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Volkswagen ID.7 GTX

Volkswagen ID.7: Quiet as a Poet, Clever as an Engineer

Author: auto.pub | Published on: 20.06.2025

ID.7 – the name might sound like an electric toothbrush or the latest generation of steam iron with more settings than a nuclear power plant. But no, it is something much more German: Volkswagen’s electric bid to convince us that a large, streamlined, quiet, and eco-friendly sedan can be not only a rational choice but also make you feel like you are not trapped in a mandatory innovation seminar where nobody understands what innovation actually means.

The ID.7 is the successor to the Passat and Arteon, essentially a reincarnation of Central European family traditions in electric form: grand, proper, and absolutely convinced it knows what’s best for you. Naturally, it’s built in Emden – a place where things are born from discipline, engineering, and probably a little bit of bratwurst.

With this car, Volkswagen set its sights on nothing less than electrifying Europe. The ID.7 is a German-precision EV manifesto taped to the European car market’s front door with blue electrical tape, declaring that “the future is plugged in.” Meanwhile, in America, the model was quietly tossed aside because buyers there still crave SUVs the size of small buildings with fuel consumption measured in gallons per mile.

Yet, this car won Car of the Year in its home country. At least in that part of the world, it is more than just a silent vehicle. The ID.7 is a sign of the times, showing that even the 'people’s car' can dress in ceremonial pajamas and stage a quiet revolution. Of course, juries have been known to miss the mark before.

If the ID.7 were a person, it wouldn’t enter a room – it would glide in with perfect posture and Italian shoes, leaving a subtle scent reminiscent of polished oak and the quiet wisdom of an intelligent mind. This is not a car that shouts for attention. There are no exaggerated 'futuristic lines' or design cues resembling a work-of-art iPhone charger. Instead, the ID.7 stands proud and silent, like an Oxford professor who knows he’s right but can’t be bothered to prove it to everyone.

The car is nearly five meters long, so forget about fitting into a normal parking space, but on the street, it leaves the impression that you’re either highly successful or completely at peace. The domed roofline falls smoothly like a well-styled hairdo from a luxury salon ad, while the aerodynamic side profile could easily be mistaken for a luxury sedan – if not for the Volkswagen badge.

Up front, Matrix-LED headlights stare at you with the gaze of a smart home robot – not coldly, but with a hint of appraisal. The full-width LED strip isn’t quite 'space age,' but it signals this car was born with the future in mind, not just to tick off CO₂ compliance. At the rear, the pattern repeats: slim, sharp lights reminiscent of a Swiss watch dial and a light bar connecting them into one elegant glowing gesture.

The overall effect does not shout 'look at me!' but rather whispers 'yes, everything is in order – and then some.' It is a car that looks like a Passat that took a year off, traveled Japan, learned meditative design, and came back as a new vehicle. Dignified. Quiet. And remarkably streamlined.

Step inside the Volkswagen ID.7 and it feels as if you have entered a modern Scandinavian design studio where someone decided everything must be comfortable, intelligently arranged, and just a little bit futuristic – but not too much, just pleasantly human.

That’s what they achieved. In the center of the dashboard is a 15-inch touchscreen, more like a home cinema than a car display. In front of the driver sits a modest mini-display showing only what’s essential – speed, gear, battery level, and basic info. It’s minimalist, but not cold – more like someone who speaks little, but is a good listener.

The head-up display projects navigation arrows directly onto the windshield, as if guided by an invisible co-driver who never overdoes it or distracts you in the dark. The details matter: soft surfaces, synthetic leather, Alcantara-like materials – it looks as if Volkswagen decided the 'people’s car' should now don a tie as well.

Oh, and the touch sliders are now backlit! If you have ever tried adjusting the temperature in a Volkswagen at night, you’ll know how big a deal this is – it was easier to find a feminist’s G-spot than the right spot on the slider.

And then the seats – these aren’t just seats. They are massage chairs filled with diligent little Chinese physiotherapists who know exactly when your back starts to tire and gently knead you in the right place. The seats offer ventilation and heating, with rear seats heated as well.

The entire interior feels like Volkswagen’s apology for earlier ID. models. Clearly, they listened to critics and said, “Okay, we messed up. Now let’s do it right.” And they did.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to drive a luxury jet down the highway – only without wings, noise, or a screaming child in seat 21C – the Volkswagen ID.7 comes very close.

Beneath the surface is not just a motor, but an APP550 electric muscle crafted by Volkswagen’s Kassel headquarters, likely by lab-coated engineers listening to Wagner. That means 210 kilowatts or 286 horsepower, delivered through the rear wheels, so this sedan does not just cut through the air – it glides. Zero to 100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds? Not quite a Ferrari, but certainly not a taxi-spec Passat. It’s like a good coffee – not too loud, but definitely wakes you up. The all-wheel-drive top version delivers 340 horsepower and sprints to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

To describe the driving experience, picture sitting on a 2.2-ton bed that can forget its own weight in the corners and do things it really shouldn’t be able to. Thanks to the low center of gravity and a smooth underbody, the ID.7 moves down the road like a calm icebreaker – no waves, no rattles, just quiet motion.

The suspension is as reliable as the German pension system, and even the roughest Estonian spring potholes are ironed over with the dignity of a car saying, “I’m here so you don’t have to feel anything.” Acceleration is linearly silent – overtaking is so quick that before you can say “look, an open lane!” you’re already ahead and back in the right lane.

The steering is more light than sharp – in the city it sometimes feels like an Xbox controller, but on the highway it is reassuringly calm. The electronics act like a discreet bodyguard: never intrusive, but always ready to step in if you get too bold behind the wheel.

And then there’s the silence. If you’re used to highway driving with wind howling, engine rumble, and some odd noise from the right speaker, in the ID.7 all of that is gone. It’s just you, the road, and a sound system that plays Bach as if you were sitting on the organist’s lap.

Best of all: up to 700 km of range on a single charge without needing to stop – unless you want to, not the car. And when you do charge, the ID.7 is topped up in 25 minutes, enough time for a bathroom break and a new cappuccino.

With the Volkswagen ID.7, safety is not just a couple of ticks on the feature list – it is the backbone of the entire car. The facts: in Euro NCAP tests, the ID.7 scored a maximum 5 stars, and not just barely – 95 percent for adult protection, 88 percent for child safety, 83 percent for pedestrian safety. These numbers are no accident. They reflect engineering that takes into account not just metalwork but also human psychology – how people move, react, and need to be protected.

Active safety is where real intelligence shows. The Front Assist system monitors cars, pedestrians, and cyclists – not just in daylight, but also at night, thanks to radar and infrared tech. Lane Assist keeps the car in its lane, helping avoid those moments when your mind wanders and the car starts to drift.

Most impressive is Travel Assist. This is a semi-autonomous system that uses traffic data to maintain speed and lane on the highway, and can even change lanes on its own when you signal. Sounds like science fiction? In reality, it is just a very well-thought-out assistant – especially valuable on long drives when fatigue sets in.

Parking is a step ahead as well. Park Assist helps you fit into tight spaces – quietly, precisely, and stress free. And if you have a tricky driveway at home that looks more like a crime scene from a detective movie, you can record the maneuver – the car remembers the path and repeats it up to 50 meters on its own. You can even get out and watch the process on your smartphone. That’s not just practical – it’s almost elegant.

On the passive safety side, everything you expect from a modern EV is there: reinforced body, underbody battery protection, and a full set of airbags, including a knee airbag for the driver. And if something happens, the eCall system automatically contacts emergency services.

Lighting is next-level, too – the IQ.Light matrix headlights do not dazzle oncoming drivers but illuminate the road as if it were a sunny day. This is crucial on highways where night conditions can change fast.

The Volkswagen ID.7 is not just an electric new Passat – it is like a Passat that got an advanced degree, learned to meditate, and figured out how to understand people. Are all those features really necessary? Probably not, but they are cool and user-friendly.

In summary, the ID.7 is Volkswagen’s quiet revolution: everything feels familiar, yet there is something new in every detail. It is a people’s car that refuses to look cheap – and does so convincingly. It seems Volkswagen finally realized that premium is not just about price, but also about making you smile when you close the door. And the ID.7 will make you smile.