VOLKSWAGEN ID 6 X
Chinese-built EV is essentially an extended-wheelbase, seven-seat version of the ID 4
The new ID 6 was intended to be a China-only member of Volkswagen’s rapidly expanding electric car portfolio. However, that might well be about to change, because rumour has it that this car – the German brand’s biggest EV so far – is heading for Europe as an import.
The ID 6 is essentially an extended-wheelbase version of the ID 4, designed to seat seven people. In every other dimension, the two SUVS are very similar, the ID 6 being not quite 40mm taller or 30mm longer. In fact, in the metal, the only easy way of visually differentiating the two is by the badges on the bootlid and the ID 6’s larger rear window.
Two variants exist: the ID 6 X tested here and the stockier ID 6 Crozz, with each being made by one of Volkswagen’s Chinese jointventure partners (SAIC Volkswagen builds the former in Shanghai, Fawvolkswagen the latter in Foshan).
Various powertrain configurations will be offered in China. There are single-motor, rear-wheel-drive cars with a 58kwh or 77kwh battery and 177bhp or 201bhp; and a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive range-topper with 302bhp and the 77kwh battery.
It’s the flagship we’re testing here, and while no Wltp-certified figures yet exist for range, we would expect it to manage slightly less than the 298 miles achieved by the sporty GTX version of the ID 4.
The pervading sense of familiarity with the ID 6 extends to its simplistic interior. It features the same 5.3in digital instrument display as the ID 4, along with the 12in infotainment touchscreen.
Control for the latter is largely via touch-sensitive icons, but there are also some actual buttons lined up beneath. Frankly, the icons could be more sensitive, as we’ve learned with ID models already in the UK, especially for selecting things such as the driving mode.
Indeed, Volkswagen’s user interface remains an issue in general.
Materials in this top-of-the-line Prime car are mainly of good quality, and there are plenty of soft-touch elements beyond the quilt-effect seats. However, the almost-pinkhued plastic marking the upper and lower dashboard division in this car feels somewhat cheap and hard plastics aren’t too difficult to find elsewhere.
Where the Touareg-sized ID 6 excels concerns space. The second row is truly sprawling and the third row will be quite usable by most adults – although taller passengers will struggle to get comfortable for longer journeys, mostly on account of the modest leg room but also because head room is impinged by the gently sloping roof line.
Even so, for an electric sevenseater, the ID 6 is impressive and mostly uncompromised compared with ICE alternatives.
As for boot space, you get a respectable 202 litres even with the second-row seats up, and this grows to more than 1800 litres when both rows of rear seats are folded down.
The top-billing model may benefit from having a motor on each axle, combining to produce approximately 300bhp, but it’s still no performance car.
That said, the steering is nicely weighted and gives some feedback.
It feels adequately natural overall, much like the others in the ID family.
Even on 21in wheels, the ride is on the soft side, although any version of the ID 6 that comes to Europe is likely to do so with a region-specific suspension tune. Our Chinese example might therefore be unrepresentative in dynamic terms, but there’s nothing to suggest that anything would change dramatically.
That leaves Brits with the prospect of a solid package that would surely undercut its Mercedes-benz EQB and Tesla Model Y rivals, only the former of which offers seven seats.