2025 Volkswagen.ID Buzz Pro Plus 4Motion Review -- Attention Getter
2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro S Plus 4MOTION Fast Facts
Powertrain | Dual electric motors, front and rear. 335 total system horsepower, 99 lb-ft of torque front motor, 413 lb-ft of torque rear motor. |
Transmission/Drive Wheels | Single-speed automatic, all-wheel drive |
Fuel Economy, MPGe | 87 city / 74 highway / 80 combined (EPA Rating) |
Fuel Economy, Le/100km | 2.7 city / 3.2 highway / 2.9 combined (NRCan Rating) |
Base Price | $67,995 (U.S.)/ $86,131 (Canada) |
As-Tested Price | $70,540 (U.S.)/ $87,631 (Canada) |
Disclaimer | Prices include $1,550 destination charge in the United States and $2,600 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared. |
There's one problem with the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz that VW can't solve. In fact, from the brand's perspective, it's almost certainly a feature, not a bug.
The problem is this -- if you're driving a Buzz with a two-tone paint job, you are not going anywhere unnoticed.
To be fair, this won't be a problem for every one -- some folks like the attention. In fact, it will be a purchase driver for some. But I prefer to blend in instead of standing out, and every time I hopped in the Buzz, someone walking nearby took out their camera phone and started snapping.
It was a little unnerving.
Temporary popularity aside, what is it like to drive the dang thing?
The short version is this -- an autumn week with this van in Chicago wasn't too different than the earlier autumn day in the San Francisco area on which I got my first taste of the Buzz, minus the winding mountain roads. In daily urban life, the ID.Buzz does a lot of things well -- but there are two negatives that might hold it back.
The Buzz's biggest surprise is its driving dynamics, as I noted in my first drive. It's quite good in the twisties, as least as far as I could tell before the sudden appearance of a blue-and-white forced me to back down on the fun.
Even when driven less enthusiastically on the freeway and around the city, the Buzz rides well, handles engagingly, and has swift enough acceleration to keep drivers happy.
The Buzz's packaging is well arranged -- there's headroom and legroom a-plenty in all three rows and third-row access is quite easy, even for larger adults. The large windshield gives drivers an unusual level of visibility.
This thing will be a road-trip master, assuming you're either going on a relatively short trip or can get charging access consistently during your journey.
On the other hand, with just 231 miles of range, your road trips might be limited in scope.
Or maybe not, at least if you can find a reliable, working fast charger -- you can get from 10 to 80 percent in 26 minutes.
There are dual electric motors fed by a 91-kWh lithium-ion battery for a total system horsepower of 335. There's 99 lb-ft of torque from the front motor and 413 from the rear.
Interior materials are generally upscale, though VW's hated haptic touch is here. It's better than in some applications, but still not great. There is also too much menu-diving needed to access certain functions. I never did get use to the haptic-touch toggle switches for the rear windows.
The driver's seat didn't bug me on a long drive the way it did during my first drive, and I still liked the large infotainment screen and Harman Kardon audio. The Buzz cruised Chicagoland highways just as smoothly as it did the 101 in the Bay Area.
See 21 Photos of the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
My AWD Pro S Plus ID.Buzz had a base price of $67,995 and the only option was the $995 two-tone paint job. With destination ($1,550), the total price was an eye-popping $70,540.
That price included 20-inch wheels, LED lighting front and rear, adaptive front lighting, front light bar, three-zone climate control, second-row climate control, heated and cooled front seats, heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, second-row captain's chairs, fold-flat removable third-row seats, USB-C ports, a 115-volt AC outlet, keyless access, head-up display, power liftgate, hands-free access, navigation, satellite radio, Harman Kardon audio, Bluetooth, wireless smartphone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless cell-phone charging.
Advanced safety/driver-assist tech included a rearview-camera, overhead camera, intelligent crash-response system, park-distance control (front and rear), road-sign display, and VW's IQ.Drive, which includes travel assist semi-automated driving assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, active side assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-traffic alert.
There's a lot to like about the ID.Buzz, though if you don't like to be in the spotlight while running errands -- and I don't -- you might want to wait to buy one until the novelty wears off. I test maybe 3-5 cars a year that get attention from the public, and this one got the most attention I can remember in a long time.
There are other flaws holding back an otherwise excellent package. The range is disappointing and the price is eye-watering. The haptic-touch controls are less annoying here than in other VWs, but I still yearn for the days of easier-to-use buttons and knobs.
All that said, the ride and handling are pleasant surprises, the interior is roomy and comfortable, and it's all packaged well.
Just be ready to be the center of attention.
[Images © 2024/2025 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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I like the looks of this VW. That’s the last only I like about it. I have no idea who their market group is. The only one I see who could possibly afford to buy this overpriced vehicle is a 70 year old or better person. I’m talking leftover hippies. Younger people would never fork out the money required for this retro vehicle. This vehicle should’ve been a gasoline powered vehicle. As such and with a $30,000 less starting point, this vehicle might’ve sold. As it is, this is a total sales disaster and waste of investment money. VW, your management is going to bankrupt you. It’s truly time to start thinking ICE vehicles again. How about a cheap Rabbit? There’s no market for your EV monstrosities across the globe.
$67,000 (and more!) gets you a glorified, electrified, complicated, over equipped Vanagon with a limited range that takes half an hour to charge up to 80%.
VW: Who are you kidding? Whose buying this thing? Certainly no self respecting camper on a budget who goes long distance.