I’ve been driving a VW ID.7 Touring Match Pro, got it on a really cheap lease for my own company. With the tax benefits, I think it’s actually cheaper to run than some of the older cars I’ve driven before.
Took it on a longer road trip today, and here are my impressions.
First of all, the matrix lights are amazing. I was worried they’d blind other drivers, but the auto lighting system works flawlessly. Definitely something I won’t want to give up in future cars.
The adaptive cruise control is a great feature, but I had to turn off the intelligent speed limit control—it just doesn’t work well. It kept registering roads as having incorrect speed limits, so I ended up adjusting the speed manually. The controls are a bit awkward; it’s hard to make small 1 mph adjustments, so I mostly just went with 5 mph increments.
Now, about the lane-keeping function… it’s awful. It seems to fight you when you’re overtaking and trying to return to your lane. I don’t plan on using it again.
On the plus side, the overtaking power is incredible. It’s smooth with no gears to worry about—it just accelerates effortlessly.
I also had an incident with the automatic braking system when someone pulled out in front of me. The system braked harder than I would have, but it was actually reassuring, even though I didn’t think I’d like it.
Overall, I love the car, but I’ve only got it for 2 years, so I’ll see if I feel the same at the end of the lease.
Terry said:
You said the lane-keeping function was fighting you—doesn’t it stop if you use the turn signal?
I don’t use signals when moving back into my lane after overtaking. I was trained that it’s not necessary, and I guess I’m too set in my ways to change now just for the car.
Bailey said: @Jaden
No offense, but that’s not the right way. The signal isn’t for the car, it’s to let other drivers know what you’re doing.
It’s not about changing lanes on a highway. I’m talking about overtaking in situations where I’m driving on the wrong side of the road for a bit, then coming back. In those cases, signaling isn’t really required.
@Jaden
But logically, if you have lane-keeping on, the car will try to keep you in your lane unless you indicate otherwise. Signaling would tell it to stop trying to keep you in the lane. Makes sense, right?
Lane-keeping issues like this often happen if you don’t fully activate the turn signal. Just tapping it for a quick flash might not be enough. Try pushing it down all the way—it works for my ID.3.
@Freddie
Yeah, I heard about the ID.4 stop-sale. They don’t expect to fix the issue until 2025. It’s a mess, but at least they’ve got the ID.Buzz coming out soon.