Electric Passat Station Wagon? VW Does the Unthinkable, and I Might Actually Want One
Let's get the biggest shock out of the way first: Volkswagen finally built an electric car I’m not going to roast into oblivion. At least not until I drive it. Meet the VW ID.7 Tourer – they really should ditch that generic label in favor of something punchier and more familiar…but I digress.
This thing just might be the electric Passat wagon we've always wanted, the one VW should have kicked off its EV revolution with instead of those weird ID.3 and ID.4 hatchbacks. Why? Because wagons rock, and that "Tourer" name hints at some serious road-trip potential. Just look at it! Sure, it might not be as stylish as some of the sleek electric sedans out there, but there's a certain "sleeper" vibe to it. Nobody's going to expect this boxy thing to silently whoosh past them.
What does this magical Tourer hold under that extended roofline? For starters, the boot holds 545 liters (19.2 cubic feet) with the seats up and a ridiculous 1714 liters (60.5 cubic feet) with them folded flat. Plenty of room for luggage, or even your dog! Well, provided they haven't chewed through the charger out of spite…don't give them that look.
Okay, enough practicality! Here's the big deal: VW is promising a range of up to 426 miles (685 km) on the bigger battery model. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, this isn’t one of those concept car promises; this is the real deal. Of course, that’s assuming you're driving like a saint. Still, if you manage to squeeze even 350 miles (563 km) out of it, this could be the grand tourer EV we’ve been waiting for. You'll also find a 282 hp (286 PS) motor making about 402 lb-ft (545 Nm) of torque on the back wheels. It won't break any speed records, but it should hustle the Tourer along just fine.
The even better news is that the all-wheel-driver GTX version is on its way. If hauling IKEA furniture at break-neck speeds is your thing, then this at least 340-hp wagon is worth the wait. It’ll use the same powertrain we already seen in the Buzz GTX and in the wild-looking Cupra Tavascan. If the Tavascan can deal with the 0 to 60 sprint in 5.6 seconds, I’d expect the Tourer to be close behind it. Not bad for an electric all-rounder.
Inside, this VW gets that giant (thankfully improved) 15-inch touchscreen and enough high-end features to make your old ICE car seem ancient. Massaging seats? Voice assistant powered by ChatGPT? It feels like this was created by someone who saw the criticism that VW's infotainment is as fun to use as a DMV's online forms. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Now, there’s no word on US pricing yet, but in Europe, this big battery Tourer could cost around €65,000 - that’s nearly $70,000. For reference, that's more than an entry-level BMW i4. Does the VW justify it? Probably not, but that's also kind of the appeal. It's the slightly rebellious underdog that makes you grin while plugging it in, knowing you probably made the practical choice and that’s just a dash more satisfying than buying into the Tesla cult.
While I’m all giddy about the first electric wagon from Volkswagen, I’m even more excited about what follows. Because the VW is playing the role of an usher - hot on its heels, we have the Audi A6 Atron e-tron waiting to be tapped into the ring. This 476 hp brute is using the same modular APP550 powertrain that in VW is limited to 350 hp, showing there’s more to the “550” moniker than just a random number. I can’t wait!
All in all, this VW ID.7 Tourer seems shockingly sensible for something with that overly technical “ID” designation. It's the sort of car your family might actually love on holiday or, dare we dream, that might finally win some enthusiasts over to the dark side. Let's hope VW actually delivers on all these lofty electric promises – who knows, maybe after a few long drives they'll even realize there's space on the tailgate for a proper name. Maybe something starting with P…
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
