VW ID.7 Sedan: A Complete Guide to the U.S.-bound EV [Update]

Update: ‘Specifications’ section updated.

Nearly 15 electric sedans from global car companies are expected stateside by 2026. One of them will be the VW ID.7, a pure-electric alternative to the VW Passat.

As the electric vehicle revolution continues to gain momentum, it’s sedans and station wagons that seem to be getting left behind. In 2023, customers are increasingly preferring the looks, space, and raised seating position of crossovers and SUVs over traditional sedans. But that doesn’t mean we should write them off just yet – the EV era promises to add excitement and innovation to what was until recently the biggest segment in the United States.

Here’s everything you need to know about the VW ID.7:

Design

The VW ID.7 is the production version of the VW ID. Aero concept from 2022, and for Europe, there would be a station wagon model as well.

The new electric sedan embodies the same design language as the VW ID.3, VW ID.4, VW ID.5, VW ID.6, and VW ID. Buzz. It has an avant-garde exterior with extremely dynamic proportions and fluid elements.

Front

At the front, the VW ID.7 features a muscular hood, sleek headlights (probably with IQ.LIGHT LED matrix technology), a powerful nose section, triangular, vertically positioned side air inlets, and an X-shaped lower air intake with a mesh grille over it.

Side

On the sides, a fast-sloping roofline, a swift kick in the beltline from the rear doors, and the gentle upswing in the lower body behind the wheels give the car a coupe-like look. The C-pillars extend behind the wheel arches, allowing an elongated glass area and a greater feeling of openness for occupants. Some might feel the car looks like a grand tourer. While the Glacier White Metallic unit you see here has 20-inch wheels wrapped in 235/45 R20 (front)/255/40 R20 (rear) tires, we’re certain multiple wheel and tire selections will be available.

Rear

The rear-end of the ID.7 has a dominating character, standing upright. The clear-lens LED tail lights look quite sporty and their feature clusters feature a honeycomb structure. They have an inward extension that gets thinner as it gets close to the brand logo, which, like at the front, is an illuminated badge, and imparts a techy look. The short deck, concave trunk lid, and swoopy lower section lend the car a sporty style.

Interior

The VW ID.7 sedan features a space-focused interior with minimalist vibes. It has a low-profile dashboard that seamlessly merges with the door panels, creating a wraparound effect, slim and wide front AC vents neatly integrated into the dashboard, and floating cockpit displays.

New digital cluster & HUD

The display concept of the ID.7 is slightly different from current ID. models. Volkswagen has harmoniously integrated a new digital instrument cluster into the dashboard instead of mounting the familiar 5.3-inch display over the steering column. It’s slimmer and displays much less information, but the augmented reality head-up display could be an advanced unit, making up for that.

15-inch touchscreen

Where the ID.7 truly stands out from the rest of the ID. models is with its new bigger touchscreen infotainment and climate control systems. While the current ID. EVs ‘settle’ for a 12-inch touchscreen, the ID.7 has a 15-inch touchscreen. Thankfully, it’s not a tablet-like portrait orientation, which would’ve messed with the elegance of the cabin. Apparently, Volkswagen isn’t feeling pressurized by Ford, Tesla, and Chinese EV makers, maintaining its European soberness.

New comfort features

New front seats

The ID.7 is the first Volkswagen with front seats that offer adaptive Climatronic cooling or heating with a drying function. This is an optional feature, though. Also available is a massage function, approved by the German Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR).

New climate control system

Volkswagen has used a new ‘Intelligent Climate Control System’ that recognizes drivers by their key and activates the air conditioning through ‘Smart Air Vents’ that are operated electrically and controlled digitally. The flaps move dynamically and distribute the air over a wide area like fans.

In automatic mode, the climate control system reacts to the climatic surroundings. It sets the temperature and the direction of the airflow according to the position of the sun. The driver and front passenger can adjust the temperature using the backlit touch slider control integrated into the first level of the infotainment system. Volkswagen customers have long asked for illuminated temperature controls, and the company has finally responded, beginning with the ID.7.

Smart sunroof

Like the ID.7’s climate control system, its panoramic sunroof is more advanced compared to the same feature in most other Volkswagens. It has a dimming function that allows the occupants to turn the glass opaque and revert to transparent. It’s possible to change the setting of the smart glass with a touch and also through the car’s new ‘IDA’ voice assistant.

Autonomous driving

The ADAS equipment of the VW ID.7 includes a few semi-autonomous driving functions. Travel Assist with smart data allows the driver to delegate the car its lateral and longitudinal control as needed. The car can use Travel Assist to even support assisted lane changing on highways at speeds above 90 km/h (56 mph). Volkswagen doesn’t talk about this feature in the U.S. press release, though, indicating it doesn’t plan to offer this feature in our market.

Another noteworthy feature of the ID.7 in this aspect is Park Assist Pro with Memory Function, which Volkswagen does specify in our local press release. The car records the last 55 yards driven, thus memorizing the parking maneuver. When the car drives itself out of the parking, the driver can wait outside and monitor the procedure using the smartphone app if they want.

Specifications

MEB Platform

The VW ID.7 sits on the MEB platform that underpins all the current ID. models. Developed from scratch for electric vehicles, MEB allows for designing models with better component packaging for improved space, performance, and efficiency compared to EVs based on modified ICE models, like the VW e-Golf, for instance.

Dimensions

The VW ID.7 measures 4,961 mm (195.3 in.) in length, 1,862 mm (73.3 in.) in width, and 1,536 mm (60.5 in.) in height, meaning it is 1.7 in. longer, 0.7 in. wider, and 1.7 in. taller than the North American Passat (193.6 x 72.6 x 58.7 in.) that it replaces. Its wheelbase, measuring 2,971 mm (117.0 in.), is 6.6 in. longer, which should mean it’s significantly more spacious. For reference, the gas-powered sedan’s wheelbase and passenger volume ratings were 110.4 in. and 101 cu. ft., respectively.

The ID.7 is substantially more aerodynamic than the Passat. While the discontinued car’s drag coefficient was 0.28 C_d, the new car cuts through the wind more efficiently with a drag coefficient of just 0.23 C_d. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is still the benchmark in this segment, though, with 0.21 C_d.

Performance

Volkswagen has used a new, more powerful, and more efficient electric motor in the ID.7. Internally called ‘APP550’ and also ‘MEB Performance,’ the new electric motor is made at the Volkswagen Group Components site in Kassel, Germany, since May 2023. The in-house supplier aims to manufacture around 1,500 APP550 motors per day.

The APP550 motor produces 210 kW (282 hp) and up to 545 Nm (402 lb.-ft.) of torque in the ID.7. It allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 6.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph).

Charging & Range

The VW ID.7 has a 77 kWh battery pack (net) that can accept charging at up to 11 kW (AC)/175 kW (DC). Charging from 0 to 100% using an 11 kW AC charger takes eight hours. When plugged into a DC charger, the charge level can be increased from 10 to 80% in just 28 minutes. On a full charge, it’s possible to travel up to 621 km (386 mi), as per WLTP (Germany). In the U.S., the EPA-est. range will likely be fall between 300 and 325 miles.

Aspect	VW ID.7 Specification
Length	4,961 mm (195.3 in.)
Width	1,862 mm (73.3 in.)
Height	1,536 mm (60.5 in.)
Wheelbase	2,971 mm (117.0 in.)
Turning Circle	10.9 m (35.8 ft.)
Drag Coefficient	0.23 Cd
Cargo Space (w/o rear seats folded)	532 liters (18.8 cu. ft.)
Cargo Space (w/ rear seats folded)	1,586 liters (56 cu. ft.)
Headroom (1st row)	1,030 mm (40.6 in.)
Headroom (2nd row)	961 mm (37.8 in.)
Drivetrain Layout	RWD
Power	210 kW (282 hp)
Torque	545 Nm (402 lb.-ft.)
Battery Pack Capacity	77 kWh (net)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) Acceleration Time	6.5 seconds
Top Speed	180 km/h (112 mph)
Towing Capacity (unbraked)	750 kg (1,653 lbs.)
Max. AC Charging Power	11 kW
AC Charging Time (0-100%)	8 hours
Max. DC Charging Power	175 kW
DC Charging Time (10-80%)	28 minutes
Energy Consumption (WLTP)	14.1 kWh/100 km (14.1 kWh/62 mi)
Range (WLTP)	621 km (386 mi)
Kerb Weight	2,172 kg (4,788 lbs.)
Gross Weight	2,630 kg (5,798 lbs.)

Driving Impressions

Various first driving impressions of the ID.7 suggest that it’s quite an upgrade from the Passat. We expect a firm ride and good body control, thanks to the low positioning of the battery. The lower height and H-point would also naturally translate to a sportier driving experience as compared to an ID.4. The five-link rear suspension promises to iron out bumps and adulation, and make the ride predictable. While we’re disappointed with the lack of one-pedal driving, the 282 hp/402 lb.-ft rear motor (in the ‘Sport’ mode) should be responsive and have no problems building up speed.

VW ID.7 GTX (AWD)

Dr. Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. Family and Chief Marketing Officer for ID. Digital, Volkswagen, confirmed in June 2022 that all future electric launches will receive the hot version with all-wheel drive:

We will continuously expand this brand and offer a GTX variant for every ID. model in future—from the ID.3 to the ID. Buzz.

Dr. Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. Family and Chief Marketing Officer for ID. Digital, Volkswagen (June 15, 2022)

The styling differences between the VW ID.7 GTX and the standard ID.7 could be similar to the ID.4 and the ID.4 GTX trims, such as exclusive wheels, gloss black panels for the intake, unique bumpers, and three honeycomb elements that complement the headlights’ DRLs.

The all-wheel drive ID.7 GTX could be a key rival to the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2, with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint coming up in 5.2 seconds. In case it makes it to the U.S., its EPA-est. range could be around 250 miles. Note that VW does not sell the GTX version of the ID.4 in North America.

Production & Release Date

Volkswagen started manufacturing the ID.7 in Emden, Germany, on August 21, 2023. The Emden factory is the global production hub of the new electric sedan. Like most countries, the U.S. will get the flagship VW EV from the German facility.

On August 24, 2023, Volkswagen launched the ID.7 in Germany at a price of EUR 56,995 (USD 62,245), with features like 19-inch Hudson alloy wheels, AR HUD, Discovery Pro Max infotainment system, and a backup camera included as standard. Even after factoring in the premium features, the price seems steep, but we think the company will release cheaper configurations in the next phase. For reference, the base Tesla Model 3 and base Hyundai Ioniq 6 retail at EUR 41,990 (USD 45,858) and EUR 43,900 (USD 47,944), respectively.

Deliveries of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 rival in the brand’s home market is to commence in Fall 2023. In the U.S., the first customer cars may begin arriving at dealerships in early 2024. Expect prices to start at around USD 50,000.

TopElectricSUV says

The VW ID.7 is the successor to the Passat, featuring a more aerodynamic exterior, a more spacious and cleaner interior, futuristic technologies, and most important of all, a pure-electric powertrain. The fastback is poised to offer a more thrilling driving and riding experience than its combustion-engined predecessor, and with its energy efficiency expected to beat that of the ID.4.

VW ID.7 FAQs

Featured Image Source: Volkswagen Group