I have to admit, rarely has a new car left me as conflicted as the Volkswagen Id. Buzz. Like many, the idea of Volkswagen reviving the iconic Microbus sparked a lot of excitement in me. Even without deeply resonating with the nostalgic hippie associations, the original VW Microbus always represented something special. It was a vehicle of incredibly practical design that somehow also became charming and quirky, packed with character, utility, and a spirit of cheerful rebellion. It’s one of those vehicles that could always bring a smile to your face, and every journey, whether as a driver or passenger, is a cherished memory. Perhaps expecting that level of magic from any modern car is unrealistic. Yet, here we are with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, and while there’s so much to appreciate, a critical flaw makes it profoundly disappointing.
It feels necessary to preface any discussion about the ID. Buzz by acknowledging its unusually long and drawn-out introduction. My own experience with this vehicle dates back to 2022 when I first drove the European short-wheelbase version. In 2023, I witnessed the unveiling of the US-market long-wheelbase model. Finally, last October, I had the chance to drive the long-wheelbase ID. Buzz again at yet another launch event. Volkswagen certainly knows how to put on a show, which is enjoyable, but it’s been a lengthy two-year build-up for a car release.
In reality, the anticipation stretches back even further, almost 24 years, to when Volkswagen initially teased the concept of a reborn Microbus in 2001.
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Recently, I was given the opportunity to spend a week with an ID. Buzz. Knowing this was my chance, I decided to undertake the one test I hadn’t been able to perform during the previous press events: a genuine road trip. This meant hours of highway driving, away from the carefully orchestrated routes and support of Volkswagen’s event staff. I needed to experience the ID. Buzz in real-world highway conditions and assess its performance.
The Road Trip Test for the ID. Buzz
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This road trip was crucial to confirm my growing suspicion from previous encounters with the Buzz: it’s tantalizingly close to being exceptional, but the decision to make it a purely battery-electric vehicle has significantly hampered its potential. This concern arises not from the vehicle’s weaknesses, but rather its strengths. The ID. Buzz boasts incredible packaging, resulting in a spacious interior within its streamlined boxy frame. Every row, even the third row at the very back, offers generous legroom, headroom, and overall space.
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Luggage space is ample even with all seats in use, and folding the middle row and removing the rear seats reveals a cavernous cargo area. My point is, the ID. Buzz is inherently designed for road trips. So, a road trip it was!
It wasn’t an epic cross-country journey, but a respectable drive from central North Carolina to the charming, Spanish moss-draped city of Savannah, Georgia. A drive of about five hours, or so it should be. It was a relatively light road trip, with just two occupants and minimal luggage. The ID. Buzz, of course, is capable of handling far more.
The Range Problem of the ID. Buzz
However, here lies the central issue: the ID. Buzz, a phenomenal road trip vehicle, is unfortunately saddled with what feels like a city car’s driving range.
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The official range rating for the rear-wheel-drive version I tested is 234 miles on a combined cycle. However, real-world road trip range is a different story. During my testing, in generally cold weather necessitating heater use, with the battery charged to 90% from the default 80%, and driving at typical highway speeds between 65 and 75 mph, I consistently achieved only 170 to 190 miles of range, and often even less. The navigation system wisely prompts you to find chargers well before you reach the anxiety-inducing single-digit range.
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Realistically, this translates to charging stops every 150 to 160 miles, roughly every two hours. This frequency is simply insufficient for comfortable road tripping. Furthermore, charging itself is nowhere near as convenient or rapid as refueling a gasoline car.
This isn’t necessarily a fault of the ID. Buzz itself, but the vehicle is undeniably limited by the current state of the charging network in America. In the context of road trips, home charging, often touted as a solution by EV advocates, becomes less relevant. For daily commutes, with a Level 2 charger at home, the shortcomings of public charging infrastructure are less impactful.
But on a road trip? The charging infrastructure becomes paramount.
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Road trips demand fast chargers, as slower options can leave you stranded for extended periods. Upon returning from my trip, I attempted to use a local charger and encountered a rate of only 15 miles of range per hour. Starting from a 20% charge, a full charge would have required eight hours or more.
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Fast chargers do exist, including some surprisingly Mercedes-Benz branded units I encountered.
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Despite the Mercedes branding, it seemed to be a standard ChargePoint charger, and there were no Mercedes vehicles in sight. More often, charging stops involved 30-minute sessions behind a Walmart, often next to stacks of shipping containers. The charging experience is far from glamorous, and it’s also not inexpensive. My average charging cost for the ID. Buzz was $40 to $45 per session, and I needed at least two charges round trip, and possibly one more in between. This actually made the trip more expensive than it would have been in a gasoline-powered vehicle.
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Charging, in general, leaves much to be desired. While EVs offer numerous advantages, the charging experience isn’t one of them. Sometimes, you arrive at a charger only to find it out of order, resembling a crashed work computer.
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Perhaps the upcoming Tesla Supercharger adapter for these vehicles will improve things, but it still won’t match the ease and speed of refueling with gasoline – the benchmark, whether entirely fair or not.
The Source of Frustration with the ID. Buzz
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This begs the question: what is the intended purpose of the ID. Buzz? In its cargo form, the platform is undeniably ideal for local deliveries. It excels in that role. However, the passenger ID. Buzz, both in its design and spirit, is clearly meant to be a road trip companion. A vehicle that converts energy into freedom – the freedom to explore, travel with loved ones, and bring everything you need.
And let’s not forget, the ID. Buzz starts at approximately $60,000. It’s not a budget-friendly vehicle.
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It’s exceptionally good at being a comfortable and enjoyable space for travel. The model I tested featured a darker interior theme, which I personally prefer less than the lighter, more vibrant color schemes. However, the cabin is incredibly spacious and comfortable, the multi-zone climate control is highly effective, the sound system is fantastic, and it’s the kind of environment where you and up to seven passengers can have a wonderful time for extended periods.
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Except, of course, a significant portion of that time might be spent waiting at a charger, likely behind a Walmart.
The ID. Buzz has so much going for it. It’s a joy to drive. Seriously, the acceleration is remarkable – almost unbelievable when compared to the original VW Bus – and highway driving is smooth. The low center of gravity due to the battery pack contributes to excellent road holding and surprisingly agile handling for such a tall vehicle. The brakes are also excellent, a fact I can personally attest to as the front of the bus remained venison-free after a deer ran into my path.
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It’s visually appealing too. The two-tone paint scheme certainly enhances its retro charm, and who cares if it’s doing a lot of the work? It’s effective. It stands out from the mundane vehicles on the road, drawing smiles and glances as you drive by. And it’s still, technically, a minivan! A cool minivan! Volkswagen has achieved something remarkable simply by making a minivan desirable.
It’s fast, spacious, practical, stylish, comfortable – it’s almost everything you could want! Except its limited range significantly restricts its usability. For city driving, it’s perfectly adequate, but that’s not its true calling. This vehicle is designed for road trips. It’s almost perfect for that purpose, but it ultimately falls short due to its range limitations.
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It’s incredibly frustrating. It’s akin to cloning Leonardo DaVinci, perfectly replicating his appearance and voice, but then revealing that he can’t actually paint or draw. Apart from that, it’s DaVinci!
A Potential Solution for the ID. Buzz Range Issue
What’s even more frustrating is that this range issue seems solvable. If the ID. Buzz were offered as a hybrid or with a range extender, it would be transformative. An ID. Buzz with a range extender, perhaps similar to what VW is planning for the new Scout, would become an absolutely exceptional vehicle.
And it’s a feasible concept. Consider this:
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The battery pack could be slightly reduced in size, creating space for a combustion engine. Perhaps an inline engine mounted horizontally or a flat horizontally-opposed engine. The fuel tank could be positioned at the front – does this configuration sound familiar?
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Indeed, it does.
The point is, a range-extended ID. Buzz should be a viable option, especially given VW’s commitment to range-extended EVs with the Scout. A range-extended Buzz would function as a fantastic all-electric vehicle for daily use, while also offering the unrestrained long-distance capability of a gasoline car for road trips.
Unfortunately, that’s not the current reality. Influenced partly by the lingering shadow of Dieselgate, the ID. Buzz is a remarkable vehicle hindered by circumstances and external pressures. Making it a range-extended EV/hybrid would resolve these limitations. However, in its current form, the ID. Buzz leaves a feeling of disappointment.
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Disappointment not just for what could have been, but for what almost is. Volkswagen needs to critically re-evaluate the Buzz and complete the job, the right way. They possess all the necessary components; they simply need to assemble them correctly. They are so close to creating something truly special, and I genuinely hope they succeed.
