VW ID.7 test: That's how good it is in winter driving

For many years, it was the Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Avensis and Ford Mondeo station wagons that dominated the family car market in Norway, eventually with all-wheel drive.

The SUV then took over the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Tiguan at the top, despite less space, poor handling and a higher price.

The VW Passat Alltrack and Skoda Octavia Scout have tried to combine the two types of cars, but now it's electric cars that have taken over anyway, with all-wheel drive SUVs taking over.

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Special finishing, silver details and distinctive taillights across the entire width of the car alleviate the boring look. Photo: Andreas Schell/FinanceAffairs

The VW ID.7 may be the car to dethrone these SUVs, but it's questionable whether the two-wheel-drive sedan will be the one to do so. A sedan is already a reality with some modifications, as the large, sloping tailgate means the car should be identified as a coupé-combi, but the car will soon come as a station wagon with all-wheel drive, perhaps making that even more likely. Success then.

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In contrast to the classic front-wheel-drive Passat, the ID.7 pulls the rear wheels, an advantage when accelerating, cornering and when it comes to accessibility.

Simplicity combined with a large screen is being used by a growing number of automakers, and the ID.7 is, with a few exceptions, easy to use and well equipped. Photo: Andreas Schell/FinanceAffairs

Snow storms

However, eastern Norway at the turn of the year was more reminiscent of Hardangervidda than coastal areas and the car was able to drive properly while the Swedish Road Administration warned that yr.no there was no record traffic and public transport was at a standstill.

Driving on normal roads with icy and sometimes a lot of snow goes well, and with ESP in Sport, you don't lose all your power every time you use a little fuel. At the same time, you can play around a little with the understeer and you'll always know how smooth it actually is.

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On small, steep roads covered in snow and ice, the combination of two-wheel drive and non-studded winter tires is not an ideal combination, but the test car equipped with Continental VikingContact 7 in 255/40 and 235/45 dimensions on 20-inch tires solved the challenges, if slowly.

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The car also coped with the demands of hill starting, and although it felt like it would stall, the people's car was able to move forward with a simple turn of the wheels and electronic assistance without having to reverse and speed or give up and call the emergency services.

The braking distance also increases in such conditions, but with intelligence and/or experience, in most cases things also go well and the car passes the winter test. Extras such as heated seats and steering wheel plus a cabin pre-heating app also come in handy, as do heated washer nozzles, heated windshield and rear seats and a heat pump system. You can also pre-heat the battery before charging to stop a shorter charge, either via navigation or a handy manual button.

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You'll find some plastic, but plenty of smooth surfaces, contrasting stitching and subtle detailing leave a good impression on board. Photo: Andreas Schell/FinanceAffairs

Winter range

You then have a theoretical charging power of 175 kilowatts, allowing you to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 28 minutes. This will of course vary slightly depending on temperature and charging station, but it is slightly less than Porsche, Tesla, Xpeng and Audi e-tron GT, which range between 250 and 300 kW.

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If you have a good enough charger at home and work, you can charge the ID.7 with a built-in 11kW charger, which means a full battery every day.

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Then, according to WLTP measurements and the vaunted brochure, you should manage up to 614km, or 587km for the test car with big wheels and some equipment – ​​in summer. However, with freezing temperatures, snow on the road and some highway driving, the range is significantly reduced.

The car's odometer showed 389 km with a full battery initially and after 162 km of driving the battery was half full/half empty, which means 324 km if you drive it completely empty. However, a drop in range of up to 44.8 percent compared to WLTP is not unusual, when conditions are as bad as can be when King Winter rules brutally in Norway. Gothenburg, Dover, Laerdal and Kristiansand are still within easy reach if you start in Oslo, so it's not a complete crisis.

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The chassis is adaptable and adjustable depending on the driving settings, where throttle response and steering are also affected. You'll enjoy this more during summer driving, but the car feels comfortable in more ways than one.

While you're on board, you'll also enjoy the so-called electrically adjustable ErgoActive seats with massage, heating and cooling in partial leather with velor as part of the Interior+ package for NOK 67,750.

The car also has a comfortable multi-function leather steering wheel, although the operating surfaces are a bit rough.

The sloping roofline makes the tailgate frame low for tall people and dark, but space is very good for those with long legs. You also have a 60/40 split back seat with a ski hatch and a spacious trunk. You'll find some plastic inside, but most surfaces are upholstered or covered in leather and Alcantara, while lined door pockets are a neat detail.

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The electric dimming glass roof is nice, but it's part of the extra equipment in the Exterior+ package for NOK 31,125. The swivel trailer hitch, which can handle 1000kg, is also a plus.

The dashboard is compact and contains the essentials, the head-up display allows you to keep your eyes on the road, while the central touchscreen is intuitive and comprehensive. There are a number of quick buttons for apps, car settings, drive mode and assistance systems making it easy to use, and you don't have to press them multiple times to turn off lane changes and speed warnings.

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Confounded

The volume and temperature touch surfaces are certainly difficult to operate, and the Ida voice control assistant likes to break into conversations or when singing along with the 12-speaker, 700-watt Harman Kardon system. Other than that, it is able to help you with phone, temperature, climate, and much more.

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Two selectable buttons for the four windows and a separate button for the rear windows is strange but certainly commonplace. The shift lever is a copy from a BMW i3 and we couldn't find a height adjustment for the windshield screen, but if there was one, we'd take it.

The ID.7's shape is reminiscent of many of the aerodynamic, soap-bar-inspired electric cars on the market, but some light lines, distinctive side skirts, silver detailing, a black roof and dark windows save some of the image. Advanced Matrix LED headlights are useful when driving on dark country roads, as are the numerous safety systems.

This article was previously published in Finansavisen engine.