear head and legroom, the better – and, thankfully, the ID.7 offers it in spades.