A Look Inside the Volkswagen IDBuzz What Makes it the Perfect Hippy Car?

I still remember when in 2017 Volkswagen presented the prototype that advanced this ID. Buzz for the first time. Everything pointed to a 'bluff', to wanting to revive his classic Bus, to play with our feelings... But luckily that concept has materialized in a unique vehicle.

A vehicle that causes fury in its path, that makes people smile, that they come up to ask, that they tell you 'how beautiful', 'how cool'... And let's not mention the adjectives that the little ones dedicate to it, who associate this ID. Buzz with Scooby Doo's van or a small ice cream truck.

4.71 meters long measures this Volkswagen ID.Buzz

With that, you realize that the German company has embroidered it, that it has conceived a special vehicle that falls in love at first sight. And with that, they have half the job done by everyone who wants one.

These lines help to hide the proportions of this ID. Buzz, which settles 4.71 meters long. That is 19 centimeters less than a Caravelle or 26 less than a T7 Multivan. And that helps you offer extra agility to move through traffic. Although it also does its bit with extraordinary visibility from the driving position or a contained turning circle. Although the steering, with 3.4 turns between stops, is somewhat slow, in addition to the fact that it does not offer a more direct one, it is available in other models born from the MEB platform.

It uses a platform and mechanics known to the brand

Yes. Despite not having anything in common with a Cupra Born a priori, the truth is that this ID. Buzz uses its base, also shared with Q4 e-tron, Enyaq iV, ID.3... And some of the more electric leaders of the Volkswagen Group.

From some of them, it also inherits some 'buts' that we find in controls without lighting, ergonomic details, the lack of cams to vary the retention power, or an unfriendly suspension with the passage when the firm is not like a pool of water. And in this ID. Buzz there is no option for an adaptive one.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz boasts interior spaciousness

But even with all this, this ID. Buzz invites you to be driven in an irrepressible way. Its driving position is really comfortable and bright and, although all the plastics are rigid and recycled, its finish is very convincing. Although it would improve with a hole with a lid to hide everyday objects from strangers.

The ID. Buzz does not break the mold on a technical level, because it inherits the mechanics used by other electrics in the group, with a 150 kW rear motor, and batteries with 77 kWh of useful capacity... But its format also raises the weight 356 kilos above an ID.4 to mechanical equality (the equivalent of four adults and a child), so that its benefits suffer. Even so, this ID.Buzz surprises with its features, with a quick response to gain speed in any situation. Even to overtake on two-way roads. Nothing to reproach here, although the 210 kW (286 CV) mechanics of its new 'stretched' version will fit you like a glove.

Going around 350 kilometers on one charge is easy

The 77 kWh capacity battery (the only one available for now for the ID.Buzz) translates into an approved autonomy of 417 kilometers, easily achievable if we abuse the city or its surrounding roads. And if we bet on the ECO mode, although it also allows us to choose between the Comfort, Sport, and Individual programs from the central 10-inch screen (there is a 12-inch option).

However, this ID. Buzz is not afraid of long journeys, although its large frontal surface becomes the main ballast to increase its consumption at a highway rate. For you to take into account, at 120 km/h a Skoda Enyaq iV spends 18.7 kWh/100 km, almost 4 kWh/100 km less than our protagonist. And in the end, with the same battery, it ends up taking its toll, being able to travel a maximum of 345 kilometers on one charge (411 you could do with the aforementioned Enyaq iV), which isn't bad either. And keep in mind that its batteries allow fast recharging to a maximum of 170 kW, which makes things easier when it comes to getting on the road.

A vehicle that invites you to travel

In these circumstances, his soundproofing work is appreciated, making the trip really pleasant for its five occupants. And it is that this ID. Buzz does not offer an alternative with seven seats, despite the fact that on the sides of its huge trunk (it ranges between 1,121 and 2,123 liters) armrests have been carved, which are even soft. But they have forgotten to put the two seats that the recently presented LWB version can have, 25 centimeters longer than our protagonist.

Three individual rear seats would also have been appreciated instead of its 60:40 split-bench, some windows that could be opened and, to round things off, an independently opening rear window, because to open your trunk completely you have to park far from Wall.

This Volkswagen ID.Buzz surprises with its dynamics

On the highway it defends itself, but on roads full of curves it will surprise you with its extraordinary poise, even with a height that caresses two meters and makes it difficult to access some parking lots. The feel of the brakes is convincing and the stopping distances are comparable to those of a Golf GTI, so don't think of putting a 'but' on its rear drums.

It enjoys great equipment at all levels, which tries to justify a high rate in this 21st-century hippy. As high as it caresses 70,000 euros.

The rivals of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz

The particular segment in which the ID. Buzz Plays has more participants every day. Part of that responsibility falls on the Stellantis group. We have chosen an ë-SpaceTourer, but it has clones signed by Fiat, Opel, Peugeot, or Toyota. Wider and with up to eight seats, its engine is not as powerful and its battery lasts less due to higher spending (there is a version with a 50 kWh battery). The same is true of the Maxus Euniq 5, whose battery has 52.5 kWh and charges at a maximum of 50 kW, so it is not the best option for travel, despite its spaciousness or its seven seats. It has an adjusted price and MOVES option. The EQV boasts its 100 kWh battery, but it's overly expensive and expensive. Even the version with a 66 kWh battery exceeds 70,000 euros and is satisfied with 231 km of autonomy. If you want it for long trips, maybe a Multivan suits you. It is a plug-in hybrid, cheaper, has a '0 emissions' label, and 7 seats.