The final internal combustion-engined Passat comes exclusively as a wagon. The sedan was indirectly replaced by the zero-emission ID.7, which received a long-roofed sibling on February 19. Come March 13, the ID.7 Tourer will spice things up with more power and sportier touches.
Our spy photographers captured the newcomer while testing near the Arctic Circle, with the black-painted wagon appearing to be as close to production specification as it gets. Only the badging is camouflaged, leaving the larger alloy wheels and the honeycomb-inspired front grille untouched.
Visual changes further include sharper front and rear bumpers. The Wolfsburg-based colossus further worked its magic in the suspension department, with the GTX riding lower than both the 86-kWh Pro S and 77-kWh Pro versions. It should be mentioned that Pro S and Pro mean rear-wheel drive, whereas GTX levels up to a couple of electric drive units for pretty obvious reasons.
Not only does the ID.7 GTX Tourer promise better acceleration from a dig, but it should feel a lot better in the corners. All-wheel drive makes a world of difference in the twisties, especially if a given vehicle happens to weigh more than two tons.
Volkswagen hasn't confirmed the curb weight of the ID.7 GTX Tourer just yet. However, we do know the rear-drive ID.7 Tourer Pro tips the scales at 2,193 kilograms (4,835 pounds). An additional electric motor and the larger battery pack might very well push the GTX to approximately 2,300 kilograms, which is absolutely ridiculous. For reference, the Passat Variant R-Line 1.5 eTSI weighs 1,572 kilograms (3,466 pounds).
Photo: SH Proshots
Previewed by the ID.X Performance Concept in September 2023, the ID.7 GTX Tourer won't be as thrilling as the show car. Instead of the concept's 411 kW (558 ps or hp), the series-production model is expected with 250 kW (340 ps or 335 hp) on tap. Otherwise put, it's marginally better than a Golf R 333 Limited Edition's 328-horsepower turbocharged mill.
For an electric vehicle, peak torque and how quickly said torque is generated matter a lot more than sheer power. With the technically similar ID.5 GTX rated at 579 Nm or 501 pound-feet as opposed to 420 Nm or 310 pound-feet for the Golf R 333, which needs a few revs to generate peak torque, the upcoming ID.7 GTX Tourer will be the opposite of a slouch.
Sure, it might look sporty. And sure, it might be quick from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour). But unless Volkswagen prices it accordingly, who is going to buy it? Case in point: the ID.7 Tourer starts at €54,795 in Germany, whereas the Audi A4 Avant advanced 45 TFSI quattro S tronic is €54,400 at the moment of writing. That's $59,860 and $59,430, respectively, with the quattro-equipped Audi wagon requiring 5.7 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour.
It will be a tough sell, alright! Because the ID.7 Tourer isn't meant for the North American market, don't get your hopes up for the ID.7 GTX Tourer hitting dealer lots in North America either.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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