Volkswagen would like you to buy one of its EVs, and the people's car manufacturer shows you can trust its products. The Passat's zero-emission successor was put through Euro NCAP's updated testing procedure. It nearly passed with flying colors. Here's the gist of it.
The VW ID.7 is proof that legacy automakers can make a good battery-electric vehicle when they try harder. The automaker might still have to polish the software, but the sedan looks like a serious contender.
The vehicle will arrive stateside in the second half of 2024 and will be sold as a 2025 model-year unit. Thank you, Europeans, for testing it out first and allowing VW to make any last-minute changes to improve the car for the American market.
The fact that it's already available over the pond means important organizations like the Euro NCAP can test some copies out and tell us what's what in terms of safety. In this day and age, cars can be very smart.
That's an advantage for everyone, including what self-driving companies and other institutions call "vulnerable road users." So, pedestrians, cyclists, bikers, and other traffic participants can be a little calmer when they see the VW logo and the thin LED light bar that appears to aesthetically fix it in place.
The vehicles scored 95% in the adult occupant section, 88% for child occupants, 83% for vulnerable road users, and 80% when the advanced safety systems were put to the test.
The ID.7 Pro lost a couple of points because it doesn't come with a knee airbag, a center airbag for the front passenger, and two more airbags for the rear passengers. Fortunately, if you care deeply about anyone in your car, the chest and pelvis airbags are options that await your check mark.
Euro NCAP concluded that protection "was good for all critical body areas of the passenger." It's easy to see why the organization reached that verdict after looking at the photo gallery or the video below. The ID.7 shows superior structural strength while also crumpling easily to divert the kinetic energy from hurting the passengers even more in case of a frontal or lateral crash.
The sedan can also brake after an impact, which can mitigate more collisions from happening.
Photo: Euro NCAP on YouTube
As part of that computer on wheels concept, the ID.7 has a child detection system that alerts the driver if they forget a small human in the car. It may seem like a useless addition at first, but it's something that can happen. A simple, friendly alert can save a life.
In case of contact with a pedestrian, the VW has an active hood. The actuators can lift it automatically to prevent contact with the metal structure underneath. That's, of course, the solution you want in case the automatic emergency braking isn't enough to bring the car to a standstill.
The driver-assistance systems that can double as backups in case you're not taking timely action are also efficient and jump in just in time to avoid a disaster. Do remember, though, that it's better to drive a little slower than never arrive at your destination. It's a simple philosophy, but it can save you a lot of hassle and worry.
Euro NCAP's rating was achieved by testing the entry-level Pro trim, but the organization says the five-star score applies to the Pro S and GTX trims. If you live in a place where the roads get icy, the latter adds all-wheel drive and more power.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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