2025 VW ID.Buzz Drivers’ Notes: We All Took The Bus

The AutoGuide Team has spent a fair amount of time behind the wheel of the reborn VW bus, now electrified and known as the ID.Buzz.

Road Test Editor Kyle Patrick shook it down on the first drive in San Francisco. Managing Editor Mike Schlee tested it recently over his holiday break, and Editorial Director Greg Migliore tested two models late last year in his daily life. This is the chattiest vehicle of the year. Everyone notices it. Many people like it. The price and range are two potential drawbacks. Let’s discuss.

MIGLIORE: I tested two versions, a rear-wheel drive mint green model at the North American Car, Truck and Utility vehicle of the year awards— the Buzz won in the Utility category—and then a cherry red model a few weeks later.

Most of my impressions came from the red one, a Pro S Plus 4 Motion (equipped with all-wheel drive) that stickered for $70,540.

It generated jaw-dropping reactions. Parents at school drop-off whipped out their phones. People walking their dogs stopped and stared. A guy in an old Saturn Sky flagged me down in a parking lot. I took it to a Detroit Pistons game and felt like a celebrity.

I liked the VW’s interior. There’s a pullout slot where a wallet and keys can be hidden, as well as a more traditional cubby up top. It has a relatively tight turning radius, good visibility and the sliding windows and doors add to the usability. The infotainment was fine, but a bit dense, the ride was comfortable, and the electrons provided quick launches, even for a large, heavy vehicle.

The Buzz is clever and cheeky. This is the vibe VW should be going for with its entire brand. If ‘Voltswagen’ wasn’t a hoax, the badge would fit perfectly on the Buzz. The van format is inspired. VW is trying to pull buyers out of mid- and full-size SUVs, and let’s be real: VW is probably never going to win head-to-head against Ford, Toyota, Honda, etc., with a conventional model. The Buzz is anything but. It’s a savvy, aggressive move.

SCHLEE: The new 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz is a large, comfortable, spacious three-row vehicle with sliding doors. Ask Volkswagen though, and the brand is quick to point out it’s not a minivan, even if the EPA disagrees.

Regardless of what label is put on it, as Greg mentioned, the van is unmistakable cruising down the road. Even with the more stealthy two-tone grey paint, it drew plenty of head turns and attention wherever I went. I don’t think a single neighbor walked by without a question or two about the Buzz.

Behind the wheel, the 4Motion ID.Buzz provides adequate power, a smooth highway ride, and enough room for six adults. Unlike Greg, I got to test Volkswagen’s electric bus in full-blown winter weather. It’s quite apt at chugging through poor road conditions, especially with 4Motion all-wheel drive and winter tires. Highway ruts, snowplow-induced banks, and several inches of slush were no match for the ID.Buzz.

The interior is indeed quite nice, with all the space in the world. It took a few moments to get used to the massive windshield located three time zones in front of the driver, but after a few days of driving, I hardly noticed it anymore.

It’s not all perfect though, the ID.Buzz does have flaws, like the real-world range that isn’t all that impressive. As is the case with most EVs, pricing is higher than most consumers can afford. But at the end of the day, the vehicle is a real charmer, quickly becoming one of my favorite family haulers.

PATRICK: Greg nailed it: this is what VW should be doing, and arguably what it’s best at: fun, stylish vehicles that appeal across demographics. Simply put, the ID. Buzz was one of my top three favorite drives of the year, and that’s out of well over 100.

I too had the (relatively) stealthy gray-and-white tester, borrowing it from Mike to see how the big Bus handled Canada’s biggest city. It was a hit — literally, almost – in a few instances due to rubbernecking. A woman walked past it in a parking lot, stopped, and slowly circled the entire van, getting close to the details. You don’t get that in an Explorer.

It isn’t all style with no substance, either. As my colleagues point out, the Buzz is practical in a way only a big one-box shape can manage. There’s more third-row legroom than anything else on sale to the public today. The big sliding doors make it a cinch to get in and out. While it’s just my wife and I (and our little 20-pound dog), the holiday season meant lots of carting gifts across town, or getting supplies for a New Years party. The Buzz was a huge help here, and the dual-level cargo area is a boon when it comes to knick-knacks.

There was the chance that how the Buzz drives would end up as an afterthought. Nope. It is calm and collected with unmatched sightlines and a surprisingly tight turning circle. Oh yeah, and it breaks from tradition in one key way: it’s pretty quick, too.

Is it a little disappointing that the range is what it is, for a vehicle so clearly made for road trips? Yes. But that can improve down the line. No other brand can build a vehicle like the Buzz, and that’s what makes it special.

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