The ID. line-up grows, with an upmarket fastback that will grab the attention of many fleet drivers. By John Challen.

As one of the most successful manufacturers in the automotive world, Volkswagen seems to be handling the shift to an electric future well. In 2023, the company delivered nearly five million cars to drivers all around the world. Meanwhile, in the UK, 22,780 BEVs – predominantly ID.3 and ID.4s – found homes in that same time period.

For 2024, things have moved up a notch with the arrival of an EV with more space, luxury and technology onboard. The ID.7 is a car that is suited perfectly to those who need plenty of driving range, effective connectivity and comfort for longer journeys. The trusted MEB platform has been stretched (literally for the ID.7, as it measures nearly 5m-long (4,961mm, to be exact)), with an impressive wheelbase of 2,971mm. As a result, there is a huge amount of space front and rear. Adding to the sense of luxury and refinement, heated massage seats come as standard and feature automatic air conditioning and an advanced activation function to work on specific muscle groups.

The high-quality seats set the tone for pretty much everything else in the big Volkswagen, with the Pro Match – to be followed by Pro S and GTX variants – offering an impressive list of standard kit. Starting with the outside, just some of the features including LED matrix head- lights; heat insulating glass; electric fold- ing and heated door mirrors and flush door handles.

Moving inside, there’s ambient lighting with a choice of 30 colours, a 15-inch infotainment screen, a heated multi-function steering wheel and much more. One of the biggest additions to the Volkswagen range with the ID.7 is the online voice assistant, IDA. From Q2 2024, the company says it will be compatible with ChatGPT and be able to control elements such as background lighting, set driver profiles and handle requests such as weather forecasts.

Finally, there’s a whole host of ADAS features that often seem to divide drivers, but prove useful in some instances. The list includes park assist, assisted lane change and an exit warning system to keep drivers – and other vulnerable road users – as safe as possible.

The ID.7 will soon feature the largest battery in the Volkswagen line-up – 86kWh – that will enable a theoretical 430 miles between charges. For the vehicle we sampled – the Pro Match – it was a 77kWh unit, which still had the potential to cover a more-than-adequate 384 miles. There’s a new electric motor for the car in Pro Match guise, which generates 286hp and 545Nm of torque.

The result is an engaging and enjoyable driving experience that is quiet, with plenty of performance and all enjoyed within luxury surroundings. The big infotainment screen is clear without being imposing, while the return of a few more buttons in front of the driver is sure to be welcomed by many. ID.7 is almost certainly the best of the ID. bunch, with plenty more options in the range to come later in the year.

Key fleet model: Pro Match 77kWh

Thumbs up: Refinement, space, infotainment

Thumbs down: Wind noise, price

Seven-word summary: A fantastic fastback with shedloads of space

Also consider: BMW i4 / Hyundai Ioniq 6 / Tesla Model 3