VW ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus (2024 - )

The Volkswagen ID.7 has been gaining accolades since launch for its styling, performance, range and handling. Up until recently, it was available in trims called Pro Match Plus and Pro S Match Plus, but there is a new flagship model called the GTX Plus which is sold in Saloon and the Tourer (estate) guise. 

At the present time there are no other saloon or estate cars in the VW stable that offer higher performance and the ID.7 GTX Plus Tourer, as tested, is the most powerful estate car that VW has ever built, with the 0-62mph sprint completed in a blisteringly quick 5.5 seconds (5.4 seconds for the Saloon).

The standard ID.7, which is anything but basic, has scooped an array of awards, but now the performance model really raises the bar … at a cost of course.

With one electric drive motor on each axle, both of these GTX versions are equipped with all-wheel drive and lots of extra model-specific design cues to help them stand out in any busy car park.

We put the VW ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus to the test and tried to sum up whether or not it justifies its price-tag which is just shy of £60k before options are added in.

With sleek body lines and muscular curves, the VW ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus boasts plenty of kerb appeal when viewed from any angle. It’s a very long car stretching almost five metres in length, but the VW designers have somehow achieved a dynamic appearance.

Expect to see illuminated GTX badging, sweeping light clusters featuring IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights that enhances visibility at night, unique GTX daytime running lights, sports-styled body-coloured front and rear bumpers, a black contrast roof, flush door handles, stunning red paintwork (£965 extra) and larger 21-inch alloys which were also upgraded on our test car for a £620 fee.

Move inside and the interior is exceptionally spacious with light flooding in through the panoramic sunroof. The 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system is the main focal point and nerve centre of the car, offering quick and easy access to the wealth of on-board technology. 

This includes a pitch perfect 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, sat nav, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a DAB radio and lots more besides. The front seats are powered and can be heated, ventilated and even offer massage functions, while the steering wheel and outer rear seats can also be warmed against the winter blues.

There is a compact screen behind the steering wheel which clearly shows vital driving data such as speed, range and battery charge levels while the head-up display is very much appreciated on a car that possesses such potent firepower. 

We would have liked a few more physical controls, but the efficient voice control system which is activated by summoning IDA, can help with warming or cooling the cabin, amongst other tasks, without taking your hands from the steering wheel.

Powering our test car was an 86kWh battery working in tandem with two electric motors. It can sprint to 62mph from a standing start in a rapid 5.5 seconds and maxes out at 112mph. While the GTX car has the same battery capacity as the standard ID.7, it gains extra power thanks to the addition of a front motor.

As with all electric cars, the driving range between charges is a vital factor and the ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus can deliver a very respectable 359 miles on a combined run which is not too bad for an all-wheel drive model weighing in at 2.3 tonnes.

With such sheer pace on offer, you would expect the acceleration to be smooth and responsive via the single-speed transmission and it’s exactly that with 340PS on tap along with 545Nm of torque.

Overtaking farm traffic or joining a motorway from a slow-paced slip road poses no problems and this car will cruise effortlessly at 70mph. The head-up display is an essential feature as the vehicle hits the maximum speed limit in the blink of an eye and has ample power to go well beyond legal restrictions.

The car is reassuringly balanced and confident though switchback bends and there is no sign of body sway no matter how enthusiastically it’s driven.

Driver visibility is good to make city driving easier and there is a B mode on the gear selector that increases the level of the regenerative braking to make stop-and-go driving more enjoyable.

While the steering weight is good enough for most drivers, it lacks the feedback of real performance models. That said; this car can be driven keenly through long sweeping bends with steep hill climbs taken in its stride. Drive modes called Eco, Comfort, Sport, Traction and Individual alter the characteristics and handling of the vehicle accordingly.

Despite being a more dynamically tuned model, the refinement levels remain impressively high with barely a sound filtering into the cabin and most bumpy road surfaces smoothed out by the highly efficient suspension set-up. This is enhanced by VW’s adaptive chassis control called DCC, which is standard on this car and allows the driver to alter the suspension settings to suit the road and mood.

The VW ID.7 Tourer GTX boasts a strong road presence stretching 4,961mm in length, 1,862mm across (excluding mirrors) and 1,549mm in height. 

With those sorts of dimensions, parking a car that’s almost five metres in length could pose issues. But thankfully, this VW is equipped with Park Assist Plus, a system that will detect if a parking space is adequately sized and even park the vehicle for you. There is also a memory function, which means the car will learn frequent parking patterns for added convenience.

The interior is truly spacious with bundles of room up front for a pair of six-foot-plus occupants. Back seat passengers are treated to plenty of leg and head room too, although the middle seat is narrow and slightly raised. However, the space is perfect for two adults or three youngsters.

Accessing the boot is made easier thanks to the powered tailgate and it can swallow 605 litres of luggage, a limit that increases to a whopping 1,948 litres with the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat.

Elsewhere, there are numerous storage options scattered throughout the cabin, including a fairly compact glovebox, deep central bin, wide door pockets, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, a wireless charging pad and some handy trays.

Charging the car’s 86kWh battery takes 26 minutes to 80 per cent via a 200kW rapid charger, or nine hours to 100 per cent if using a more cost-effective 11kW home wallbox.

An optional extra on our test car was the swivelling towbar with 13-pin electrics that cost £1,050, and with family getaways in mind, the ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus can tow a trailer or caravan weighing up to 1.4 tonnes. This will have quite a heavy impact on the driving range, but the reassurance of all-wheel drive should prevent getting bogged down on muddy surfaces.

The standard ID.7 Tourer is priced from £51,795 and available in trims called Pro Match Plus, Pro S Match Plus and GTX Plus, as tested.

Our test car started out costing £59,815, but options including upgraded 21-inch alloys, an exterior pack featuring an electronic darkening panoramic sunroof, a mode 2 charging cable, Kings Red premium metallic paintwork and a swivelling towbar, resulted in a final price-tag of £63,740.

While the number of financial incentives for EV buyers have been cut right back this year, there are still benefits to purchasing an electrically-powered car. Up until this April, road tax was free, but now there is a first year charge of £10 which will hardly break the bank. However, after 12 months the standard fee of £195 applies.

Additionally, while EV purchases costing in excess of £40k were not previously penalised, owners now face the full force of the Expensive Car Supplement which costs £425 from years two to six of ownership. 

VW has a good reputation for its build quality and all-round reliability and, for added peace of mind, the ID.7 Tourer GTX Plus is also supplied with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty that increases to eight years or 100,000 miles of battery cover.

Finally, our car sits in insurance group 41.

Volkswagen has really raised the bar with its GTX Plus version of the already excellent ID.7 Tourer. It’s a high-performance estate car that ticks all the right boxes when it comes to practicality, styling and driving range, but adds a more spirited driving experience to the mix. 

That means it’s ideal for family tasks, but will never be a chore to drive when faced with twisting country lanes.