Volkswagen ID.Buzz review: A head-turning EV microbus with unfortunate flaws

Engadget

5 days ago

While we're still waiting for a true electric minivan to hit the US, VW's ID.Buzz microbus is close. It's a unique family hauler that'll definitely get your neighbors buzzing. No, seriously, during my week of testing I had over a dozen conversations with strangers who were fascinated by the ID.Buzz. One of my neighbors stopped their car dramatically when they saw it, backed up, and just had to give me a thumbs up and praise it as "cool as hell."
My kids were similarly enamored, they loved its cute design and enormous interior space. In many ways, it's the family EV I've been dreaming of — something that could comfortably seat seven people and carry tons of cargo for road trips. Unfortunately, its high $60,000 starting price and relatively lackluster 234 mile range hold it back from true greatness.
The VW ID.Buzz does a great job of evoking the nostalgia of the classic VW microbus, but it's held back by its high price and driving range. $59,995 at Volkswagen
Really, though, those issues were obvious when VW announced its US launch details for the ID.Buzz last year. I was more intrigued to see if it was a complete flop for VW, or if there was something compelling about it despite those flaws. After testing the ID.Buzz for a week, I've noticed one surprising thing: It makes everyone smile. It may not look exactly like VW's classic '60s microbus, but it elicits a similar amount of joy. And that's refreshing compared to the response I've seen to other large EVs like the Cybertruck (my son calls it the "ugly truck") and the ridiculous Hummer EV.
Sure, it's sort of coasting on vibes, but the VW ID.Buzz still has plenty of practical benefits if you don't mind the high price and charging a bit more often during road trips. And as I'll explain below, it'll likely be an enticing option once it hits the used market in a few years.
Most cynically, the ID.Buzz is an attempt to milk the brand nostalgia for VW's hippy-era Type 2 microbus. VW never quite gave up on those vehicles, but its later models dropped the cute rounded aesthetic and looked more like commercial vans. What makes the ID.Buzz truly interesting is that it transforms a beloved classic into a cutting-edge EV, with an enormous infotainment screen and modern features like adaptive cruise control.
It also makes a great first impression, since it doesn't look like anything else on the road. There's a rounded front end that evokes the playfulness of the original model, and its two-tone color design (on some trims) simply pops among a sea of boring (and often white) cars in traffic. Sure, VW has done this before, but the Buzz is still a great reminder that EVs don't have to look like traditional vehicles. There's no front engine to worry about, just a big battery and electric motors. In the Buzz's case, you can choose from rear-wheel drive and "4Motion" all-wheel drive dual motors, delivering 282 and 335 horsepower, respectively. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
The ID.Buzz offers the seating of a minivan — with room for six to seven people depending on your configuration, and convenient sliding second-row doors — plus the height and storage capacity more akin to cargo vans. With all of its seats up, the Buzz offers an acceptable 18.6 cubic feet of storage, which is enough for a typical grocery run or a stroller and a diaper bag. Fold the third row down, though, and you get a far more useful 75.5 cubic feet of space. You could also remove the second and third row of seats entirely to get a massive 145.5 cubic feet of space.
Funny enough, you could technically fit three people into the Buzz's third row, but US regulators have taken issue since that row only has two seatbelts. VW has recalled existing vehicles and says it'll be adding "unpadded trim parts" to reduce the seating area. Yes, it's the rare recall where you'll actually lose a bit of functionality in the name of safety. (Nobody is actually forcing Buzz owners to do that, though...)
As for other niceties, the ID.Buzz offers an enormous 12.9-inch infotainment screen (I've never seen Apple CarPlay look so big before), a smaller driving information screen behind the steering wheel and an optional heads-up display. There's also a panoramic sunroof option, which can't be opened but can be tinted to look opaque on demand. Our review unit didn't have that sunroof, unfortunately, and the interior certainly felt a bit gloomier because of that. If I were seriously considering the ID.Buzz, I'd argue the sunroof a is requirement. (Admittedly, it could be a problem if you're trying to get babies and toddlers to sleep, since the interior will never truly get dark. But kids outgrow napping fairly quickly, and it's easy to find canopies for car seats.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
The best thing about the ID.Buzz is the vibe you get while driving it around town. People will stop and stare at it, kids will point at it excitedly and harried parents will approach it like the monolith from 2001. It's as if VW's designers took Marie Kondo's advice to heart: It simply sparks joy. As I dropped off my son at daycare one morning, one of the school's admins dragged me outside and demanded to see the interior. "I wish I could retire in this thing and travel the country," she said.
The ID.Buzz is also very capable as an EV. Despite its large size, it's quick to accelerate and incredibly comfortable on the highway and bumpy roads. Parking was a bit annoying, but the Buzz was also easy to maneuver thanks to the large infotainment screen, which could display both single-camera and 360-degree overhead views at the same time. I had a much easier time backing into spots than I did with much smaller cars.
The Buzz's large second row could easily fit three carseats side-by-side, assuming you get the models with the middle bench seat. I was able to hook up my son's carseat and my daughter's booster chair in a few minutes, without the finger-cramping I usually experience with my Volvo XC90 SUV. (One downside to the second row? You can't open its windows fully, instead only a smaller section of the windows open up.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
I also instantly appreciated the Buzz's enormous storage area, as it was able to fit a large pile of charity donations that were sitting in my garage. That included a bike trailer for kids as well as an old high chair. We were able to fully load up the trunk with the third-row seats down, and there was still room in the second row for additional gear. That trip likely would have been possible with my Volvo, but it would have involved cramming in large items more creatively. With the ID.Buzz, I didn't break a sweat.
Now that I'm several years into being a suburban dad with two kids ( sigh ), I've learned to appreciate the benefits of less flashy and more practical transportation. And there's no doubt the ID.Buzz is useful. In addition to that donation drop-off, I was also able to comfortably pile my parents into the Buzz along with my kids for a day trip. My dad thought the third row was absolutely huge, and my mom had no trouble sitting in the second row alongside the child and booster seats.
There's no other EV that's this flexible. The Rivian R1S is far more expensive, and the Kia EV9 is great but doesn't offer as much storage. And neither of those cars have minivan-like sliding doors, which are a life-saver in tight parking spots. There's no true EV minivan in the US at this point, the best you can get is the hybrid Toyota Sienna (which I loved) and the plug-in hybrid Pacifica (which I had to dump because of Chrysler's terrible build quality). Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
The hardest pill to swallow with the Buzz is its $60,000 starting price, which can escalate to over $70,000 if you want all the fixins. Basically, it's a luxury curiosity for those who can afford it, not something that's easily attainable for everyone. Its price could be excused if the Buzz also offered everything we see in comparable EVs, but its short 234-mile range is just inexcusable when the EV9 can reach 309 miles for around the same price. For such a large vehicle, you'd think VW would be able to stuff in more batteries.
Realistically, the Buzz's range only becomes a problem during long road trips, where you'll have to charge more often compared to other EVs. But that can be an annoying process, since you'll typically have to spend at least half an hour at a charging station to get ready for the next leg of your trip. VW says the Buzz can go from 10 to 80 percent charge on a 200 kW DC fast charger in 30 minutes, but those aren't available everywhere. One hour of level 2 AC charging got me 12 percent of additional battery life, while level 1 trickle charging at home added 20 percent of juice over 14 hours.
It's also worth noting that range estimates vary dramatically in cold weather, or if you're cranking the Buzz's heat or air conditioning. That's why it's always smart to aim for as much range as you can, even if you don't think you'll be driving that much. Volkswagen
Beyond the obvious problems, I also hated the Buzz's capacitive touch controls, which are spread across its steering wheel buttons, infotainment center and window controls. While there are indentations and a bit of haptic feedback when you hit something, like pumping up the volume or choosing the next music track via the steering wheel, it's hard to differentiate those controls from nearby capacitive buttons. It's far too easy to tap the cruise control functions while you're just trying to change the volume, and vice versa.
Since it's hard to actually feel where certain buttons are, I found myself looking down to make sure I was hitting the right option, which is something I absolutely hate doing while driving. Similarly, trying to adjust HVAC settings on the bottom portion of the infotainment screen can easily trigger the capacitive buttons below them, which was another reason I had to occasionally take my eyes off the road. Thankfully, VW appears to be focusing on physical buttons for future vehicles, but ID.Buzz owners are still left with a frustrating interface. The ID.Buzz's rearview mirror controls... how do they work? (Devindra Hardawar for Engadget)
Here are just some of the ways the capacitive buttons infuriated me: It's difficult to turn on the cruise control and adjust your speed without looking down.
It's tough to control the rear windows from the driver's seat, since it involves hitting a capacitive "Rear" button. There are only two controls for windows, so you have to choose between controlling the front and second-row windows. Even more annoying, the Buzz would sometimes disable the rear window option after a few seconds.
I spent at least 10 minutes trying to figure out how the rear-view mirrors are controlled, and I still have no clue. It's an inscrutable combination of a joy-stick, turning dial and capacitive controls.
At this point, given its price and range, the VW ID.Buzz just doesn't make sense for most people. If you really want a three-row EV, you'll likely be better served by the Kia EV9 or the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which offer more range for a similar price. And if you absolutely need something that's like a minivan, the Toyota Sienna is hard to beat. While it's not a full EV, its hybrid setup still offers a healthy 36 MPG.
But , I've also noticed that used EVs tend to drop in price far quicker than gas cars. You can currently find the Polestar 2, which launched at around $60,000, for $30,000 or less in the used market. While I can't guarantee the Buzz will drop that far, I wouldn't be surprised if we see used versions for around $40,000 in a few years. And at that point, it could be a decent purchase even with its relatively low range. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
It's clear that the ID.Buzz is a big swing for VW, and it's truly unique since there aren't any EV minivans outside of China. It's just a shame that it's held back by some obvious issues. The ID.Buzz is still undeniably useful though, especially if you don't plan on taking many road trips, so there's a chance it'll become more compelling as its price falls.