Not every vehicle is right for everyone—especially EVs. The electric Volkswagen ID Buzz Bus is a prime example of this, being so niche that VW is even skipping the 2026 model in the States, choosing to sell ’25s until halfway through this year, when the 2027s will hopefully arrive.
We’ve reviewed the ID Buzz several times, but no matter where I go, two vehicles people always ask me about are the Tesla Cybertruck and the VW ID. Buzz. The former is a childish thing, while the latter is the modern version of an automotive icon. People ask about these cars for very different reasons. Still, the reality is that the 2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz is simple: It’s a heavily flawed vehicle with many compromises, all of which are almost overshadowed by the simple joy it brings to all who interact with it, kids and adults alike. It’s also the sole electric minivan on sale in the U.S. today.
Allow me to explain.
ID Buzz’s Flaws
The ethos of the O.G. VW Bus was good vibes, good times, and the open road—or something like that. I’m far too young to have lived in that era or experienced the original turned classic. But I’ve heard the stories.
The new van, which should be ripe for good vibes, good times, and the open road, can best be described as a deeply flawed product. It has too little range and has compromised packaging because of what it is. Of course, none of this really matters, but it does.
With an EPA rating of 231 miles of range per charge, the ID Buzz isn’t hitting the open road for long. At best, someone might eke out 200 miles at highway speeds, though depending on conditions, that could reasonably drop to 180 miles per charge. But, over the course of 190 miles of suburban driving in a week hauling the kids around town to soccer games and school with an average speed of 22 mph, the ID Buzz averaged 2.8 mi/kWh, which would mean its 91 kWh battery, of which only 86 kWh is usable, would provide 240 miles of real-world mixed-driving range. Your use case may vary.
The top-shelf ID Buzz Pro S Plus 4Motion I tested costs an eye-watering $70,540, including a $1,550 destination charge. That’s crazy money for a VW-badged minivan. Sure, it had heated and cooled front seats with massage function, but by no means is this a luxury vehicle, and the cheeky styling can only carry you so far. A base model isn’t exactly affordable at $61,545, and that downgrades the dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain to a single-motor rear-wheel-drive powertrain with only 282 horsepower, compared with my dual-motor’s 335 hp.
The ID Buzz uses a 400-volt electrical system and takes 26 minutes to charge from 10 to 80%. That’s not terrible, though not blazing fast, either. Shining a light on the Hyundai Ioniq 9 with a larger 113-kWh battery pack that takes only 24 minutes to charge from 10-80% on a 350-kW charger, thanks to its more future-proof 800-volt electrical architecture, puts things in perspective. A key difference is the 400-volt electrical architecture, which limits the ID Buzz to a peak charge rate of about 200 kW.
This is all before addressing the myriad functionality issues, including, but not limited to, the nightmare that is the touch-based slider controls for both volume and climate control temperature. At least the former is augmented with touch-based buttons on the steering wheel, and the latter with controls on the 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The real crime is that there are only two window controls on the driver’s door. To operate the front or rear windows, press the button to toggle between them. If that just gave you a headache, try being the one to use them at a drive-thru. The third row can be removed, which is great, but it’s a manual operation, and each weighs about 65 pounds. The third and second rows fold down, but not flat into the floor, because the battery is under the floor. So when folded, there’s a space behind the third row, which a bracketed shelf-like filler can help make feel flat. Still, there’s a small gap between the third and second rows when folded, and a sheet of plywood might be necessary before putting a blow-up mattress there, or just let a bit of sag be part of the sleeping experience, I guess?
Off the line, it’s quick enough thanks to the electric torque. The overboosted steering is light to the touch but doesn’t require constant adjustments at speed. The visibility with all the upright glass is unlike that of any other modern vehicle on sale today, in the best possible way, providing a fantastic view from every angle, and the upright seating position was extremely comfortable. But the 20-inch aluminum wheels, despite their retro chic design, were wrapped in low-profile tires. Combined with the suspension that doesn’t have much room for travel, the ride isn’t great, especially on broken Midwest pavement and expansion joints, reminiscent of a delivery van, which would make sense since there’s a cargo version available in Europe.
Why These Barely Matter
The ironic part is that, practically speaking, almost none of the flaws I encountered during my time with the ID Buzz actually matter. Why? Because everyone adored the bus, including me.
My kids couldn’t stop crowing about all the space, the charge ports, the tall glass that let the world in as we drove. They talked about it to all their friends at the bus stop, soccer games, and gymnastics. Their friends just had to take a ride in it to the team dinner, naturally. When I told my kids that if we drove this to the lake, which is 204 miles door-to-door, we likely wouldn’t make it on one charge and would have to stop and charge on the way. “Who cares? This thing is rad, let’s do it! We want to take a road trip to the lake with this thing!” was theirresponse. The kids, with no patience, stopped short of begging to drive the “awesome bus” to the lake, even though they knew it would take longer than another vehicle.
At poker night, the van was one of many topics people couldn’t stop talking about. Everyone just had to see it; “I kind of want one now.”
Throughout my week with the ID Buzz, it was hard not to be happy while driving it. Life’s problems didn’t seem to register. The vibe is pure happiness.
The ID Buzz is a seriously flawed product that induces joy. The market’s reaction reflects its flaws, but not the joy part, and that’s a real shame. The world needs more of this.
Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com