Volkswagen ID Buzz review

When the Volkswagen ID Buzz was launched, it's fair to say we'd never seen anything like it before. Well, we had – but nothing that runs on battery power.

You see, the ID Buzz is an electric MPV that recalls the loveable looks of VW's Type 2 campervans (even reviving the distinctive two-tone paint job). But rather than put-putting around driven by a petrol or diesel engine, it runs on a near-silent motor powered by a sizeable battery pack. 

Just to be clear, you can't buy an ID Buzz camper just yet. Currently, you can have either a standard-wheelbase (SWB) model with five or six seats, or a long-wheelbase (LWB) version that comes as a seven-seater as standard. Plus, if you want the fastest Buzz in town, there's a four-wheel-drive GTX model with two electric motors rather than one.

Given that the standard-wheelbase Buzz won our 2023 Car of the Year Award partly thanks to its astonishing practicality, the Buzz LWB will be tough to beat in that respect.

So how does each VW ID Buzz variant compare with key rivals, from five-seat electric SUVs including the BMW iX3 and Jaguar I-Pace to electric seven-seaters such as the Kia EV9 and Peugeot e-5008? Read on to find out...

Under its cute body, the ID Buzz uses the same underpinnings as other electric Volkswagens – including the VW ID 4 – and all versions except the GTX get one 286bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels.

That's enough power to push the standard-wheelbase version from 0-62mph in a brisk 7.6 seconds, while the ID Buzz LWB takes 7.9 seconds. That's quicker than an entry-level Kia EV9 or Peugeot e-5008 but no match for a Jaguar I-Pace or Tesla Model Y.

The Buzz feels nippiest at town speeds, where it can dash away from traffic lights and on to roundabouts with surprising gusto, and acceleration is still strong at higher speeds. You won't have any issues with outside-lane motorway driving – it's very happy sitting at the speed limit.

The standard-length ID Buzz has a 79kWh (usable capacity) battery pack under the floor, giving it an official range of up to 283 miles depending on the exact spec. The LWB version has an 86kWh battery, which increases the official range to 291 miles – more than the Mercedes EQV but less than an EV9 or e-5008. As with all electric cars the actual range will fall some way short of those figures.

The GTX gets 335bhp from its two electric motors and can accelerate from 0-62mph in an impressive 6.1 seconds. We don't have range figures for it yet but we can tell you it's the best tow car option: it can pull up to 1,800kg, which is about 500kg more than any other ID Buzz.

The Buzz's supple suspension means occupants are jostled around far less than in a Tesla Model Y. In fact, ride comfort is one of the Buzz's strongest attributes, even with optional 21in alloys (the largest available).

There's just enough float to iron out undulations on faster A-roads and motorways but not so much that your passengers will feel nauseous. Thanks to its sophisticated damping, the Buzz deals with potholes in a composed manner.

It's hard to judge from the photos, but the short-wheelbase ID Buzz is slightly shorter than a BMW iX3 while the long-wheelbase model is slightly shorter than a Range Rover. Both versions have a relatively tight turning circle, making them surprisingly easy to manoeuvre in urban environments.

It's not remotely sporty to drive though – and the same applies to the GTX. If you want an electric car that’s genuinely agile, we’d suggest looking at the iX3, the Kia EV9 or, better still, the lower-riding Tesla Model 3.

There's plenty of grip, and the heavy batteries mounted low to the floor mean the Buzz stays fairly upright through tight twists. It also responds more immediately to steering inputs than the VW Multivan.

All things considered, the ID Buzz is a thoroughly pleasant MPV to waft around in.

The ID Buzz is super-easy to drive and, with no gear changes to worry about, it's particularly relaxing when mooching about in traffic.

The regenerative braking automatically adjusts its strength according to the road layout and traffic, and in default D mode, the Buzz will coast when you come off the accelerator, making it easier to maintain speed if you're on faster, flowing roads. If you switch to B mode, the braking becomes more aggressive, allowing you to drive around town without needing to touch the brake much at all.

The brakes themselves are predictable and allow you to slow your progress smoothly. In some electric cars – including the Jaguar I-Pace – the brake pedal lacks any real feel, making it easy to inadvertently apply too much braking force.

The Buzz is a quiet car: all you hear as you set off is the pedestrian warning sound. At faster speeds, road noise takes over and there's a bit of wind noise over the wing mirrors, but on the whole it's far more peaceful than the Tesla Model Y.

The VW ID Buzz seats you high up and you could almost think you’re driving a Range Rover if you squint a bit. The effect is enhanced in the Style and GTX versions by the slender adjustable armrests on either side of the driver's seat.

You sit much higher up than in similar-priced electric alternatives, including the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model Y. In fact, the driving position in the Buzz would be close to perfect were it not for VW’s obsession with fiddly touch-sensitive controls. You’ll find them on the dashboard for the heater settings, on the doors to adjust the mirrors and on the steering wheel.

If you choose one of the bright two-tone exterior paint options, you'll get an interior colour scheme to match, which adds real impact but is quite expensive.

With huge expanses of glass and upright pillars, the ID Buzz gives you a view out that a family SUV can only dream of. It doesn't feel at all daunting on the road and you’re always confident you know where the car's extremities are.

It helps that there's only a small bonnet projection to judge, and you get front and rear parking sensors as standard, along with a reversing camera to give you extra peace of mind. Still, with the driver so close to the front of the car, judging those front corners requires a bit of getting used to.

Full LED headlights come as standard, while top-spec Style trim introduces matrix alternatives that alter the light’s beam pattern to avoid dazzling other drivers.

Every ID Buzz has a 12.9in touchscreen mounted on the dashboard. It's more responsive than earlier VW systems but there are more user-friendly infotainment systems out there – in the BMW iX3 for example.

The Buzz has a competent voice-control system that uses ChatGPT to answer a range of general questions, and you can run apps from your smartphone on the screen using wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

All models have a slot near the indicator stalk to charge your phone wirelessly, and there are enough USB-C sockets for each passenger to have one.

You won’t find as much soft-touch plastic in the ID Buzz as you would in a similarly priced electric SUV. Most of the bits you touch regularly, including the steering wheel and armrests, feel upmarket. 

There are lots of interior personalisation options, with no fewer than eight colour schemes available, depending on the exterior paint colour you pick. Two-tone paint is particularly characterful: Life and Style models have a white top half, while the GTX trim is silver.

The Buzz feels remarkably light, airy and cheerful inside, thanks to the light colour scheme and huge windows. The GTX version has a darker interior, but that enhances the sense of quality rather than making it feel gloomy.

The VW ID Buzz is the ultimate box on wheels. And that's not only because of the exterior shape, but also because of the flat floor. Other than the seats and the removable Buzz Box storage unit between the driver and front passenger, there are no obstructions to impede interior space.

There are plenty of storage areas in the dashboard, including the wireless charging slot just to the left of the steering wheel and a hatch that pulls down to reveal a couple of cupholders.

There's more than enough head and leg room in the front of the Buzz for exceptionally tall people to sit up straight without touching the roof.

Regardless of whether you choose the standard or long-wheelbase ID Buzz, there’s a stunning amount of space in the back. In fact, there's far more rear leg and head room than you'll find in any similar-priced electric SUV. 

The Buzz's sliding side doors make getting in and out really easy, and are especially helpful in tight parking spaces. On Style and GTX trims, the doors are electrically operated and have opening side windows. The doors on the LWB model are nearly 20cm longer than on the SWB to make access even easier.

There are no shortage of Isofix child seat mounting points, but it’s a shame that five-seaters only have them on the outer two have Isofix mounting points – because of how broad the Buzz is inside, carrying three burly adults side-by-side, let alone three kids, would be no issue at all.

Long-wheelbase models come with seven seats as standard, but as an option can have six individual seats – arranged in three rows of two – or have it as a five-seater with a vast boot.

In a five or seven-seat Buzz, the 60/40 split seat bench slides back and forth and the seatbacks can be reclined or folded down, but they can't be removed entirely as they can in the VW Multivan.

You can remove the third-row of seats of six and seven-seat versions. And in models with six seats, it’s possible to fold them all individually, and the layout means it’s possible to walk the length of the interior, which could be helpful when strapping children into child seats.

In all its guises, the ID Buzz has an enormous amount of boot space. SWB models have 1,121 litres of storage, which is more than any electric SUV and allowed us to fit 16 carry-on suitcases below the load cover. For comparison, a BMW iX3 can take eight and the Jaguar I-Pace manages seven.

The LWB model – which is about 25cm longer than the SWB – offers even more boot space. With seven seats in use, you get a modest 306-litre boot (about what you get in a Vauxhall Corsa boot) but when you fold down the rear-most two seats, that grows to a vast 1,340 litres. With all the back seats down, there’s 2,469 litres of storage space – about what you’d find in a Ford Transit Connect van.

In entry-level Life trim, the Buzz has an annoying step in the floor of the load bay when you fold down the rear seats, but Style and GTX models solve this with a Multi-flex board, which is a shelf that partitions the space, allowing you to store smaller items under the main boot. It can be removed by undoing some bolts but you'll need somewhere indoors to store it.

The boot is large, and hinged from the top. That can double as a handy shelter when changing muddy boots in the boot, but it requires a lot of space to open in car parks.

On the face of it, the VW ID Buzz seems very expensive for a "van with windows", but here's the thing: it's not actually a van. It sits on the same underpinnings as the VW ID 4 and although you can get the windowless VW ID Buzz Cargo version, that's more of a trendy company vehicle than a real workhorse.

Besides, incredibly slow predicted depreciation means you'll get a lot of your investment back when you decide to sell.

It also means monthly PCP finance repayments are respectable – often cheaper than for equivalent electric SUVs such as the BMW iX3 and Kia EV9. The iX3 does use the energy stored in its batteries more efficiently though.

ID Buzz SWB models has a maximum charging speed of 185kW from a suitable CCS charging point, for a 10-80% top-up in as little as half an hour. A full (0-100%) charge using a regular 7kW home wallbox will take around 12 hours. The LWB versions can charge at up to 200kW – full charging times are similar because the battery is bigger.

Three trim levels are available for the ID Buzz: Life, Style and GTX. Life comes with a decent amount of equipment, including 19in alloys, adaptive cruise control, climate control, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. 

We'd recommend paying a bit extra for Style trim. It adds electrically-operated side doors with opening windows, larger 20in wheels, a powered tailgate, matrix LED headlights and the Multi-flex boot board.

While prices for the GTX have yet to be announced, it’s likely to attract a hefty premium, so unless you’re choosing it for four-wheel drive or its increased towing capacity, it could be hard to justify – even if it does feature a huge panoramic glass roof and 21in alloy wheels.

Other than two-tone paint, the only option we'd recommend forking out extra for is the 230V interior plug socket. At 300W, it's not powerful enough to boil a kettle but it could be useful for charging up your laptop – or perhaps powering an air pump for inflating beach balls.

The ID Buzz was too new to feature in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey but the VW ID 3 – which has similar mechanicals – came seventh out of 20 electric car models, with a 94.3% reliability rating. For comparison, the BMW iX3 had a rating of 99.3% while the Jaguar I-Pace managed a disappointing 80.3%.

Volkswagen finished 22nd out of 32 brands in the overall manufacturer league table, above Mercedes and Audi, but well below Hyundai and Kia.

The ID Buzz was awarded five stars out of five for safety when it was appraised by Euro NCAP. It scored particularly high marks for child-occupant crash protection, but was also praised for its protection of adults.

To help you avoid an accident in the first place, all versions come with automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist protection, lane-keeping assistance and road-sign recognition. An exit warning feature alerts the driver and passengers to approaching cyclists.

The optional Assistance Package Plus adds blind-spot monitoring a self-steering function to keep you in the centre of your lane on faster roads.

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