2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz First Drive: Does It Minivan?

• Unique styling makes VW's new ID Buzz the coolest minivan ever.
• Behind the retro design, the ID Buzz has loads of passenger space and clever cargo features.
• However, short electric driving range and a high price might limit its appeal.

Anyhow, based on the same underlying architecture as the Volkswagen ID 4, the Buzz has either a single 282-horsepower motor driving the rear wheels or a dual-motor configuration with a combined 335 hp that gives the van all-wheel drive. That's decent power, but with a curb weight of around 6,000 pounds, the Buzz isn't promising to be quick.

Every U.S. Buzz gets a 91-kWh battery (86 kWh usable), granting an EPA-estimated 234 miles of range for the two-wheel-drive version or 231 miles with all-wheel drive. That's not a lot of range, but the Buzz does come with 200-kW DC fast charging capability that charges the battery from 10% to 80% in 26 minutes, so you can top off that battery quickly if needed.

Inside, VW offers a cool interior with generous seating space for six or seven passengers, depending on whether you want AWD or RWD, respectively. It also comes with the usual minivan staples like dual power-sliding doors, plenty of USB ports, a jillion cupholders and so on. You'll also find clever touches like an available panoramic moonroof with an electrochromic shade that makes the glass opaque at the touch of a button and a removable center console that can be repositioned between the second row of seats.

How does it haul people?

The Buzz may be the only electric van out there, but the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Kia Carnival are all excellent kid-and-stuff haulers, and the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid has all that plus short-range EV driving.

If your priority is passenger space, the Buzz is one of the best on the market. There's tons of second-row room, and even though I'm 6 feet, 1 inch tall, the Buzz passed the "self-behind-self" test with gobs of room to spare. Headroom abounds, as does legroom, and the second-row seats recline and slide far forward and aft.

The third row is as roomy as the second row in a lot of modern SUVs, with more than enough headroom and excellent legroom. Unique among minivans, the third row also slides fore and aft, and even in its forwardmost position, I could arrange everything to have plenty of space in the front, middle and third rows. Just note that the Buzz maxes out at seven passengers, and all-wheel drive mandates only six seats. Other vans are available with seating for up to eight.

As for kid-friendly features, both the second and third rows feature prominent lower anchors for car seats and easy-to-access upper tethers, making it simple to attach and anchor a child seat. The large vents in the ceiling move a lot of air, and there are USB-C ports for each outboard passenger. The Buzz doesn't have a rear-seat entertainment system, but the driver and front passenger's seatbacks have high-positioned pockets that are perfect for mounting an iPad or other keep-‘em-quiet device.

The Buzz's step-in height is on the high side but still lower than most SUVs. It shouldn't pose too much of a problem except for the littlest of kids, who might have to wait a few more months before they can tackle clambering in by themselves than if it were an Odyssey. If your rear seat passengers will include mobility-challenged grandparents, it might pose more of an issue, but only a bit.

How does it haul cargo?

The Buzz is lacking something every other minivan has: a deep cargo well behind the third row. At first glance this seems like a drawback, and admittedly, it's nice to have that big cargo bin back there, but the Buzz's rear electric motor prevents such a setup.

But the Buzz makes do in another way, with a standard shelf-and-bin system. Two canvas bags sit under a hard shelf, giving you two layers of cargo room, which is handy. The bins can be removed and folded up so you can put larger items under the shelf as well.

However, that comes out with a couple of thumb screws, and when it's removed and the third row is in its forwardmost position you open up a ton of cargo space, with ample room for a stroller, a week or more of groceries, or just about anything else. If you need to maximize cargo space the third-row seats remove easily with the tug of a strap, rolling out to the rear. They're heavy but not ridiculously so, and when you need to put them back, they roll back into place just as easily.

Of course you can also just fold the rear seatbacks forward for extra room. Note that as clever as all this is, it's not as convenient as folding a third row into the cargo well. But VW still deserves some credit for making it as useful as it is.

What are the downsides?

There are two potential drawbacks. The first is price, which, when you include destination fees, ranges from $61,545 for the base rear-wheel-drive Pro S up to $71,545 for the relatively bougie all-wheel-drive First Edition trim. That's not cheap, and since the Buzz is built in Germany it doesn't qualify for federal EV rebates. By comparison, that base price is the same as a fully loaded Pacifica plug-in and Toyota Sienna, and thousands more than top-of-the-line models from Honda and Kia. The price is a consideration because families usually operate on a tight budget, and when your least expensive trim tops a competitor's most expensive one, it'll raise an eyebrow.

The other factor is range. With a maximum of 234 miles per charge, it comes up short against another electric family hauler we love, the Kia EV9, which boasts a long-range battery for up to 300 miles of range for around the same price. While the Buzz has a fast charger, the simple fact is you'll need to do it more often than other EVs. Around town it'll be fine, but if you want to load up the kids for a cross-country trip to Grandma's, the logistical challenges might have you wishing you'd gone with a Pacifica plug-in instead.

What will families think?

Volkswagen has done something I never would've thought possible: It's made a genuinely cool minivan. You can have maximum kid-and-stuff hauling without wishing for a real-life face-blurring feature while you drive, and that's worth some sort of an ovation. It's also good at basic van stuff, with plenty of space for people and things, even if the cargo management isn't as convenient as you get in other vans, and range is an issue.

Those aren't minor complaints but, surprisingly, they aren't deal-killers, either. The Buzz is a fun and cool vehicle that occupies a unique position in the minivan genre. Whether the range is too short or the price too high is up to you, but there's no question there's a minivan as cool as the ID Buzz, and that might be enough to close the deal.