We’re all familiar with the idea of independent testing and evaluation of new cars - heck, that’s what this very website is all about, but there are some independent consumer tests that really stand out for their very toughness. The gold standard of these is the German ADAC vehicle test.
First car to score 1.5 average
In fact, the ADAC test is so exacting that so far only one car has ever achieved an average score of 1.5 and been given a ‘very good’ rating - and it’s the Volkswagen ID.7.
The electric saloon has aced the ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club - kind of the German equivalent of the AA) tests through which around 100 vehicles pass each year.
350 criteria
The tests are gruelling and include 350 criteria in seven main categories. The ID.7 received outstanding scores in the categories of engine/drive (1.0), safety (1.1), environment/ecological test (1.2) and comfort (1.5). The electric saloon also impressed in the other main categories that contributed to the overall rating: For instance, the areas of driving characteristics (2.1), body/luggage compartment (2.3) and interior (2.4) were rated as ‘good’. Since the two categories of environment/ecological test and safety have the highest weighting, the overall score for the ID.7 was 1.5, resulting in its historical overall rating of ‘very good’.
Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen’s head of technical development, said: “We are very proud and delighted with this fantastic result. The vehicle test performed by the ADAC is extremely important and is held in very high regard in view of the organisation’s status as an independent body. In this respect, I am convinced that this rating can play a part in persuading a large number of potential customers to opt for our all-electric saloon.”
Well priced
The test used a 286hp ID.7 Pro, and ADAC recorded an average energy use of 18.1kWh, which makes it one of the most efficient cars in its class. It also received a top score for safety. While the ID.7 has been criticised for its chunky price tag in some quarters, ADAC reckons that against direct competitors, it’s actually well-priced (the German price tag being all-but identical to the Irish one, incidentally).
“For us, it’s great to see that safety, efficiency and comfort are not just a question of price,” says Dino Silvestro, Head of Vehicle Testing at the ADAC Technology Centre in Landsberg am Lech. “Due to our comprehensive testing methods with modern test laboratories, our vehicle test is one of the ADAC’s most comprehensive consumer protection tests and enables all test results to be compared without restriction - regardless of the vehicle class and price.”