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The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is probably one of the most striking vehicles currently on sale. If you’ve passed one, you’re unlikely to have missed it - partly because of the retro two-tone colour schemes it’s available in, and partly because VW’s modern electric car styling themes actually fit very well over the ID.Buzz’s chunky shape.
Launched in 2022, there’s definitely an element of style over substance to the ID.Buzz. There’s not yet a seven-seater variant for instance, and the slick interior has, like several modern VWs, come at the expense of some usability. But as an eyecatching way of moving the family around, few, if any other EVs come close.
The closest alternative to an ID.Buzz is probably Volkswagen’s own Multivan, which is more practical but also combustion-powered only. In terms of electric people-movers, you’re looking at models like the Citroen e-Berlingo, Mercedes EQV, and Ford e-Tourneo Custom.
If you want an electric MPV, your choices are currently pretty limited. If you want one that’s genuinely stylish, then you’re pretty much left with one choice alone: the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. In reimagining its iconic people-movers of the past for the electric age, Volkswagen has created something that’s currently unique.
There are some compromises to be made by picking an ID.Buzz over the handful of other EV MPVs, or over petrol or diesel equivalents though. The main one from a practicality standpoint is that VW hasn’t yet offered it with a seven-seat layout. The main usability drawback, meanwhile, is that with a usable range of around 200 miles, any long holiday or camping trip will require more forward planning than a combustion equivalent.
The ID.Buzz is pleasant to drive though, mostly because it’s far quieter and more refined than the diesel power you usually find in vehicles like this. There’s great visibility too, though bear in mind that it’s quite a big vehicle, at nearly two metres wide even without its mirrors. All ride well too, but versions on smaller wheels especially so.
And while we’re concentrating on the passenger variant here, it’s worth knowing that there’s also a panel van model available, called the Cargo. It’s not quite as stylish as the passenger vans, a bit more dour in its colour schemes, but for getting your business noticed, it’s up there with the best.
If you want a practical EV to carry around several passengers then you’re currently limited to van-based models like the Mercedes EQV, Ford e-Tourneo Custom, and the slightly smaller Citroen e-Berlingo and its equivalents. All are more adaptable but less stylish than the Volkswagen. If electric power isn’t a must, then the Volkswagen Multivan has some of the ID.Buzz’s style but more utility.
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With a single motor and battery option so far, there’s not much deciding to be done with the ID.Buzz’s electric powertrain. Instead you’re limited to choosing between the three different trim levels offered so far, and from a purely pragmatic point of view, we’d say there’s little reason to buy any more than the core Life trim. That said, it depends what’s available on the market, and for what price - many new buyers have been happy to go for the more stylish (appropriately) Style trim, and even in Style and 1st Edition form, you’re looking at quite a saving over a brand new ID.Buzz.
The ID.Buzz has been offered in three trim lines since launch, with Life and Style models still offered new and 1st Edition being a limited variant at launch and now only available used. All are very well equipped, so if your budget only stretches to Life trim, you won’t feel too hard done by, though to get the full effect of the van’s striking colours and styling, Style and 1st Edition models do get the more striking light-coloured interior themes.
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz’s dimensions are:
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz’s boot size is:
As an electric vehicle, it’s currently completely free to tax the Volkswagen ID.Buzz each year, and while this may change in the future, it’s still likely to be cheaper to tax an ID.Buzz than equivalent petrol or diesel MPVs.
Insurance should be similar to some of VW’s other electric cars, such as the ID.4 - all models are currently found in groups 31-33 out of 50.
Read our full Volkswagen ID.Buzz review