Volkswagen ID.7 GTX review
We find out if the Volkswagen ID.7 GTX can live up to the brand’s ambitions for an all-electric version of its famous GTI badge
The Volkswagen ID.7 has proved to be a bit of a life-saver for the German brand.
Its all-electric ID family got off to a shaky start but the arrival of its impressive flagship fastback and tourer seems to have steadied matters and suggested that VW is finally on the right track with its EV line-up.
That being said, the GTX sub-brand has still been struggling. The disappointing ID.4 and ID.5 betraying the vision of a next-generation GTI family that would deliver dynamism and thrills in electric form.
The ID.3 GTX has started to make amends, and now we’ve also got the ID.7 GTX – a more performance-focused version of Volkswagen’s laid-back executive express. But does a sporty ID.7 make sense? And does it live up to the idea of an electric GTI?
Design, interior and technology
The ID.7 is a fairly understated looking car to start with and the GTX upgrades are subtle rather than startling.
They’re the sort of touches that give a car a little more presence but will only be spotted by automotive geeks. At the front, a new honeycomb grille and arrow-head running lights sit in a new bumper, and the VW bonnet badge is illuminated. New gloss black side skirts and a redesigned rear bumper also feature along with 20-inch alloy wheels with a choice of unique designs.
Interior changes are similarly low key. The biggest difference in the ID.7 GTX are bespoke sports seats that offer more lateral support as well as heating, cooling and massage. These are finished with GTX red piping, which continues onto the GTX-specific steering wheel and dashboard.
Apart from those touches, the ID.7 GTX’s interior is largely the same as the regular Pro S car, which means a clean, simple design, acres of space and a fit and finish that’s streets ahead of cars like the ID.4. The one compromise in the GTX’s interior is a smaller middle seat, squeezed by the semi-bucket-style heated outer rear pews.
Go for the slippery fastback and there’s 532 litres of boot space, while the ID.7 GTX Tourer offers up to 605 litres.
Volkswagen ID.7 GTX battery, motor and performance
If the visual differences between the GTX and regular models are subtle, the mechanical differences are more pronounced.
In place of the single rear-mounted 282bhp motor, the GTX gets a two-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. The addition of a motor on the front axle takes total power up to 335bhp, although peak torque remains unchanged at 402lb ft.
The extra power takes the 0-62mph run down from a respectable 6.7 seconds to a rapid 5.4 seconds and the GTX feels pretty potent when you plant your foot. From a standstill or when overtaking, it picks up quickly and doesn’t suffer the feeling of running out of energy that sometimes afflicts EVs.
The ID.7 GTX gets VW’s dynamic chassis control system that unlocks 15 stages of adaptive suspension. In its sportier settings, this brings a distinctly stiffer feel to the ID.7’s ride. Bad surfaces that the regular car shrugs off are much more obvious in the GTX. Conversely, elements that unsettle the regular ID.7 such as undulating surfaces, are less of a problem for the more composed GTX.
While the chassis upgrades mean better body control and sharper steering, the ID.7 GTX never feels as dynamic as its badging suggests. It’s quick in a straight line and controlled on sweeping roads but tighter country routes expose the car’s size, weight and a lack of feel from the steering.
Fundamentally, it packs a punch but lacks poise.
Providing energy to the two motors is the same 86kWh battery found in the Pro S. Here it offers up to 365 miles of range, versus 424, and 200kW charging that will top it up from 10-80% in 26 minutes.
Volkswagen ID.7 GTX price and specification
The GTX is the ID.7 range-topper and comes with a range-topping price of £61,980. To that, you can add thousands of pounds of options including a ‘smart glass’ sunroof and 21-inch wheels.
Much of the extra cost is paying for the extra power and dynamic chassis control. GTX-specific features include the visual upgrades, the fancier seats and a 12-speaker Harmon Kadron stereo. Elsewhere the specification is shared with the well-equipped ID.7 Pro S.
That flagship-worthy spec means everything from matrix LED headlights and a powered tailgate to three-zone climate control and a 15-inch touchscreen running Volkswagen’s new and much-improved operating system.
Verdict
The ID.7 is undoubtedly the flagship of VW’s all-electric range and it’s also the best of the bunch.
But I’m not sure that the GTX is the best of the ID.7 range. If GTX is meant to the new GTI, the ID.7 feels unconvincing.
It’s quicker, yes, and gets some sportier visual upgrades. But it still lacks the dynamism of a truly sporty car and feels happiest at a high-speed cruise, in which case, the single motor model makes just as much sense.
Volkswagen ID.7 GTX
- Price: £61,980 (£64,940 as tested)
- Powertrain: dual-motor, all-wheel-drive
- Battery: 86kWh
- Power: 335bhp
- Torque: 402lb ft
- Top speed: 112mph
- 0-62mph: 5.4 seconds
- Range: 365 miles
- Consumption: 3.8m/kWh
- Charging: up to 200kW