Volkswagen bills its just-debuted iD.7 Tourer as the “electric all-rounder of a new era.” The same press release acknowledges that, strangely, the electric estate car segment is somehow burgeoning. The new VW product joins the i5 Touring, Taycan Cross Turismo, and more as “one of the world’s first electric estate cars in the upper mid-sized class.” It’s not untrue, but it’s definitely a little bit of a stretch. Either way, here’s how the new VW iD.7 Tourer compares to the i5 Touring, the newest EV wagon from BMW.
Exterior Design
First up: is the i5 Touring larger or smaller than the newest Touring from VW? Well, most exterior details of the iD.7 Tourer carry over from the sedan/fastback version. So, it stands to reason that the i5 Touring is slightly longer, measuring 5,060 mm compared to the VW’s 4,961 mm. It’s a bit wider, too – 1,900 mm compared to 1,862 mm. Despite being shorter and narrower, the ID.7 Tourer sits 21 mm higher, at 1,536 mm high.
Both vehicles have wheels ranging from 18 to 21 inches. They’ll both offer adequate curb appeal, too, with modern features like LED lights and large, obvious air intakes. The BMW features a somewhat traditional grille, but the iD.7 Tourer gets just a light bar across the front. What does it all mean? The i5 looks a little sportier than the VW. That will likely come through in how the vehicle drives, too. Especially in the most aggressive trim, the i5 M60 xDrive Touring.
Interior Design and Technology
Inside, the wagons are surprisingly similar. Both prominently display a touchscreen in the center and use a fully digital instrument cluster. The VW’s is slightly less obvious, shrinking into the dash instead of being placed upon it like in the BMW.
Both wagons offer features like an augmented reality head-up display, app connectivity, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. Perhaps the biggest difference is the center console. Where BMW places traditional iDrive controls, the iD.7 Tourer simply has a large storage bin and armrest. Each also offers some exclusive tech. In the i5, it’s video games via the AirConsole platform; the VW offers on-board ChatGPT.
The iD.7 Tourer offers slightly more storage space than the BMW i5 Touring when you fold the seats down; you’ll get 1,700 liters in the i5 and 1,714 in the VW. With the seats upright, you’ll still have more room to play in the iD.7 Tourer. It grants 605 liters compared to 570 in the BMW i5 Touring. Both offer luxury features like a pano sunroof. The two are so similar it’s actually hard to tell them apart without the badge on the steering wheel. Ultimately, I prefer the i5 for its physical iDrive controls, a helpful redundancy.
Performance
Both the i5 and VW are available at two different performance levels. The i5 eDrive40 DC charges at up to 205 kW, replenishing 150 km of range in around 10 minutes. The iD.7 Tourer, when equipped with its 86 kWh battery, can charge at up to 200 kW. So, little real-world difference. There will be a shorter-range, likely more affordable version of the iD.7 Tourer, but there’s no official range or battery size given.
So far, only the 282-horsepower variant of the iD.7 Tourer is confirmed for production. That’s down compared to the i5 eDrive40, which should make 340 horsepower (potentially more with xDrive). A 551-horsepower concept exists, but we’ll have to wait and see whether or not that’s something that comes anywhere near production. Still, there probably won’t be much competition for the i5 M60 xDrive thanks to its RWD-biased xDrive system, 601 horsepower (442 kW), and an electronically-limited top speed of 230 km/h.
Final Thoughts
The iD.7 Tourer, while apparently a competitive entry into the premium estate segment, doesn’t quite have the style – or punch – to keep up with BMW. Granted, it will also boast a more approachable price tag – around €60,000 in Germany, compared to the €72,000 i5 Touring. Unfortunately, neither will make it to America. Either way, it’s nice to know that longroof enthusiasts worldwide will have choices – even when deciding to embrace the EV revolution. Which would you choose?
