Volkswagen ID 7 long-term test: report 2
With the promise of space, comfort and a long range, could the VW ID 7 be the perfect posh commuter car? We're living with one to find out...
The car Volkswagen ID 7 Pro Match Run by Stuart Milne, digital editor
Why it’s here SUVs are flavour of the month, but can a low-slung, sleek hatchback be the ideal family car?
Needs to be spacious, comfortable and brimming with the tech expected of a long-distance executive cruiser
Mileage 6148 Price £51,550 Target Price £51,550 Price as tested £56,080 Official range 383 miles Test range 343 miles
18 August 2024 – Outward bound
After a week grinding through endless traffic jams, I find a relaxed jaunt through the countryside just the tonic. The rolling hills, twisting roads and – hopefully – minimal hold ups, alongside the opportunity to spend some wholesome time with my family makes for a very pleasant way to while away the hours.
To that end, my Volkswagen ID 7 has been pressed into service plenty of times over the summer months for family days out. We’ve had picnics, trips out for countryside walks, camping and paddle boarding – journeys for which the ID 7 has been ideally suited.
Take camping, for example. The boot is simply vast, and swallowed our kit for a weekend at the coast with no problem at all. I ditched the false floor to gain maximum boot space, and because our journey wasn’t long enough to require a charge, the VW's charging cable stayed at home, too.
The boot is a good, square shape, and compartments at the side are useful for carrying smaller bits. And there’s a huge amount of rear leg room, which allowed us to carry a couple of squashy bags in the footwell, too.
It’s been a similar story when we’ve been out paddleboarding. There’s more than enough space for a couple of boards and related paraphernalia, plus picnic gear and even a portable barbecue. And a 12-volt socket in the boot is great for powering a coolbox and an electric pump – because inflating a paddleboard to 15psi by hand isn’t easy.
It’s a shame that there isn’t the ability to plug in three-pin appliances, though, as you can in models such as the Genesis GV60.
Our adventures all over southern England have underlined that it’s perfectly possible to head out into the middle of nowhere – and get back again without the need to panic charge. So much, in fact, that I’ve covered 1878 miles so far in two months without the faintest need to use a public charger.
I’ve seen as much as 383 miles from a charge, but something in the region of 360 miles is more common. Of course, that’s in the warm weather, so it’ll be interesting to see how the cold – and the optional heat pump – impacts things.
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