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If you know anything about the original Microbus, VW ID. buzz It will stop you in your tracks. Just ask the grinning, waving, jeering, hollering, and tossing peace signs people you see driving around this two-tone silver and red box. The Buzz is a vibe machine, a pure nostalgia hit for Boomers and Gen Xers, and a stylish flex for Millennials and beyond. Served hot and fresh with intact serotonin.
However, as you use it over time, some major problems emerge. It can’t keep up with the emotion its range generates, it’s extremely expensive, and it misses the basics of a minivan. Are these flaws enough to prevent it from becoming an icon?
Feeling free until I check the range
VW ID. Buzz is already in 2nd place Latest minivan comparison testSo it does a lot of things right. First, personality. The original bus was all about freedom and road-going potential, and the modern Buzz exudes the same spirit, right down to its smile and (optional) two-tone paint. However, the reality does not quite match the optics.
ID for AWD format. According to the EPA, the Buzz’s range is still quite low at 331 miles, meaning any adventure on public roads comes with significant range anxiety. This is the contradiction at the heart of Buzz. Buzz represents unlimited freedom, but you still have to plan every long trip to a charging station.
And even more so if that trip involves highway driving. In a 110 mph road trip range test, the Buzz had a total range of 205 miles, about 11 percent below the EPA rating. At least it charges fairly quickly. Fast charging tests with a maximum output of 200 kW found it could add 94 miles of range in 15 minutes and 163 miles in 30 minutes.
Still, this van turns heads. We’ve driven Ferraris that didn’t attract much attention. Everyone wants to talk about it. The marijuana enthusiast who was charging his Chevy Bolt next to us saw it and said, “Oh, damn. That’s on.” Another bystander tried to talk about his grandfather’s 1960s bus. Others just wanted to take a peek inside. An ID that always attracts attention. Buzz is the anti-minivan minivan. Get rid of the minivan stigma and completely carry a stallion? That may be his greatest achievement.
It’s spacious, but there are some parts that give you a headache.
Step inside the car and you’ll be greeted by excellent visibility, comfortable seats and a great driving position. It’s bright, airy, and surprisingly spacious. The flat floors and large windows make you feel more like you’re in a rotating furniture showroom than a car.
But Ingress is weirdly awkward. There’s a shallow series of “stairs” to climb thanks to a battery pack mounted on the floor, and you’ll have to perform a bit of a hop-step maneuver to get aboard. Even after using this Volkswagen for a week, it never felt natural. Once inside, some of the design decisions are baffling. One example: Where are the second row cupholders? They don’t exist. To get some, you can move the front center console back if you have second-row captain’s chairs (or buy a second console from VW for $570), or you can buy a pair of VW’s accessory cup holders for $98. At least these work on bench seats. Additionally, seat belt anchors are not attached to the seat itself, making car seat installation difficult and adult passengers having to have the belt around their necks.
The overall design is cheerful, retro, and cool, but for a vehicle that starts near $70,000 (RWD models start at $60,000), there’s too much hard plastic in plain sight. A removable center console is a great idea. It can be installed in three locations in the cabin and includes an ice scraper and bottle opener. But if you’re paying this much, why not include two?
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system has been vastly improved and is finally faster (except in the odd case where it isn’t), intuitive, and responsive. A few quirks are that SiriusXM doesn’t allow for direct adjustments. Instead, you’ll have to wait a few seconds for the channel list to load. And the power button still says “Engine Stop/Start”. With this much money, VW could have launched a brand specifically for EVs.
Once rolled, Buzz runs beautifully. There’s little steering feel, but it’s light and precise, and the chassis tuning is exactly what you want in a family hauler. It’s confident, composed, and in sport mode it’s a little fun.
The all-wheel-drive setup (4Motion in VW parlance) adds stability and traction that will be appreciated by those who live in areas where bad weather is a frequent concern. The ride is supple, the cabin is quiet, and throttle response is immediate. The Buzz AWD is shockingly fast at stoplights, which makes the whole thing even more outrageous.
However, regenerative braking systems require some manual intervention. Unless you select “B” mode, true one-pedal driving is not possible. Once you run it, it’s natural and predictable, but I’d like the settings to carry over between drives instead of having to reset each time.
judgment
2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz AWD is a rare EV that makes people feel something. It’s attractive, comfortable and really fun to drive. When used as a local family shuttle, the limited range is not an issue at all. And if it’s not the best-looking three-row family car you can buy, it’s definitely the most interesting. It lays the framework well for a successful electric minivan, and we absolutely love this ID. Buzz.
But despite the smiles, nostalgia, and inherent goodness, the math is hard to ignore. By ID. Buzz’s price and range limits this van, which seriously detracts from its luster. It’s hard to pay this much money for something that should be the main vehicle for most families, but isn’t. Until the Buzz goes 300 miles on a full charge and costs thousands of dollars less, road trips with friends and surfboards may mean going a little farther from home or in a completely different car.
Photo credit: Jim Fetts
