The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- It’s the VW Bus
- It looks the retro chic part
- It’s electric
- Interior seems packaged well
- Makes minivans cool
Dislikes
- Nostalgia’s going to be pricey
- Expecting middling driving range
- Rumblings of limited production volume
- Can’t get a two-row model in the U.S.
- Still a year away
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 VW ID.Buzz will finally deliver on the automaker’s decade of teasing the return of the iconic Bus.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz is a modern take on the iconic VW Bus as an electric minivan with no real direct competition. Its rivals could include three-row electric crossover SUVs such as the Kia EV9 as well as traditional minivans.
Is the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz a good van?
The ID.Buzz is new for 2025 with three rows of seats, a big touchscreen, and all the retro flair the automaker could throw at it in a practical package. It should get a high TCC Rating when it arrives in 2024 thanks to its electric powertrain, standard safety tech, and practical interior. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz?
Everything. Well, nearly. The chassis is borrowed, and then stretched, from the ID.4 electric crossover, but from the motor to the battery pack and everything in between is new. This might be the automotive definition of something old, something new, something borrowed, and for some, something blue.
The ID.Buzz will only come to America in long-wheelbase three-row configuration while the rest of the world can opt for a shorter, less powerful, two-row model with a smaller battery pack.
One look at the ID.Buzz and it’s clear this is the VW Bus reinvented for the modern electric era. Barely existent overhangs, a blunt front end, and squared off sides exude retro flower power vibes. The trademark V-shaped front trim is gone and has been replaced with a full-width LED lightning signature connecting the front lights, but the large VW emblem sits front and center. Sliding doors on both sides will provide easy access to the interior while power sliding windows in those doors provide a nod to the history books of the sliding windows on the Microbus.
U.S. models employ a 91-kwh battery pack and feature a single-speed transmission. Base models are powered by a single rear motor rated at 282 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is electronically limited to 99 mph. Dual-motor models add all-wheel drive and will have about 330 hp, but VW hasn’t talked torque on these models as of press time. VW hasn’t said whether the ID.Buzz will be available with a hitch or if it’ll be able to tow.
Full charging details haven’t been released yet, but the ID.Buzz will have a max charge rate of 170-kw and can recharge from 10% to 80% in 25 minutes. We expect it to have a driving range of just over 250 miles.
The ID.Buzz rides on the same MEB electric vehicle platform as the ID.4 crossover SUV. VW stretched the platform for a wheelbase of 127.5 inches and it measures more than 16 feet long overall. The electric van is as wide as the three-row Atlas crossover SUV, but stands 5.0 inches taller.
While it shares the same front strut and rear multi-link suspension design as the ID.4, albeit retuned for ID.Buzz duty, it should ride better than its crossover SUV sibling thanks to the longer wheelbase. The upright driving position, massive amount of glass around the cabin, and nearly non-existent front overhang should provide an incredible view of the road and surroundings.
Full interior specs with legroom and cargo space numbers haven’t been released yet, but the ID.Buzz will have three rows of seats. A second-row bench with seating for seven will be standard while captain’s chairs will be optional, taking seating capacity down to six. The second row can fold 60/40 and recline up to 16 degrees, and on models equipped with the mid-row bench seat the bottom can slide fore and aft up to 7.9 inches. Both the second and third row can fold flat, and an available accessory that bolts to the floor behind the third row can create a completely flat floor to sleep on. The center console mounted between the front seats feature divided storage cubbies and can be removed for more open space.
Inside, the reincarnated VW Bus goes digital with few buttons, while the remaining controls are touch-based. A 5.3-inch digital gauge cluster resides behind the steering wheel while a 12.9-inch touchscreen houses most vehicle controls. Touch-based climate and audio volume sliders are ported over from the ID.4, but they are backlit in the ID.Buzz. A head-up display is available while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Everyone should be able to charge with eight USB-C ports, a 110-volt outlet under the front passenger seat, and a 12-volt outlet in the cargo area.
Every ID.Buzz comes standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control. A surround-view camera system and automatic park assist will be available.
How much does the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz cost?
Volkswagen hasn’t said how much the ID.Buzz will cost when it arrives in the second half of 2024. Expect VW to cash in on the peace, love, and nostalgia with an expected price starting around $65,000.
The ID.Buzz will be well equipped with 12-way power front seats that are heated and cooled, and double as massagers. The outboard seats in the second row will be heated as well. A heated steering wheel and heated windshield washer nozzles will be standard while a heated windshield will be available. Audiophiles will take note of the available 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Where is the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz made?
In Hanover, Germany.
