2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Review and Test Drive

VW's iconic van is back with a distinctly modern take.

Mark Takahashi | 

Dec 18, 2024 | 7 min read

Mark Takahashi

The Volkswagen Microbus is one of the most iconic vehicles from the 1950s and '60s, and the automaker has teased fans of the rounded box with a revival for more than two decades. At long last, a new bus is here, taking the form of the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz, a fully electric minivan that is cleaner, safer, and smarter than the original. At the same time, it retains much of the original vehicle's charm and trades on the nostalgia that made it famous.

The 2025 ID. Buzz comes in Pro S, Pro S Plus, and 1st Edition trim levels with a single-motor rear-wheel-drive layout or an available dual-motor all-wheel-drive 4Motion upgrade. Base prices range from the low $60,000s to the low $70,000s, including the destination charge to ship the minivan to your local dealership from the Hannover, Germany, factory. Because it's not made in North America, however, the ID. Buzz is ineligible for a federal tax incentive.

For this Volkswagen ID. Buzz review, I drove a 1st Edition 4Motion in Los Angeles. It was a fully loaded model, and without options the manufacturer's suggested retail price was $71,545, including the $1,550 destination charge. Volkswagen provided the vehicle for this ID. Buzz review.

Mark Takahashi

Is the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz a Good Electric Vehicle?

The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is an excellent electric minivan with tons of personality and a versatile and spacious interior. Its most significant flaws are its high price and unimpressive driving range. Nevertheless — at least in its initial release — this 21st-century Microbus creates a lot of buzz, prompting smiles wherever it goes.

The ID. Buzz Combines Nostalgic Charm with Modern Sensibilities

I can't look at the ID. Buzz and not feel at least a little joy. Even in jaded Los Angeles, I felt like an A-list celebrity while driving this VW, strangers approaching me with beaming faces and all sorts of questions.

With its distinctive two-tone paint scheme and large VW badge up front, the ID. Buzz echoes the iconic Microbus, stirring up the same kind of fondness and cheerfulness as the revived Mini Coopers and VW Beetles from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Still, I wonder if more rounded corners and circular headlights would improve the vehicle's appeal or pander too much.

Mark Takahashi

On the inside, the ID. Buzz blends historic minimalism and modern tech, with a small digital instrument panel attached to the steering wheel and a simple but sizable 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the middle of the dashboard. You can choose from a handful of color palettes, with the Dune theme being the lightest and — in my opinion — most inviting.

Inside, I noted a lot of hard plastic, making the vehicle feel a bit down-market for $70,000 — though the material is typical for minivans and generally proves more durable with kids, pets, and cargo. Despite the abundance of plastic, there aren't any noticeable creaks, suggesting robust quality and construction.

You'll likely use the central infotainment touchscreen to access most of the features. For example, even the climate controls are located there, at the bottom of the screen for easier access. Fortunately, below them, physical buttons allow quick access to the power-sliding doors.

Unfortunately, Volkswagen's use of capacitive-touch buttons continues to frustrate me. Changing the temperature or volume on the screen requires more concentration than it should, leading to driver distraction. Unintentional activation of some steering wheel controls is also common.

Mark Takahashi

As the driver, I sit more upright than in an SUV, and the outward view is expansive. The dual front roof pillars are less obstructive than expected, and I didn't even notice them by the end of the day. A massive panoramic sunroof — available on higher trim levels — amplifies the sensation of space, and with the swipe of a finger, you can switch it from transparent to opaque.

The front seats offer ample cushioning for all-day driving comfort, the climate system kept me feeling fresh for hours, and there's a center console that can be removed and repositioned for use by other passengers. The second-row seats are just as accommodating, plus the space between them is wide enough to access the third row. Those rearmost seats aren't as plush, but there's enough space for adults.

With all seats occupied, cargo space is limited to 18.6 cubic-feet, which should be enough for at least four stacked carry-on bags. The third-row seats fold down but don't create a flat load floor. As an option, VW provides a platform with flexible bins below, which resolves this problem while creatively maximizing storage space.

Cargo capacity is 75.5 cu-ft behind the second row, and the maximum volume becomes 145.5 cu-ft with the second row folded down and the third row removed.

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The ID. Buzz Has Adequate, Not Cutting-Edge Tech

While the ID. Buzz has a distinctly retro feel, it also has all of the technology expected of a modern family transporter.

For instance, the touchscreen infotainment system offers sharp graphics, quick responses, and large menu tiles. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a wireless charging pad. A voice recognition system helps to bypass the annoying touch-sensing controls. You simply say, for example, "Hello, ID, change the temperature to 70 degrees," and the system obliges.

The ID. Buzz comes with the safety features and technologies many drivers have come to expect. One example is the Travel Assist system, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist. In my time with the ID. Buzz, I only encountered one false alarm, a forward-collision notification on a particularly narrow and winding road.

Mark Takahashi

The ID. Buzz Is Surprisingly Easy and Pleasurable to Drive

The 2025 VW ID. Buzz has a 91-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery that powers a rear motor making 282 horsepower. Opt for 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD), and a second motor motivates the front wheels for a combined output of 335 horsepower.

The EPA estimates the rear-drive model will travel 234 miles in combined driving, while the 4Motion version drops the range estimate to 231 miles. Based on my time with the ID. Buzz, that estimate seems easy to achieve.

However, this electric van isn't very efficient: It's EPA rated to consume 42 kWh of electricity per 100 miles of driving in AWD form. I averaged 2.1 miles per kWh (or 47.6 kWh per 100 mi), making this VW van one of the least efficient EVs I've driven. But I wasn't surprised, given something of this size and shape.

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When a charge is necessary, the ID. Buzz is compatible with 200-kW DC fast chargers, which should get you from 10% to 80% capacity in 26 minutes, Volkswagen said. As an added incentive, owners can get 500 kW of free charging on the Electrify America network, plus a three-year discount membership.

Ride comfort is pleasantly smooth, and thanks to having most of the weight low in the vehicle, VW's big box on wheels feels trustworthy on a twisty mountain pass. I encountered extreme wind gusts along a coastal highway, but the Buzz remained composed and centered in its lane. Even in these conditions, the cabin remained quiet, with just a hint of road noise.

Mark Takahashi

Unlike many EVs, the ID. Buzz is incapable of one-pedal driving, I found. During my test drive, selecting the "B" drive mode increased brake regeneration and slowed me to about 3 mph, but I had to press the brake pedal to come to a full stop.

Sure, it's quite a bit more expensive than other minivans, but the ID. Buzz's fuel savings over time may lessen some of the bite into your budget. The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz will win people over with its looks alone, but to its credit, it's also a well-executed EV that easily tackles family duties.

Mark Takahashi

Mark has been in the automotive space for more than two decades and has reviewed thousands of vehicles for outlets that include Edmunds, Car and Driver, Autoblog, CarGurus, Capital One, and J.D. Power. He has a background in advertising, design, and fabrication, as well as open-wheel and motorcycle racing. Mark's video reviews can be seen on YouTube, and he has been featured as an automotive expert on regional and national news broadcasts. He is a North American Car of the Year juror and a third-generation Los Angeles native, where he keeps his classic 1957 Thunderbird and two motorcycles.