Not every car fits everyone—especially electric vehicles. The electric Volkswagen ID Buzz Bus exemplifies this, being so specialized that VW is skipping the 2026 model in the U.S., opting to sell ’25s until mid-year, when the 2027s are anticipated to arrive.
We’ve examined the ID Buzz multiple times, but wherever I go, two vehicles consistently pique people’s curiosity: the Tesla Cybertruck and the VW ID. Buzz. The former taps into a playful vibe, while the latter is a contemporary take on an automotive classic. Inquiries about these two arise for varied motivations. Nevertheless, the truth about the 2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz is straightforward: It’s riddled with substantial flaws and compromises, most of which are nearly masked by the sheer delight it brings to everyone who engages with it, young and old alike. This model is currently the only electric minivan available in the U.S.
Let me clarify.
Flaws of the ID Buzz
The essence of the original VW Bus revolved around good vibes, enjoyable moments, and adventure—or something similar. I’m too young to have experienced that period or the original classic. Yet, the tales have reached me.
The new van, which should embody good vibes, enjoyable moments, and the open road, can be characterized as a product with considerable flaws. It provides insufficient range and has compromised utility due to its design. While this may seem trivial, it genuinely impacts the overall experience.
With an EPA rating of 231 miles on a single charge, the ID Buzz won’t be cruising for long distances. At most, one might manage 200 miles at highway speeds, although, depending on various factors, that can drop to around 180 miles per charge. Over a week’s worth of suburban driving covering 190 miles, ferrying kids to soccer and school with an average speed of 22 mph, the ID Buzz achieved 2.8 mi/kWh, indicating that its 81 kWh battery (of which 86 kWh is usable) would yield approximately 240 miles of real-world mixed range. Your experience may differ.
The top-tier ID Buzz Pro S Plus 4Motion I evaluated comes with a staggering price tag of $70,540, which includes a $1,550 destination fee. That’s an exorbitant cost for a VW-labeled minivan. Sure, it features heated and cooled front seats with a massage option, but it can’t truly be classified as a luxury vehicle, and the quirky design has its limits. The base model, priced at $61,545, is hardly affordable either, downgrading the dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain to a single-motor rear-wheel-drive setup with merely 282 horsepower, compared to my dual-motor’s 335 hp.
The ID Buzz operates on a 400-volt system and needs 26 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. While that’s decently acceptable, it’s not exceptionally quick either. In contrast, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes with a larger 113-kWh battery that charges from 10% to 80% in only 24 minutes using a 350-kW charger, thanks to its advanced 800-volt system, which puts things into context. The significant distinction is the 400-volt architecture, limiting the ID Buzz’s peak charge rate to around 200 kW.
Before even tackling the numerous functionality challenges, including the frustrating touch-based slider controls for volume and climate settings. Fortunately, the volume control has touch buttons on the steering wheel, and climate settings can be managed via the 12.9-inch touchscreen. The true drawback here is that there are only two window controls on the driver’s side. To work the front or rear windows, the button must be toggled between the two. If that was frustrating to read, just imagine using them in a drive-thru. The third row can be detached, which is handy, but it’s a manual task, and each seat weighs around 65 pounds. The third and second rows fold down but don’t flatten into the floor due to the battery positioned underneath. Thus, when folded, there’s a gap behind the third row, which can be filled with a shelf-like filler to achieve a flat feel. Yet, there remains a slight gap between the second and third rows when laid flat, necessitating a sheet of plywood for a blow-up mattress, or simply accepting a little sag as part of the camping experience.
It accelerates swiftly off the line due to electric torque. The steering is smooth but doesn’t demand constant adjustments at higher speeds. Visibility with all the large windows is unparalleled among modern vehicles, providing a fantastic view in all directions, and the upright seating position enhances comfort. However, the 20-inch aluminum wheels, despite their vintage-inspired design, come with low-profile tires. Coupled with the suspension that doesn’t allow much travel, the ride quality suffers, especially on uneven Midwestern roads and expansion joints, reminiscent of a delivery van, which makes sense since a cargo variant is available in Europe.
Why These Flaws Are Minor
The ironic truth is that, in practical terms, nearly none of the shortcomings I faced with the ID Buzz truly matter. Why? Because the bus garnered admiration across the board, myself included.
My children couldn’t stop raving about the spaciousness, the charging ports, and the panoramic glass allowing them to see the world as we drove. They chatted about it incessantly with their friends at the bus stop, soccer matches, and gymnastics. Their friends were eager to experience a ride to the team dinner, of course. When I informed them that if we drove this to the lake, which is 204 miles round trip, we might run out of charge and need to stop to recharge along the way, their response was, “Who cares? This thing is awesome, let’s do it! We want to take a road trip to the lake in this!” My kids, showing their youthful impatience, almost pleaded to drive the “awesome bus” to the lake, fully aware it would take longer than using another car.
At poker night, the van was a hot topic, with everyone eager to check it out; “I think I want one now.”
During my week with the ID Buzz, it was a struggle not to feel a sense of happiness while driving it. Life’s issues felt distant. The vibe exudes pure joy.
The ID Buzz is a deeply flawed product that brings happiness. The market’s perception reflects its defects but misses the joy aspect, which is truly unfortunate. The world could use more of this.
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