Just Try To Look Away From the Coolest Car On The Road
Oh, the looks you will get when cruising in your 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz. In my case it was along Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California, making the beach scene and then to a softball tournament where about a hundred families were watching their daughters play. Heck, just parked at Costco, the post office or a fast charger, it drew a crowd. When you get yours, plan on baking in extra time to answer questions and do walk-arounds. Maybe Volkswagen should pay Buzz owners as product specialists and brand ambassadors?
Surfers and hippies since the 1960s have been associated with a mid-century Volkswagen microbus, occasionally with surfboards on top or flowers painted on the sides, chugging along in the slow lane. Collectors love the 1960s and 1970s era buses as they are a romantic remembrance for those that grew up with them.
While the vintage Volkswagen bus (1950-1979) continues to be massively popular and a good investment (see stats at the end of the story) Volkswagen has thrown the microbus world into a tizzy with the release of the all-new, all-electric, 2025 ID.Buzz.
The retro look of a boxy-but-aerodynamic design has power dual sliding side doors, a laid back windshield and an upright hands-free power tail gate. The side doors and tail gate can be operated by kick, button or remote with the key FOB. Available in three solid colors—Candy White, Metro Silver or Deep Black Pearl or eight two-tone paint options—Candy White over either Energetic Orange, Pomelo Yellow, Cabana Blue, Blue Charcoal; Metro Silver and Indium Grey; Metro Silver over Cherry Red or Candy White over Mahi Green, the combination we drove.
Some features on the Buzz one could never have imagined on a VW bus from long ago, including LED head and tail lights with the fronts being adaptive to oncoming headlights, and dynamic, meaning they move in the direction of a turn. Other not-of-the last-century features are power folding, heated exterior mirrors with memory and puddle lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear widow wiper and washer.
The ID.Buzz, built on the same platform as the ID4, was first released in Europe in two-row passenger and a cargo configurations. The United States gets a three-row version, with an additional 10 inches of wheelbase that comes either with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, a larger battery and longer all-electric driving range. The technical specs for the 2025 ID.Buzz are at the end of the story.
Silent and Smooth Cruising
The 282 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque were plenty to move the 5,968-pound seven-passenger bus. As with all EVs, the torque comes on instantly and was fun to play with.
I was in the rear-wheel drive ID.Buzz. The handling was nimble with a tight turning radius. There never was the hint of tire slippage, body roll or any lack of control when pushing hard around tight corners. The batteries placed below the cabin drops the center of gravity, making for sure-footed handling.
The anti-lock brakes were more than up to the task, along with the regenerative braking, of keeping control through some serious esses and when making regular and emergency stops in-town and on the highway. My driving was purposely a bit more aggressive at times than a family would be on a weekend outing. I can report the electronic stability control and the staggered all-season tires—235/50/20 on the front and 265/45/20 on the rear—gave confidence on anything thrown at it.
The regenerative braking, which is really the motor slowing and not the brakes being applied, is managed by driving in “D” mode and applying the brake pedal, or opting for “B” mode where it comes on when lifting the accelerator pedal. Volkswagen does not offer the ability to adjust the intensity of the regenerative braking like most other EV brands do. Also note this system is not true one pedal driving, where the car comes to a complete stop and holds until the accelerator pedal is pushed. The Buzz does have an Auto Hold button that, when engaged, will hold in-place after stopping.
Retro. Iconic. Reincarnated. Nostalgic.
The ID.Buzz hints strongly at the classic microbus design, which was important for it to be instantly recognized as a Volkswagen. The boxy shape has short front and rear overhangs. At 16.3 feet long, 6.5 feet wide and 6.3 feet tall, so it is easy to maneuver in traffic and running in-town errands.
The smooth, down-sloping front end features an oversized illuminated “VW” round logo with a lighted strip connecting the LED headlights. The lower fascia has diamond-shaped, horizontal air openings that are reminiscent to large a cheese grater. Many EVs have a front trunk, or frunk, but the small flip-up door on the ID.Buzz only provides access to add fluids for the windshield and brakes, but no storage space.
The smooth slab sides have dual power sliding doors that include a power sliding inset window for the second-row passengers. After the doors is the D-pillar, where three faux vents harken back to the scoops on the earlier air-cooled buses. Slick, aerodynamic 20-inch wheels look sharp and help contribute to the low 0.29 coefficient of drag. The rear power tailgate has a large “VW” logo and is the only place “ID.BUZZ” is found on the bus. If you’re planning on towing anything, there is a retractable trailer hitch rated, with the optional brake package, at 2,600 pounds for the RWD and 3,500 pounds for the AWD.
Stepping up to get inside, the airy and modern interior is offered in three color combinations—Copper, Moonlight or Dune. The Buzz has large windows and a panoramic glass roof, measuring 67.4 inches long and 40.8 inches wide, that has electrochromic tinting that, with the swipe of a finger, goes from clear to opaque. Even with the glass roof and the tinted second and third row windows, the large cabin was bright.
We had the Dune color-scheme driver and passenger seats, which had folding armrests on both sides of each seat, 12-way power, ventilation, massage, heat and memory (in front), while the outboard second row seats are heated. All seats are covered in perforated leatherette. For fun, Volkswagen has placed ID.Buzz Easter Eggs throughout the cabin (see how many you can find), and the brake pedal has a Pause icon while the accelerator pedal a Play icon, just like any modern devise.
Space is generous for up to seven passengers and their gear. Standard on the RWD ID.Buzz is a second-row bench that folds 60:40, reclines 16 degrees, slides 7.9 inches and can be removed. It also moves 4 inches with the flip of a handle to allow easier access to the third-row seats. Captain’s Chairs with seating for six are standard on the AWD model. The leg and head room in either configuration are excellent, even for 6+ footers.
The second and third row seats fold flat. When the Flexboard is in place at the far rear, it makes for a wide sleeping area for two adults, or two adults and a kid, or for two adults and a dog. There are two removable storage bins—Buzz Boxes—and recessed storage areas under the Flexboard. In other words, the 2025 ID.Buzz is ready for around-town errands and an urban camping adventure.
The second-row passengers get a climate control panel and adjustable vents, reading lights, storage pockets, charge ports and cup holders.
Technology
The ID.Buzz has three screens, consisting of a head-up display, a configurable 5.3 inch vehicle information screen and a 12.9-inch infotainment screen. The 30-color ambient lighting, standard wireless App Connect, wireless phone charging, a 120V outlet, 12V charger and eight USB-C ports throughout the cabin, including in the doors, will keep everyone connected and powered-up.
Haptic touch and steering wheel buttons control the infotainment screen. In an attempt to be extra modern and to make for a sleek and uncluttered dash, there are no physical buttons on the ID.Buzz except for three that control the side sliding doors. Comfort is aided by the 3-zone climate system and heated steering wheel.
There are three ID.Buzz trims—Pro S, Pro S Plus and, like the one we drove, 1st Edition. The upgrade Harmon Kardon 13-speaker audio system was easy to program and operate the FM/HD radio with SiriusXM. In such a large vehicle with an unusual amount of glass (usually the bane of sound engineers) it sounded pretty good. Of course, everyone riding in the second and third rows probably will be wearing head phones listening to their own devices, so for the front occupants the sound quality was well-balanced with ample bass, treble and mid-range settings.
The wireless phone charger and Bluetooth make connecting a mobile device easy and the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make streaming music easy.
Safety
The ID Buzz comes with IQ.Drive, which includes advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, active side assist blind spot monitor, rear traffic alert, lane assist, adaptive cruise control w/ Stop & Go, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist.
Pricing and Availability
This pricing is for the three trim levels of Pro S, Pro S Plus and the 1st Edition. The $1,550 destination charge is included in all prices. It is unknown, when this story was written, if the federal tax incentives will be extended by the Trump administration. Individual states and local government agencies and utilities may have purchase incentive programs that would not be affected by any federal actions. The ID.Buzz may also qualify for an HOV sticker which allows only the driver to use the carpool lanes.
- Pro S (RWD only) $61,545
- Pro S Plus
- – RWD $65,045
- – AWD $69,545
- 1st Edition
- – RWD $67,045
- – AWD $71,545
Observations: 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
The cool factor, vibes and aura the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz emits are obvious very quickly. People wanted to know what I was driving, wanted to talk about it and take a look inside. While the 60+ age group were excited, as it gave them flashbacks to their youth, people half that age were very interested to see how the Buzz fits their lifestyle, especially those with a growing family.
Assembled in Hanover, Germany, the ID.Buzz should sell well in the United States and Canada. The Buzz is drawing buzz! While initially considered a niche vehicle, it is drawing attention to the Volkswagen brand. We expect it will find growing audience, especially in the states where there is a robust public fast charging network and EVs are already popular.
Gavin Ryan, senior product planner ID.Buzz, told us: “The ID.Buzz will bring enthusiasm to Volkswagen. The importance of the ID.Buzz will be it being the halo vehicle for Volkswagen, bringing people into dealerships.” He went on to say, “It is a new category for Volkswagen that will be introducing and re-introducing people to the brand.”
This new category concept is an interesting distinction as it is the only all-electric passenger van on the market. The dual power sliding side doors and seating for up to seven, with excellent access and egress, and the impressive cargo versatility expand the appeal. Volkswagen also said the AWD model will make-up 60% of all ID.Buzz sales, which indicate buyers are looking for added handling and mild-off-road capability.
The ID.Buzz will find its happy place on the freeway, heading to the mountains for a ski weekend, cruising the coast in search of waves, and for in-town errands. The 0-60 times are more than respectable, making it capable of merging with freeway traffic and hauling people and their gear.
As Volkswagen said, the ID.Buzz was designed to “bring more smiles per mile than any other car!” As we used to say in the 1960s—Groovy, Baby!
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Volkswagen.
[See image gallery at cleanfleetreport.com]
2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Specifications
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Single, rear-mounted motor
- 282 horsepower (hp) and 413 pound-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque
- 91 kWh maximum/86 kWh usable
- 11 kW onboard charger
- 0 – 60 mph: 6.9 seconds
- Driving Range: 234 miles
All-Wheel Drive
- Dual motors
- 335 hp and 413 lb.-ft. of torque rear
- 91 kWh maximum/86 kWh usable
- 11 kW onboard charger
- 0 – 60 mph: 6.0 seconds
- Driving Range: 231 miles
Charging
The ID.Buzz uses a 400-volt system that can charge at a maximum of 200 kW. There are three charging options through a plug-in port with these approximate charge times.
- 120V (Level 1) – 2 miles of charge per hour (about 80 hours for a complete charge)
- 240V (Level 2) – 10-100% in 7.5 hours
- 480V DC Fast Charging – 10-80% in 30 minutes or less
Additional charging will be through regenerative braking that converts kinetic energy into electricity when braking or coasting. So driving around town, stuck in stop-and-go rush hour freeway traffic or coasting down hills will recharge the battery.
Classic Volkswagen Valuations
As of October 2024, Hagerty, an insurance and valuation company specializing in classic and collectible cars, reported valuations of these generations of original Volkswagen microbuses.
Historic Valuation & Demographic Data (Hagerty Automotive intelligence)
- 1950-1967 Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter, average condition 2, value is up 72% in the past five years to $131,600. This includes the Deluxe 15-window and Samba 23-window vans.
- 1968-1979 Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter, average condition 2, value is up 79% in the past five years to $42,600. This generation includes both the Kombi and Campmobile.
Disclosure
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and other efficient powertrains. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at [email protected].
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