2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Review: If You Can Afford One, You’re Guaranteed To Have A Good Time

I was expecting the ID. Buzz minivan to drive like a glorified ID.4 due to its shared underpinnings. But it proved once more that a car can be so much more thanks to the way it was designed. As I sat at its helm, the ID. Buzz felt every bit like the hippie-mobile, VW Buses of yore, and the attention this thing got from people as I drove it around was rather impressive.

Look, everyone loves the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, me included. And nobody really cares that it’s electric. But there’s an obvious elephant in the room surrounding it: why on Earth is it so darn expensive? It sort of bursts the bubble of what could have been the coolest new vehicle release of 2025.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz First Impressions

It’s A Design Exercise on Wheels

Styling is really the centerpiece surrounding the ID. Buzz, and in that respect, Volkswagen absolutely nailed it. I’ve always been a fan of retro-inspired designs that feel as though the old car never went out of production and simply evolved into what it is today. The first-generation Mini Cooper did that very well, and so did the New Beetle at the turn of the millennium. It’s the same story for this bus.

There’s an obvious familiarity with old Combis through the Buzz’s flat nose, van-like profile, and stubby rear. But there’s also a more contemporary approach to this design through rounded-off edges, pulled-back LED headlights, and a concept-car-like vibe in the side profile view. It all just works at evoking all the cool, fun (and presumably illegal) stuff folks remember doing in their VW bus. My tester’s blue and white two-tone color combination added even more fun to this design, as well as the retro-correct wheels.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Exterior Dimensions

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

There are considerable differences in the way Volkswagen USA and Volkswagen Canada sell the ID.Buzz. For starters, the U.S. market gets a total of five different trim levels as well as lower price points, which gives the ID. Buzz a bit more value. In Canada, it’s still only offered in the rather expensive 1st Edition (reviewed here).

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown And Starting MSRP (model tested in bold below)

In both markets, however, the ID. Buzz is available in either a rear or all-wheel-drive configuration. But the U.S. offers more color choices on the lower trim levels, while in Canada, you need to opt for the most expensive trim level to have access to all the available paint colors.

Driving Impressions And Performance

Surprisingly Quick Off The Line (4MOTION), But Always Fun And Funky

Sure, the 4MOTION ID.Buzz, thanks to its dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration (as tested), is rather peppy off the line. It’ll also outrun any former VW bus by a long margin. But that’s not what the ID. Buzz is about. Actually, I couldn’t really care less what sort of power figure it puts down. What I like about it is how it always feels ready for an adventure, how it’s oozing with fun, and how it operates without requiring a drop of fuel.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Technical Specifications

The hardware is Volkswagen’s now familiar MEB electric vehicle (EV) architecture, shared with the ID.4 SUV and other EVs VW sells in other markets. A single, 86-kWh, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery powers the entire lineup. In two-wheel-drive form, the ID.Buzz is good for 282 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Opt for all-wheel-drive, and a second induction motor powers the front wheels for a total combined output of 335 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque.

But none of that really matters because the ID.Buzz’s ride is like a quiet cloud, and the aura surrounding it quickly eliminates any desire to actually go fast with it. It’s also not exactly a handler due to its high roof. But it’s most certainly more agile than anything VW has ever built in bus form. This actually feels more like a very high and heavy hatchback than an actual van. It just always wants to have fun!

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Energy Consumption, Range And Charging

No matter which ID. Buzz you choose, Volkswagen estimates about the same range: 231 miles for the 4MOTION all-wheel-drive model, and 234 miles for rear-wheel-drive. Unfortunately, during my time with the ID.Buzz, it kind of fell short of that promise.

EPA And As-Tested Energy Consumption And Range

During a 191-mile round trip, I had to pull over to fast charge at 34 miles from my destination, or else I wouldn’t make it back home. Although VW claims an 80 MPGe average combined rating, I was rather averaging 78 MPGe.

Interior Design And Comfort

All The Bus, Van, Lounge Feels That You Can Imagine

Sure, there are some more practical minivans out there that provide passenger and cargo space perhaps better than the ID.Buzz, but it’s worth mentioning the vastness of this VW’s cabin and how functional it remains for families.

You can’t “Stow ‘n Go” the second row of seats in an ID. Buzz like you can in a Chrysler Pacifica, for instance, but there’s still a lot of room to move around. The seat itself also includes a wide range of different modularity options, allowing it to really just get out of your way when trying to squeeze into the third row. That third row is also spacious and comfortable enough for even a tall adult to feel comfortable. That’s because there’s more legroom back there than in the second row (see table below).

The entire ID. Buzz cabin’s vibe is about space and functionality. There’s just storage everywhere, with little pockets and cubbies all over the place, as well as more connectivity options than you’ll really ever need. The tiny opening window adds to the sense of being in a cargo van, but its small size limits the amount of wind-in-your-face real estate kids or rear passengers have access to.

Up in the front, the upright seating position and flat front really emphasize the fact that you’re driving a little bus. Forward visibility is superb, while leg, head and shoulder room are plenty.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Interior Dimensions

The center console can be completely removed for extra free space, while a neat pop-out cup-holder in the lower section of the dashboard ensures your drinks are never in your way. It’s all very intelligently packaged in an ID. Buzz.

Technology And Ease Of Use

Touch-Intensive Controls And Still Very Frustrating To Operate

Although Volkswagen did apply several updates to its MIB3 infotainment interface since it first introduced it on the early versions of the ID.4, it’s still plagued with frustrating ergonomic issues. Yes, the climate-control sliders now light up at night (you’d think that would be important from the get-go) and the sliders themselves react in a much smoother manner than the frantic operation of their predecessors.

But due to its touch-intensive nature and an interface that remains cluttered and not particularly user-friendly, the ID.Buzz’s infotainment system is often more frustrating than actually useful. Accessing simple features like the vehicle’s driver assistance technology requires entering into an awkward diagram of the car driving on a highway. You’re then asked to tap on the images that lead to your desired feature to remove or turn it on. All while driving. It’s unnecessary and makes you wonder if the people who designed this system ever even once drove a car.

Then there’s the operation of the rear windows, which don’t get their own switch, but rather require the driver to press a third button called “Rear”. Through what feels like a CTL+ALT sequence, the rear windows eventually lower. But don’t forget to remove that “Rear” option, or else the fronts won’t work. Meanwhile, the rear passengers still get a classic, dedicated window button. Who is paid to come up with such stupid ideas?

Cargo And Storage Space

Massive Cargo Space, But Still Behind Other Minivans

The obvious benefit of having a car designed like a small minibus is the immense amount of cargo space you’ll get from it. And the ID. Buzz definitely delivers in that department.

Unfortunately, VW doesn’t allow you to have full access to the van’s floor. The seats are slightly elevated and the section behind the third row has an elevated tray. Yes, it’s possible to install a set of optional storage boxes underneath that tray, as you can see in these photos, which helps increase the available storage space. But next to other minivans like the Honda Odyssey (32.8 cu-ft/86.6 cu-ft/140.7 cu-ft) or Toyota Sienna (33.5 cu-ft/75.2 cu-ft/101 cu-ft), the ID. Buzz is outclassed.

The ID. Buzz Is One Of The Coolest Vehicles On The Road

Will we remember these shortcomings in the future when folks will have completed several roadtrips and have smoked several marijuana joints in their ID. Buzz? Probably not. But it’s not yet guaranteed that VW’s all-electric bus effort will have the same success as its predecessors. Sales haven’t exactly been picking up for it here in North America, mostly due to its high price tag and an EV market that’s slowly cooling down.

VW did promise that the ID. Buzz’s hefty price tag will eventually drop as the automaker scales production. There could even be a smaller one in the works. But for now, Volkswagen is betting on the van’s retro good looks to get people to buy it. Whether you wait for a more affordable VW EV bus, or decide to pay the extra premium for these early examples, you’ll be guaranteed to have a good time in one. As a product designed to make people smile and feel great about themselves, the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz definitely nails it.