Highway Check: 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz RWD

Simply Attempt To Look Away From the Coolest Automobile On The Highway

Oh, the appears to be like you’re going to get when cruising in your 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz. In my case it was alongside Pacific Coast Freeway in Southern California, making the seashore scene after which to a softball match the place a couple of hundred households had been watching their daughters play. Heck, simply parked at Costco, the put up workplace or a quick charger, it drew a crowd. Once you get yours, plan on baking in additional time to reply questions and do walk-arounds. Perhaps Volkswagen ought to pay Buzz house owners as product specialists and model ambassadors?

Surfers and hippies because the Sixties have been related to a mid-century Volkswagen microbus, often with surfboards on prime or flowers painted on the perimeters, chugging alongside within the gradual lane. Collectors love the Sixties and Seventies period buses as they’re a romantic remembrance for those who grew up with them.

Whereas the classic Volkswagen bus (1950-1979) continues to be massively in style and a great funding (see stats on the finish of the story) Volkswagen has thrown the microbus world right into a tizzy with the discharge of the all-new, all-electric, 2025 ID.Buzz.

The retro look of a boxy-but-aerodynamic design has energy twin sliding aspect doorways, a laid again windshield and an upright hands-free energy tail gate. The aspect doorways and tail gate could be operated by kick, button or distant with the important thing FOB. Out there in three strong colours—Sweet White, Metro Silver or Deep Black Pearl or eight two-tone paint choices—Sweet White over both Energetic Orange, Pomelo Yellow, Cabana Blue, Blue Charcoal; Metro Silver and Indium Gray; Metro Silver over Cherry Pink or Sweet White over Mahi Inexperienced, the mix we drove.

Some options on the Buzz one may by no means have imagined on a VW bus from way back, together with LED head and tail lights with the fronts being adaptive to oncoming headlights, and dynamic, which means they transfer within the course of a flip. Different not-of-the last-century options are energy folding, heated exterior mirrors with reminiscence and puddle lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear widow wiper and washer.

The ID.Buzz, constructed on the identical platform because the ID4, was first launched in Europe in two-row passenger and a cargo configurations. The USA will get a three-row model, with an extra 10 inches of wheelbase that comes both with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, a bigger battery and longer all-electric driving vary. The technical specs for the 2025 ID.Buzz are on the finish of the story.

Silent and Clean Cruising

The 282 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque had been loads to maneuver the 5,968-pound seven-passenger bus. As with all EVs, the torque comes on immediately and was enjoyable to play with.

I used to be within the rear-wheel drive ID.Buzz. The dealing with was nimble with a good turning radius. There by no means was the trace of tire slippage, physique roll or any lack of management when pushing onerous round tight corners. The batteries positioned under the cabin drops the middle of gravity, making for sure-footed dealing with.

The anti-lock brakes had been greater than as much as the duty, together with the regenerative braking, of protecting management via some severe esses and when making common and emergency stops in-town and on the freeway. My driving was purposely a bit extra aggressive at instances than a household could be on a weekend outing. I can report the digital stability management and the staggered all-season tires—235/50/20 on the entrance and 265/45/20 on the rear—gave confidence on something thrown at it.

The regenerative braking, which is basically the motor slowing and never the brakes being utilized, is managed by driving in “D” mode and making use of the brake pedal, or choosing “B” mode the place it comes on when lifting the accelerator pedal. Volkswagen doesn’t provide the flexibility to regulate the depth of the regenerative braking like most different EV manufacturers do. Additionally observe this technique just isn’t true one pedal driving, the place the automotive comes to an entire cease and holds till the accelerator pedal is pushed. The Buzz does have an Auto Maintain button that, when engaged, will maintain in-place after stopping.

Retro. Iconic. Reincarnated. Nostalgic.

The ID.Buzz hints strongly on the traditional microbus design, which was essential for it to be immediately acknowledged as a Volkswagen. The boxy form has brief entrance and rear overhangs. At 16.3 toes lengthy, 6.5 toes huge and 6.3 toes tall, so it’s simple to maneuver in site visitors and working in-town errands.

The graceful, down-sloping entrance finish options an outsized illuminated “VW” spherical emblem with a lighted strip connecting the LED headlights. The decrease fascia has diamond-shaped, horizontal air openings which are reminiscent to giant a cheese grater. Many EVs have a entrance trunk, or frunk, however the small flip-up door on the ID.Buzz solely supplies entry so as to add fluids for the windshield and brakes, however no space for storing.

The graceful slab sides have twin energy sliding doorways that embrace an influence sliding inset window for the second-row passengers. After the doorways is the D-pillar, the place three fake vents harken again to the scoops on the sooner air-cooled buses. Slick, aerodynamic 20-inch wheels look sharp and assist contribute to the low 0.29 coefficient of drag. The rear energy tailgate has a big “VW” emblem and is the one place “ID.BUZZ” is discovered on the bus. In the event you’re planning on towing something, there’s a retractable trailer hitch rated, with the elective brake bundle, at 2,600 kilos for the RWD and three,500 kilos for the AWD.

Stepping as much as get inside, the ethereal and fashionable inside is obtainable in three colour combos—Copper, Moonlight or Dune. The Buzz has giant home windows and a panoramic glass roof, measuring 67.4 inches lengthy and 40.8 inches huge, 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 home windows, the massive cabin was vibrant.

We had the Dune color-scheme driver and passenger seats, which had folding armrests on each side of every seat, 12-way energy, air flow, therapeutic massage, warmth and reminiscence (in entrance), whereas the outboard second row seats are heated. All seats are lined in perforated leatherette. For enjoyable, Volkswagen has positioned ID.Buzz Easter Eggs all through the cabin (see what number of yow will discover), and the brake pedal has a Pause icon whereas the accelerator pedal a Play icon, similar to any fashionable devise.

House is beneficiant for as much as seven passengers and their gear. Customary on the RWD ID.Buzz is a second-row bench that folds 60:40, reclines 16 levels, slides 7.9 inches and could be eliminated. It additionally strikes 4 inches with the flip of a deal with to permit simpler entry to the third-row seats. Captain’s Chairs with seating for six are normal on the AWD mannequin. The leg and head room in both configuration are glorious, even for six+ footers.

The second and third row seats fold flat. When the Flexboard is in place on the far rear, it makes for a large sleeping space for 2 adults, or two adults and a child, or for 2 adults and a canine. There are two detachable storage bins—Buzz Packing containers—and recessed storage areas beneath the Flexboard. In different phrases, the 2025 ID.Buzz is prepared for around-town errands and an city tenting journey.

The second-row passengers get a local weather management panel and adjustable vents, studying lights, storage pockets, cost ports and cup holders.

Expertise

The ID.Buzz has three screens, consisting of a head-up show, a configurable 5.3 inch car data display and a 12.9-inch infotainment display. The 30-color ambient lighting, normal wi-fi App Join, wi-fi cellphone charging, a 120V outlet, 12V charger and eight USB-C ports all through the cabin, together with within the doorways, will hold everybody related and powered-up.

Haptic contact and steering wheel buttons management the infotainment display. In an try to be additional fashionable and to make for a smooth and uncluttered sprint, there are not any bodily buttons on the ID.Buzz besides for 3 that management the aspect sliding doorways. Consolation is aided by the 3-zone local weather system and heated steering wheel.

There are three ID.Buzz trims—Professional S, Professional S Plus and, just like the one we drove, 1st Version. The improve Harmon Kardon 13-speaker audio system was simple to program and function the FM/HD radio with SiriusXM. In such a big car with an uncommon quantity of glass (normally the bane of sound engineers) it sounded fairly good. In fact, everybody using within the second and third rows in all probability can be carrying head telephones listening to their very own units, so for the entrance occupants the sound high quality was well-balanced with ample bass, treble and mid-range settings.

The wi-fi cellphone charger and Bluetooth make connecting a cellular system simple and the wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make streaming music simple.

Security

The ID Buzz comes with IQ.Drive, which incorporates superior driver help techniques (ADAS), reminiscent of ahead collision warning and autonomous emergency braking with entrance pedestrian detection, lively aspect help blind spot monitor, rear site visitors alert, lane help, adaptive cruise management w/ Cease & Go, Journey Help, and Emergency Help.

Pricing and Availability 

This pricing is for the three trim ranges of Professional S, Professional S Plus and the first Version. The $1,550 vacation spot cost is included in all costs. It’s unknown, when this story was written, if the federal tax incentives can be prolonged by the Trump administration. Particular person states and native authorities companies and utilities might have buy incentive packages that might not be affected by any federal actions. The ID.Buzz might also qualify for an HOV sticker which permits solely the motive force to make use of the carpool lanes.

• Professional S (RWD solely)            $61,545

• Professional S Plus
  • – RWD                             $65,045
  • – AWD                             $69,545

• 1st Version
  • – RWD                             $67,045
  • – AWD                             $71,545

Observations: 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

The cool issue, vibes and aura the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz emits are apparent in a short time. Individuals needed to know what I used to be driving, needed to speak about it and have a look inside. Whereas the 60+ age group had been excited, because it gave them flashbacks to their youth, folks half that age had been very to see how the Buzz matches their life-style, particularly these with a rising household.

Assembled in Hanover, Germany, the ID.Buzz ought to promote nicely in america and Canada. The Buzz is drawing buzz! Whereas initially thought of a distinct segment car, it’s drawing consideration to the Volkswagen model. We anticipate it would discover rising viewers, particularly within the states the place there’s a sturdy public quick charging community and EVs are already in style.

Gavin Ryan, senior product planner ID.Buzz, advised us: “The ID.Buzz will deliver enthusiasm to Volkswagen. The significance of the ID.Buzz can be it being the halo car for Volkswagen, bringing folks into dealerships.” He went on to say, “It’s a new class for Volkswagen that can be introducing and re-introducing folks to the model.”

This new class idea is an attention-grabbing distinction as it’s the solely all-electric passenger van in the marketplace. The twin energy sliding aspect doorways and seating for as much as seven, with glorious entry and egress, and the spectacular cargo versatility develop the attraction. Volkswagen additionally mentioned the AWD mannequin will make-up 60% of all ID.Buzz gross sales, which point out consumers are on the lookout for added dealing with and mild-off-road functionality.

The ID.Buzz will discover its pleased place on the freeway, heading to the mountains for a ski weekend, cruising the coast looking for waves, and for in-town errands. The 0-60 instances are greater than respectable, making it able to merging with freeway site visitors and hauling folks and their gear.

As Volkswagen mentioned, the ID.Buzz was designed to “deliver extra smiles per mile than another automotive!” As we used to say within the Sixties—Groovy, Child!

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Story by John Faulkner. Photographs by John Faulkner and Volkswagen.