We drove the most expensive Genesis luxury car
The 2026 Genesis G90 is the brand’s flagship model. Here’s what it’s like to drive the most expensive Genesis sedan.
When filling out an official survey, a consumer is just as unlikely to rank style and design at the top of their SUV/van purchasing priorities as it is to confess that you chose your partner based solely on looks. Allowing aesthetics to trump practical, objective factors in major life decisions seems ill-considered, shallow, and unwise. Volkswagen seems to be questioning this truism.
of 2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz is a vehicle whose design is objectively so pretty, cool, and iconic that it dares buyers to blatantly ignore practical considerations like price, range, charging speed, and passenger/cargo space flexibility. Still, we will begin a year-long test with unsold 2025 Buzz in mid-2026. (The model is 26th model has ended (And coming back soon in 2027). We’d be at risk if our staff’s biggest EV long-range complainer didn’t charm us to the point that he didn’t just come back from a long trip with a smile on his face. New things wear out, travel times get longer, and will things change over the course of a year? Stay tuned.
Despite the model year delay, we spec’d the ID Buzz exactly how we wanted it. Candy White over Energetic Orange ($995), Dune Bench second-row interior (standard Creamsicle accents match well with the orange exterior). The most affordable way to get this combo in 2025 was to buy the rear-wheel drive mid-grade Pro S Plus trim (a $3,500 upgrade). The rear motor is very similar to the OG bus, and was the only powertrain with seating for seven (the center bench is more pet-friendly, reducing the temptation to squeeze a third unbelted child in on the way home).
Our biggest splurge was the $1,495 electrochromic panoramic roof. We already know that the opalescent translucent setting of this Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) setup can’t match the opaque tints in terms of brightness, but how much can it reduce heat gain? We’ll let you know. The rest were accessories. With the $479 roof rack crossbars (still DIY-installed), charging cable that plugs into 120-volt or 240-volt outlets ($360), cool vintage Chili Witch-style floor mats ($300), and other cool items, the total came to $69,109.
We put Buzz through a complete test plan and found that Buzz performs almost as well as the following products: Tested during the 2025 Car of the Year Program (Not surprising since it only weighs 55 pounds more). In the end, he was 15 miles behind the driver behind him. road trip range test (213 miles vs. 228 miles, or 9% lower than the EPA rating of 234 miles). These are very low numbers for a vehicle segment optimized for family vacations.
To make matters worse, its 400-volt electrical architecture can only charge at up to 200 kW. However, in our charging tests, this charger had a maximum output of 204 kW. That’s significantly more than the next best charger, the Buzz, which had 175 kW, and both came from 350 kW Electrify America towers. This allows it to charge to 100% in 45 minutes, about 15 minutes faster than any previous Buzz. The first 15 minutes of charging added 112 miles. This was a 20 percent increase over the next best charge. ID buzz 4 motion. Energetic orange for victory?Charging system built on Wednesday?
We love the adorable touches like the “play” and “pause” icons on the gas and brakes. It’s great that the seat and console allow the driver to easily slide out of the passenger door (in case something gets too close to the door). The quality of the interior materials, massaging seats with three programs to choose from on the screen, and a hard button on the seat to restart the program all seem worthy of the $69,000 price.
We have high hopes that this button-cute bus will continue to perform beyond its disappointing specs as it racks up the miles of road trips and camping, perhaps adding vinyl or magnetic flowers or peace signs along the way.
2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz Pro S Plus Specifications
Basic price
$65,045
tested price
$69,109
option
Panoramic glass roof, $1,495. Energetic orange and candy white paint, $995. Roof rack, $479. Mobile charging cable, $360. HeritageMats floor mats, $300. Rear bumper protection plate, $175. 2nd row cup holder and center console organizer, $165. Prepaid scheduled maintenance, $95
vehicle layout
Rear motor, RWD, 7-pass, 4-door electric van
power train
force
282 horsepower
torque
413 pound-feet
motor
permanent magnet motor
battery
86.0kWh NMC Lithium ion
contagion; infection
1st speed fixed ratio
Axle/top gear ratio
3.90:1/9.83:1
chassis
suspension
F: Strut, coil spring, anti-roll bar R: Multi-link, coil spring, anti-roll bar
steering ratio
14.6:1
Rotates lock-to-lock
3.3
brake
F: 15.0 x 1.2 inch vented disc, 2-piston sliding caliper R: 13.0 x 2.0 inch drum
wheel
F: 8.0 x 20 inches, R: 9.5 x 20 inches, cast aluminum
tire
Continental Pro Contact TX10 F: HL235/50R20 107T XL M+SR: HL265/45R20 111T XL M+S
size
wheelbase
127.5 inches
Truck, F/R
65.8/65.7 inch
Length x width x height
195.4 x 78.1 x 76.2 inches
Ground clearance
6.3 inches
Approach/departure angle
17.5/19.5 degrees
turning circle
37.4 feet
Vehicle weight (distance F/R)
£6,052 (48/52%)
weight and power
21.5 lbs/horsepower
Headroom, F/M/R
42.0/42.3/38.7 inches
Feet, F/M/R
37.5/39.9/42.4 inches
Shoulder room, F/M/R
59.1/61.7/52.2 inches
Cargo volume behind F/M/R
145.5/75.5/18.6 cubic feet
Loading capacity
1,113 pounds
Towing capacity
2,600 pounds
motor trend test data
0-30MPH
2.5 seconds
0-40MPH
3.5 seconds
0-50MPH
4.9 seconds
0-60MPH
6.6 seconds
0-70MPH
8.8 seconds
0-80MPH
11.4 seconds
0-90MPH
14.8 seconds
0-100MPH
20.2 seconds
45-65 mph while passing
3.5 seconds
quarter mile
15.2 seconds at 91.4 mph
Brakes, 60-0 mph
111 feet
0-100-0MPH
20.2 seconds
lateral acceleration
0.82g
figure eight wrap
27.6 seconds @ 0.64 g (average)
Consumer information
airbag
6: Dual front, front side, F/M/R curtain
Basic warranty
4 years/50,000 miles
Powertrain warranty
4 years/50,000 miles (8 years/100,000 miles battery)
roadside assistance
3 years/36,000 miles
EPA Fuel Economy, City/Highway/Combined
90/75/83 mpg-e
EPA range
374 miles
70 mph road trip range
343 miles
MT quick charging test
112 miles in 15 minutes, 177 miles in 30 minutes
Maximum charging power, AC/DC
11.0/200kW
ownership experience
Service life
1 month/1,026 miles
real world fuel economy
2.3 miles/kWh/76.3 mpg
Energy cost per mile
$0.22
Service outage days
0
maintenance and wear
none
damage
none
recall
none
