Tag Archives: automotive

electric, Family hatchback, Motoring, Volkswagen

ID.7 is the best EV from Volkswagen by a distance

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Volkswagen’s ID.7 Tourer combines appealing design and functionality, offering a 445-mile range, spacious interiors, advanced technology, and strong safety systems. Priced from £55,260, it effectively balances luxury and practicality for families.

Volkswagen is producing some seriously good cars in the moment. I say at the moment, it nearly always has, but this big ID is its best EV yet.
The market is all about SUV/crossovers, so the big family saloon/tourer bucks the trend somewhat, but seems to have limited competition around. Except maybe for the VW Group stablemate Skoda Superb.

The German brand has clearly put some serious thought into the aesthetics of the ID.7. This car boasts a drag coefficient of 0.25. The aerodynamic profile not only looks good but also contributes to its claimed range of 445 miles.

Range anxiety is decreasing as battery power delivers and an ID.7 Pro S with a standard technology package and output of 210 kW  or 286 PS, recently covered a distance of 585 miles on just one battery charge on a test run in Italy.

It’s huge at just under five metres, although this  tourer has a slightly taller roof, with roof rails to allow for extra capacity.

Standout features include the illuminated VW badge on the slim grille while to the rear, there are tinted windows with a horizontal LED light strip.

Other features include body-coloured bumpers and door handles; gloss black door mirrors with integrated indicators, black roof; silver roof trim strip and 19-inch alloy wheels round it all off.

The interior offers a spacious layout with generous head and legroom, large glass panels and minimal clutter.
The build quality is the best yet and improves on some of the cheaper finishes on earlier models. Exactly what you would want for a motor costing in excess of £55k.  

For that you get plenty of standard equipment, but this model managed to add another £4k worth of extras.

The gear selector is a rocker switch located behind the steering wheel, and the absence of a handbrake lever creates extra space between the front seats for a large central console with deep storage capacity

The comfortable seats are heated with power adjustments and lumbar support and there are leather style trim to steering wheel and door and soothing  ambient lighting with 30 colour options.

The vehicle is equipped with a 15-inch display, an augmented reality head-up display and operates the sat nav with preloaded European maps, speed limit display, and the ability to connect two mobile devices simultaneously. Infotainment includes a DAB digital radio, 8+1 speakers

 Additional features include an online voice assistant, and multiple USB-C ports along with wireless smartphone charging. The optional panoramic sunroof can toggle between opaque and transparent modes via touch or voice commands.

You would expect an estate type vehicle to have plenty of  luggage  space and this is no exception, with a  compartment volume of 605 that expands to a cavernous 1,714 litres

Range anxiety is a diminishing problem with more efficient batteries and a growing charging grid country-wide. The model features an 87 kWh battery mated with a 286 PS motor, which deliver rapid pace and hits 60mph in just 6.7 seconds.  It also produces a massive 545Nm of torque, making it ideal for towing.


As for that huge claimed range, I got nowhere near it, and with a week of filthy, wet, dark and cold weather, it was difficult to tell . But I reckon 350 might have been nearer the mark and the car went back with plenty of range left. Fast charging allows for a 10-minute charge that provides 126 miles of range and can go from 10% to 80% in 28 minutes.

For a big vehicle it handles really well, offering good stability on corners with plenty of grip. But it really is a comfortable, practical estate, at home around town and particularly pleasant on long motorway journeys.

It is packed with safety kit that includes a full complement of airbags, driver fatigue detection, electronic stability control with traction control and a reminder system for unfastened seat belts.
Additional features assisted braking and various traffic and pedestrian warnings.

Factfile

Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer Pro S Match
Price: £55,260
Mechanical: 286PS electric motor and 89kWh battery powering rear wheels via single speed auto transmission
Max speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 6.7 seconds
Range: 424 miles
Insurance group: 38
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
BiK rating: 2%
Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

BYD, Motoring, SUV, SUV/4X4

BYD Sealion 7: Rapid Charging and Exceptional Range

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BYD Sealion 7: Tesla Rival with Cutting-Edge EV Tech

BYD’s Tesla rivalling SUV is part of the Ocean Series, it features advanced battery tech, AI, and top-tier performance. It reportedly outsold Teslain the last quarter of 2024 and is now producing battery and charging technology that allows a top up to 80 per cent just five minutes.

Highlights:

  • Blade Battery: Durable lithium iron phosphate (LFP) with extreme stability.
  • Three Models:
    • Comfort (£46,990): 230 kW motor, 82.5 kWh battery, 300-mile plus range.
    • Design (£51,990): 390 kW AWD, 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds.
    • Excellence (£58,990): 91.3 kWh battery, 312-mile range, 230 kW ultra-rapid charging.
  • Fast Charging: 10-80% in 32 minutes (Comfort/Design) or 24 minutes (Excellence).

Design & Tech:

  • Sleek SUV with LED lights, panoramic roof, and rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen.
  • DiPilot driver-assist, vehicle-to-load (V2L), and 12-speaker audio.

Performance:

  • Instant acceleration, smooth ride, and AWD models hitting 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds.
Full review

Sealion SUV already making waves

By Bill McCarthy

BYD, the Chinese car maker, may be an unfamiliar name to many. But if the firm has its way it will be more recognisable name than Tesla. It is growing at scale, with its latest model, the Sealion 7, remarkably, the fourth to be offered the UK in a shade over two years, offering a mixture of cutting edge battery technology and increasing use of AI.

What is clear is that BYD, originally a battery maker, brings real expertise in that field with what it says is the world’s fastest mass-production electric motor, capable of reaching 23,000 rpm.

It is the latest in what BYD describe as the Ocean Series, incorporating the Dolphin and Seal, with a maximum range, depending on model of 312 miles and an an extremely rapid 0-62 mph time of just 4.5 seconds.

Not only that, it is a very capable SUV that has the Tesla Model Y firmly in its sights, having recently surpassed it in sales. Whether that is totally down to BYD quality, or the popularity of Tesla’s owner remains to be seen.

There are three versions: Comfort, Design and Excellence the latter pair both being all wheel drive while entry level is driven via the rear wheels.

  • Comfort: Starting at £46,990, this model features a 230 kW (312 hp) motor and an 82.5 kWh battery, providing a range of up to 300 miles. 
  • Design: Priced from £51,990, it includes a second motor, delivering 390 kW (530 hp) while maintaining the same battery. 
  • Excellence: This top-tier model starts at £58,990 and boasts a large 91.3 kWh battery, extending the range to 312 miles.

Both AWD versions accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds, compared to the Comfort’s 6.7 seconds.

Built on the new Platform 3.0 which is designed exclusively for electric vehicles it features BYD’s compact Blade battery that allows for more cells in a slimmer pack using lithium iron phosphate (LFP), said to be more durable than traditional lithium-ion.

The firm says the cell design ensures high stability, even under extreme conditions like overcharging, crushing, or puncturing.

It looks the part all right, It is a handsome-looking SUV, sporty but aerodynamic and featuring ‘floating’ LED headlights and to the rear, a full-width light signature all set off nicely by stylish 20-inch alloy wheels.

The spacious interior is a comfortable place to be, offering plenty of light from the full length, colour adjustable, panoramic roof. It seats five in comfort and has an eight-way electric driver’s seat and a premium feel to fixtures and fittings. It is dominated by a rotating 15.6 tablet style central screen that controls major functions.

New software delivers better integration of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, allowing direct access to smartphone functions on the 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and head-up display, which shows speed and safety data. 

It also features DiPilot driver-assistance features and a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function for powering external devices.

The new voice control system recognises commands from both front and rear passengers, (although some commands it seemed incapable of delivering) and the infotainment includes with a 12-speaker audio system.

On the road, the car performs well, instant acceleration, while occupants enjoy a comfortable quite ride. Handling is pretty good for such a big car, with little evidence of wallow. The test run was not long enough to determine range, however.

Charging just gets easier. The Comfort and Design models can accommodate DC charger speeds of up to 150kW, enabling a 10 to 80 per cent charge in just 32 minutes, while the Excellence supports ultra-rapid charging of up to 230kW, lopping eight minutes the 80 per recharge time despite its larger battery.