That’s why it still hasn’t beaten the Tesla Model S

Our car tester Rutger tests the Volkswagen ID.7, the German brand’s flagship electric car, for a month. Today: how to run id.7?

There are cars that you get in and out of the car just for fun. There are cars that are not very attractive. And there are cars that you only stay in if you have no other choice. How did that happen? What makes a car fall into one category or another? The last two are easy to separate: if the car is noisy, if it forces you to go through the speed bump at 3 km / h (because otherwise you will loosen your seat), if it makes you feel in every bend it means that. you have to be alert to avoid slipping or falling over; then you would like to ride your bike. But what’s the difference between a car you ride for fun and one that’s just fine?

Two things: the environment and the cooperation between the driver and the car. By environment I mean: how does it feel to be inside the car? Are the seats comfortable? Does time seem to have been spent on interior design? Doesn’t the car make scary noises just because you’re sitting in it? Does the steering wheel feel good in your hands? Is the most important task easy to perform? Do the pedals and steering wheel respond as you expect? Does the car invite you around? Does it feel capable at higher speeds? A car that you drive for fun meets all those conditions.

Comfortable and chic

Volkswagen ID.7 is a strange car in that sense. The atmosphere is excellent. The glass roof can be converted to tempered glass with a swipe, the seats have an extensive massage menu and the interior is chic without being stark.

But a car of this size will never invite you to go around quickly. 286 hp is more than enough, but it does not turn a racing car into a business car. ID.7 is always attractive on the way in. Not to explode in the province, but to go back and forth to Bremen on Sunday or spend the afternoon in Maastricht. ID.7 wants to take you wherever you want in peace and comfort. That’s the driving experience. Comfortable, quiet, pleasant.

Buttons and infotainment

Two things explode in that experience. The buttons on the steering wheel will one day be replaced with actual push buttons, but for now we’re stuck with swipe/click surfaces that make accurate volume adjustments difficult. You can live with it, but it distracts from the indifferent presence in VW.

The infotainment system is better than it used to be, but compared to the comfort you get in the cockpit, it’s all busy. For example: you can choose whether you want to turn off the assistance systems in the list or with the picture in the car. On the one hand that is understandable, on the other hand it is an additional set of buttons in the system. It feels more Windows than Apple. The system is reducible to its nature. The voice assistant should also be given a very good place because he doesn’t understand me often.

This combination means that the ID.7 still can’t beat a car like the Tesla Model S. It rides lower because it has a stiffer suspension, but Tesla’s software works more seamlessly and transparently. So it just depends on how many buttons you push in your life.

Next week we’ll include a list of competitors to compare.

Also read part 1 of this Endurance Test for pricing, specifications and ID design. 7.

For more electric car reviews, follow the Extreme Time Trial updates.