Living with a Volkswagen ID7: My final verdict on this wafty electric car

This is my Volkswagen ID7 Tourer – a big, comfy electric estate car which I’ve been using for the last few months for everything from commutes to the office to ferrying my three-year-old to and from nursery.

Now it’s time for my final thoughts on the ID7. I’ll tell you three things I loved about this car, as well as three things which annoyed me. I’ll also explain why I’d buy the cheaper, slower Pro S over the sporty GTX model.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Three things I loved about my Volkswagen ID7

I always like to start on a positive note, so here are three of my favourite features of the Volkswagen ID7.

1. It’s incredibly comfortable

I do a lot of miles between car launches, driving the family around and commuting to the office, and the ID7 makes every journey relaxing. The seats are supportive, you get minimal road or wind noise and the suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps in the road.

I also love the adaptive cruise control system. On the motorway you barely notice it working, it’s so smooth and seamless. For eating up motorway miles, there are few electric cars I’d rather be in.

2. Insane practicality

The ID7 Tourer is proof that you don’t necessarily need an SUV if you’re after a practical family car. It makes a great case for the old-fashioned estate car. The rear seats are palatial, with more than enough space for my son’s child seat or tall adults.

I spent a few months with both the ID7 Fastback and the Tourer estate version, and both have massive boots. The estate is the most practical though, thanks in part to the additional space but mostly because of the easier access you get from the square opening and low load lip.

3. The interior is lovely

I was really impressed with the ID7’s interior quality. Everything feels solid, there’s loads of soft-touch plastics and the ambient lighting looks great as well. I also really liked the seats, which are covered in a nice Alcantara-esque material.

Then there are the clever touches, such as the starting procedure. There’s no button to press, it’s ready to go when you sit in the driver’s seat, then it switches off when you get out. I like the column-mounted gear selector as well – it’s a small touch but it makes tricky manoeuvres easier to execute.

Things which annoy me about my ID7

No car is perfect, and there were a few things which I didn’t like about the Volkswagen ID7.

1. Some annoying tech

The touchscreen in the ID7 is a huge improvement over earlier ID models, like the first ID3, but it’s still not perfect. The fact you have to use it to move the air vents is crazy to me, and I had issues connecting to Android Auto from time to time.

I also don’t like the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel. Volkswagen has been slowly getting rid of these in favour of proper buttons, but the ID7 still uses them and they’re a faff to figure out on the move.

2. A size problem

The ID7 is insanely practical thanks to its massive interior, but that also leads to a massive exterior. This is a really long car, over 400mm longer than a Volkswagen Tiguan, and that means it spills out over most normal parking spaces. Not having an SUV’s high driving position can also make it tricky to navigate through tight spaces.

3. The GTX makes no sense

I spent a few months with the sporty GTX version of the ID7 before taking delivery of my Pro S Tourer, and the latter is by far the best buy. The GTX is almost £4,000 more expensive to buy than the Pro S, but it’s not really any more fun to drive on a twisty road. Both cars are just big, comfy cruisers.

The Pro S also does around 35 miles more on a charge than the GTX (I was getting roughly 310 miles out of it, versus 275 miles in the GTX), and day-to-day you barely notice the drop in power.

Living with a Volkswagen ID7: my final verdict

I’ve really enjoyed my time with the Volkswagen ID7. It’s relaxing to drive, spacious and easy to live with, even if it does have some annoying tech on board.

The single-motor Pro S Tourer would be my pick of the range. It’s the most practical ID7, it’s the cheapest to run and it’s less expensive to buy than the GTX. I also reckon the estate bodystyle is better-looking than the Fastback.

I’m sad to see it go – I’ll struggle to find a better family-friendly electric car.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on WhatsApp, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.