Volkswagen's lineup of fully electric vehicles isn't exactly robust at the moment — VW currently only sells the well-received but far from perfect ID.4 crossover/hatchback — but that will change over the next few years. We've already seen (and driven) the European version of the Microbus revival called the ID. Buzz, which isn't due on our shores until mid-2024. Revealed in color-shifting camo today ahead of CES 2023 is the third pillar of Volkswagen's electrified world: the ID.7 sedan.
VW is mum about many details, but we expect it to be a midsize à la the recently departed Passat. The ID.7's nearly 117-inch wheelbase is longer than the Passat's by 6.5 inches, so expect an absolutely cavernous interior. The fastback profile and short decklid also hint that this might technically be a hatchback (though don't expect Volkswagen to call it that) akin to the VW Arteon or Kia Stinger.
Volkswagen claims the ID.7 will achieve 435 miles of range according to the European WLTP cycle, which is typically more generous than our own EPA estimates. Volkswagen also notes that this figure is for "European versions," which hints that these models might be less potent or more efficient than their American cousins. With that in mind, the ID.7 will need around 350 miles of range to compete toe-to-toe with the current segment leader, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range.
Unsurprisingly for a vehicle debuting at CES, at the moment Volkswagen is more interested in highlighting the vast number of exciting features on display in the ID.7. VW says the ID.7 will come standard with a 15-inch horizontally oriented central touchscreen, a narrow digital information screen and an augmented reality head-up display. There will also be a voice assistant that understands context clues. Volkswagen gives the example that if a user says "Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold," the system will automatically turn on the heated steering wheel.
Judging by interior photos, it seems Volkswagen has both learned from and will continue some of the ID.4's mistakes. The center console remains frustratingly touch-only, with a capacitive area below the screen. At least the climate controls are backlit now, solving one of our editors' most vocal complaints about our own long-term ID.4. Also on the please-fix-for-production wish list are the steering wheel buttons that lie under a gloss black rocker panel. The layout is especially curious given that Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer recently announced that VW steering wheels would begin incorporating physical buttons again.
