Volkswagen ID Buzz 2025
Ah, Volkswagen ID Buzz —this brand invokes some great memories with people, and the brand itself loves to have a little bit of fun. You remember Punch Buggy or that “Unpimp Your Auto” commercial? Well, I’m in San Francisco, I got on a cool shirt, sunglasses, and some flared-out jeans because I’m about to take this icon on a test drive. This is the Volkswagen ID Buzz, and after a 20-year hiatus from the North American market, Volkswagen brings back their iconic mini bus—but now it’s all electric.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Exterior Impressions
It still retains similar styling cues to the original minibus, like the boxy look, short overhangs, long wheelbase, large VW badge in front, available two-tone paint options, and these trim pieces on the D-pillar that look like air vents, which is a nod to the OG microbus’s cooling slots. But these large wheels and LED headlights and taillights let you know that this bus is one modern cool cat. And yes, we know that they sell the short wheelbase version over there in Europe, so you don’t have to let me know that in the comment section, okay?
Here in the States, we get the three-row long wheelbase. Yeah, if you’re looking for attention, this thing definitely gets it. I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me while I’m shooting B-roll to let me know this looks cool. They’re finally happy to see it in person, their brother has it over in Europe, or this brand just gives them so many cool memories of the old microbuses that their parents might have had. So if you want attention, this is it. Rip, Cybertruck. Oh, you thought I was joking? People were poking their heads out of the windows on Lombard Street just to see what was going on. Folks on their morning walks were stopping to tell us of their memories past, and plenty of people were asking how it is to drive.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Powertrain Options and Horsepower
I told them the Volkswagen ID Buzz comes as either a rear-wheel drive model, like the tester I’m driving, or a more powerful dual-motor 4Motion all-wheel drive model, and can boogie from 0 to 60 in six seconds. Can you dig it? I had the fortune of getting the rear-wheel drive Pro S model, which is probably going to be their volume seller, and this has plenty of horsepower and it’s fun to drive. Now, the brakes feel fine, but they’re a little bit squishy on top of the pedal, and there’s no one-pedal drive mode, so if you’re into that type of thing, sorry—it’s not on the Volkswagen ID Buzz. If you want a stronger regenerative braking feel, you can twist the column-mounted shifter to B mode, and that’s about as close as you could get to one-pedal drive, but it will only slow this bus down to about a walking pace.
Range
The Volkswagen ID Buzz is built on Volkswagen’s MEB platform and is comprised of a low-mounted 91 kWh battery pack that saves interior space and gives this bus a low center of gravity. Rear-wheel drive models can achieve up to 234 miles of total driving range, and surprisingly, the dual-motor all-wheel drive model’s range doesn’t get dinged much, with 231 miles of total range. This vehicle can charge up to 200 kW on a DC fast charger and get a 10 to 80% charge in about 26 minutes. The skateboard-style battery setup helps to keep the Volkswagen ID Buzz stable when cornering and, for the most part, stays pretty well balanced and rides like a smaller vehicle. But don’t let the cute exterior footprint fool you—this thing looks larger in person and is massive inside, which we’ll get to later.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Driving Impressions
The ride in the Volkswagen ID Buzz feels good. The suspension is soaking up a lot of the bumps, and the steering feels nice and precise. I don’t like the haptic feedback buttons on the steering wheel because if your thumb does graze one of the buttons, the music can turn on, and you can get a copyright strike on YouTube. But the good thing is the steering is precise, albeit a little bit light. There are drive modes that you can put the Volkswagen ID Buzz into, so if you want a little bit more of that gusto on demand, yeah, it’s right there at your disposal.
While driving the Volkswagen ID Buzz, I was never intimidated by its size. A tight turning radius helps with agility, and parking sensors and a top-down view on the 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen helped to clear up a sticky parking situation. The 5.3-inch screen on digital gauge cluster duty is small but mighty, and the bright head-up display helps keep the driver’s eyes glued to the road. I really like the head-up display in this model—it’s nice and clear, giving me directions from the navigation. The gauge cluster is pretty small, but it gives you all of your information, all of the important stuff that you need right here in front.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Passenger Space
When it comes to loading up the Volkswagen ID Buzz comfortably with passengers, the long wheelbase makes it a breeze. At roughly the same size as a Volkswagen Atlas, the Buzz has more second-row headroom and third-row legroom than the Atlas. The Volkswagen ID Buzz comes in a six- or seven-seat configuration, and there’s room for even a 6’4” person like me to fit in every row. When entering the second row, there’s a grab handle at the corner of the sliding door to help ingress and egress, and there’s plenty of space behind tall front seat occupants.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo Space
Loading up cargo is not a problem because the second row and the third row fold flat, and you also have this shelf that gives you a flat load floor. That means you can haul long items, have a picnic, or contemplate life choices. The Volkswagen ID Buzz has a max cargo volume of 146 cubic feet. On top of this optional flex board storage shelf, you can place velcro-bottom dividers to keep your things in place or store your stuff in the cubbies below.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Cool Extra Features
The Volkswagen ID Buzz is packed with cool features. There’s a USB-C port near the windshield just in case you want to mount a dash cam, a power outlet under the front passenger seat, a center console with storage in front and back, an ice scraper, and a bottle opener at the top. The console can be completely removed. There are small nooks almost everywhere. The accelerator and brake pedals have play and pause pedal caps. And if you look closely, you’ll find a bunch of little Volkswagen ID Buzzes scattered in the most unlikely places.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Trim Levels and Pricing
At launch, the Volkswagen ID Buzz will have three different trims. The well-equipped base Pro S model, which has a seven-seat configuration and only comes in rear-wheel drive, starts at $61,545, including the destination charge. Many features come with the base model, like 20-inch wheels, a power tailgate and sliding doors, leatherette seats, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, three-zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, and a removable console. Move up to the Pro S Plus model for $65,500, which adds a camera and two-tone paint. The First Edition model, which has special wheels, badging, and an electrochromic panoramic glass roof, will cost $67,400.
Competitors
This EV minivan is unique for its segment, and it’s looking to give three-row EV SUVs like the Kia EV9 a run for their money. The highly anticipated Volkswagen ID Buzz is already available to configure on Volkswagen’s website and will go on sale in mid-November 2024.
The Volkswagen icon returns! Not only do you have plenty of space for your passengers, but you can load this up with lots of cargo. It’s fun to drive, has plenty of tech, and, come on—you have to admit, it looks cool too. If all that sounds good to you, check one out for yourself!
