A whole seven years since its reveal, the 2025 VW ID.Buzz is finally about to reach U.S. roads this year. But while the original VW Type 2 microbus was an affordable little utility vehicle embraced by youth counterculture, many of those youths are now wealthy retirees. If they want to revisit their youth from the comfort of a modern EV, Volkswagen will be glad to take $61,495 off their hands for an EV with no more than 234 miles’ worth of range.
The VW ID.Buzz will be available with two drivetrain configurations, one offering rear-wheel drive and the other all-wheel drive. Range is unexceptional for both; 234 miles for RWD, and 231 for AWD. Only the former is available for base “Pro S” trims, whose MSRP lands at $59,995 plus a $1,550 delivery fee. For your money, you get faux leather seating and a fake wood-grain dash like a 2000s Chrysler—fortunately, the rest of the standard equipment list is impressive by comparison.
The U.S.-model ID.Buzz will come with a second-row bench seat, allowing for seven passengers across three rows. The second and third rows will enjoy standard tinted side glass, three-zone climate control, a nine-speaker audio system, and eight USB ports installed throughout. All doors have keyless entry, and the second-row outboard seats are heated. Up front, the driver benefits from a digital gauge cluster, heated side mirrors with memory settings, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
The steering wheel is heated too, though it unfortunately still uses VW’s much-loathed haptic controls. But frustrations will be smoothed out by front seats with heating, massage function, power adjustment, and memory settings. A 12.9-inch touchscreen controls an infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the “buzz box” center console is removable. It all comes with 20-inch alloy wheels and LED head- and taillights, plus heated washer nozzles for cold-weather visibility.
Vaulting up to AWD requires opting into the $65,045 Pro S Plus trim, then throwing on another $4,500 for a total of $69,545. This trim introduces a head-up display, 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio, and optional second-row captain’s chairs for RWD models. They’re standard on the AWD version, along with a heated windshield. Pro S Plus also adds power opening to the rear doors and hatch, a manually retractable tow hitch (rating TBA), and a wider variety of interior and exterior color schemes. A smart glass panoramic sunroof is available for $1,495.
Finally, launch customers will be able to spec a 1st Edition model, which is more or less an optioned-up Pro S Plus with some exclusives thrown in. It gets unique wheels, distinct badging, and a set of roof rail crossbars. Those who want the RWD model won’t have access to the captain’s chairs though, and it’s vice versa for AWD customers. It also costs even more, running $67,045 delivered for RWD and $71,545 for AWD.
In all, the 2025 VW ID.Buzz seems like it’s as far from the Type 2’s humble roots as it could’ve been. But like all automakers, VW‘s not flying blind; it has data that shows the profit lies in the $60,000s and up, not with us young people and our shallow pockets. Money’s also the reason why the VW California camper van (and the ID.Buzz version) are all but ruled out for the U.S. market—nobody’s willing to pay for them. Or at least, not enough to turn a profit.
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