WHAT'S THE BUZZ?(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 45

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz trendily redefines what a large family MPV can be for the new EV era. To some extent, practicality is sacrificed on the altar of fashion but hey, this EV's fun but sensible, enviro-conscious but desirable. Which makes it very unusual indeed.

Background word count: 218

With the ID. Buzz, one of motoring's most iconic models, the Volkswagen Bus, was finally reinvented. The old Type 2 model it references, in production for a quarter of a century between 1950 and 1975, is still (after the Beetle) Volkswagen's second most recognisable vehicle, variously known as the 'Camper', the 'Bulli' and the 'Hippie van' but most commonly called the 'Microbus' or more usually, just the 'Bus'. The Wolfsburg maker had been promising to recreate it since the turn of the century, first with the 'Microbus concept' of 2001, then with the 'Bulli concept' of 2011, followed by the 'BUDD-e' of 2015 and most recently the 'ID. Buzz Cargo concept' in 2018. Prior to this model's launch, Volkswagen had been waiting for the technology to properly recreate its 'bus for a new electrified era and needed to launch its ID. series of electric hatch models first. This ID. Buzz became the fourth of them at its introduction in 2022, a trend-setting People Carrier that quickly became the Internet's favourite MPV. Sold both in passenger-carrying MPV and commercial 'ID. Buzz Cargo' van forms, it's built in Hanover alongside the brand's more conventional Multivan MPV. And it's like no other model of its kind. A wide-ranging package of updates followed in mid-2024, creating the car we'll look at here.

Driving Experience word count: 373

Silent running was never a feature of the old chugging rear-engined, rear-driven Volkswagen Type 2 but of course the all-electric ID. Buzz is very different. Its mainstream powerplant, a (now-uprated) 286PS electric motor borrowed from the ID.7, is still rear-mounted though, here developing far more grunt than drivers of the old 'Bus could ever dream about, 560Nm of it. Though if you regularly exercise all of that, you won't of course get anywhere near the quoted EV mileage figures. These start at 282 miles for the SWB 79kWh model; it's 290 miles for the LWB 86kWh version; and 280 miles for the 79kWh GTX LWB variant. As usual with an electric vehicle, torque feels instant and drive comes via the usual EV fixed-ratio single-speed auto gearbox, going on the standard models to the rear wheels. With the 286PS motor, 62mph from rest occupies between 7.6s and 7.9s, depending on bodyshape, en route to the very modest top speed of 99mph - at last, something Type 2 owners of the Sixties will properly recognise. If you can spend more on your Buzz, that long wheelbase GTX version has two electric motors providing four-wheel drive and a combined output of 340PS. 62mph takes just 6.4s. In any Buzz, you sit commandingly, using a drive selector stalk on the right of the steering wheel. On the move, surprisingly, at least to some degree, the Buzz can deliver both comfort and a little sportiness. It feels like the premium product its price point demands, and in fact is one of the best-riding electric cars we've driven. Body roll is kept tight through corners, and the level of refinement is excellent, not just for the MPV class, but any class. We're not so impressed by the lack of brake energy recuperation options: there just an extra 'B' gear selector function to heighten energy harvesting off-throttle. But in every other way, the ID. Buzz is a revelation to drive. There's a tight 11-metres turning circle (a metre better than the Multivan), which along with the glassy cabin should make the Buzz feel very manoevreable in town. All the usual VW drive assist features are available - Matrix headlights, 'car2x' swarm informational technology and the 'Travel Assist' semi-autonomous drive system.