You’re looking at the all-new Volkswagen ID.7, the new flagship of VW’s ever-growingand one of ten electric models to be launched by 2026. Designed to target the upper-midrange segment, it’s an Arteon-sized saloon that debuts new powertrain tech under the skin, and some much-needed new thinking in its cabin. It’ll be launched worldwide and will hit Europe and China this year, with North America to follow in 2024. The ID.7 will be manufactured in Volkswagen’s plant in Emden, Germany.
. This isn’t a memorable looking car; this is the considered, understated approach of the ID range, stretched to be saloon-sized.The ID.7 debuts a raft of new technology seen for the first time in any ID car. Powertrain-wise, the electric saloon comes with a new 210kW motor which features stronger magnets, more windings, a higher wire cross-section and improved cooling.
VW engineers were also keen to point out the amount of customisation on offer now; there are ‘favourite bars’ for your most-used apps, it’s possible to create your own ‘tiled’ home screens, and you can also customise a ‘car control centre.’ There’s also a range of shortcuts which owners will almost certainly learn and use to speed things up even more.
It’s not all good news though. VW’s Smart Air Vents can be saved to user presents or be used in conjunction with the car’s voice controls – but alarmingly they can only be moved via the touchscreen. The result? If you want to change the direction of the events you’ll need to go into a dedicated screen and drag each one, or call out a setting to the car’s IDA voice assistant.
No mention of price, as is usual now for EV articles. The public wants affordable, commute capable cars, not big, stupidity complicated, break the bank cars that make their buyers shake their heads and wonder why they bought them.