Volkswagen ID.7 - long-term review

VW’s transition to electrification has been bumpy. There’s no question the ID.3 was a rush job, not least in its awful UX, and it sounds like I’m damning the ID7 with faint praise to say it’s better than any of the other IDs. But it unquestionably is. 

It’s also on a par with a few other cars you might not expect it to be. I’m talking about you, Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ and Polestar 4. A slightly odd three-car comparison, but useful in working out the state of play circa early 2025. Mercedes, too, has had bother landing its bespoke EVs but the latest upgrade has ironed out some of the glitches.

The headline stat is the arrival of a 118kWh battery which is good for 511 miles WLTP. I got nowhere near that during the week I had it, but the weather was sub-optimal so we’ll cut it some slack. During a late night run back from Gatwick, the M25 was closed for roadworks – don’t get me started – and although I could have pulled over and slept in the back of the EQS (it even has pillows), this is the sort of car designed to erase the horrors of real life. And it did, as you would expect for £129k.

The Polestar 4’s main USP is something that isn’t there: a rear window. Usually I’m drawn to more left-field cars but this is a bit daft, and the camera mirror messes with your eyes. Look over your shoulder in the time-honoured ‘dad reversing’ manner and you can tell yourself it’s no trickier than driving a van. But I doubt Polestar’s Scandi-cool quasi-SUV is meant to put prospective owners in mind of a Transit. Other than that, it’s an accomplished drive with a truly lovely interior. One of the best, in fact.

Anyway, the point is it made me appreciate the ID.7 all the more. It’s obviously nothing like as plush as the Merc, but it’s on a par in terms of refinement and feels just as well made. It’s not as sharply tailored as the Polestar and isn’t as dynamic, but it’s easier and more intuitive to use. The ID.7 flies under the radar but deserves your attention.