2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX: 250kW ‘Kombi GTI’ unveiled

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric van has been turned into a 21st-century Kombi GTI with a 250kW GTX flagship.

ID.Buzz becomes the latest VW EV to wear the sporty GTX badge, joining the ID.3 hatchback, ID.5 coupe-SUV and ID.7 Tourer wagon.

Volkswagen Australia is keen to add the higher-performance model to the ID.Buzz range that's due to arrive locally in late 2024 and include the Cargo commercial van variant.

The ID.Buzz GTX features dual motors to become the first variant of the van with all-wheel drive, with a 210kW/560Nm rear electric motor complemented by an 80kW/134Nm front electric motor.

Its combined power output of 250kW puts it 100kW ahead of the regular, rear-drive ID.Buzz and 40kW ahead of the most powerful drivetrain offered on the long-wheelbase, RWD ID.Buzz.

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Volkswagen says the GTX will take about 6.5 seconds to sprint from standstill to 100km/h, which would make it just a tenth slower than the significantly lighter Golf GTI hot-hatch.

The time applies to both regular-wheelbase and long-wheelbase versions of the GTX being offered, with the 250mm-longer LWB adopting a larger battery – 86kWh versus 79kWh.

Another significant improvement is particularly pertinent to the Australian lifestyle.

Towing capacity increases by 80 percent for the standard ID.Buzz GTX, rated at 1800kg compared with 1000kg for the regular ID.Buzz. The long-wheelbase GTX’s braked towing capacity is slightly lower at 1600kg.

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The GTX will be offered with an exclusive Cherry exterior paint – either as a solid finish or as part of an optional two-tone paintjob combined with a ‘Mono’ silver metallic.

Other GTX exterior upgrades include a black honeycomb air intake, double-triangle daytime running lights, high-gloss black trim, ‘Vento’ 19-inch alloy wheels (with two 21-inch wheel options), while matrix LED headlights are standard.

Inside, the standard-wheelbase GTX is available as either a five- or six-seater, with the long-wheelbase variant adding a seven-seater layout.

GTI-style cabin cues include black headlining (exclusive to GTX), red stitching for the steering wheel, and red stitching/piping for the electrically adjustable ‘GTX’ fabric seats.

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A head-up display becomes an option for the first time on an ID.Buzz, while the long-wheelbase GTX is available with the largest panoramic sunroof in the VW stable.

The 1.5m2 ‘smart glass’ sunroof, also to be offered on the regular ‘Pro’ covers the front and second rows and can be electronically adjusted between clear and opaque thanks to a liquid crystal film integrated into the multi-layer glass.

VW says the standard GTX’s 79kWh battery can be recharged from 10 to 80 percent in 25 minutes using up to 185kW DC charging. The longer, 89kWh battery in the LWB GTX has 200kW charging capability though takes slightly longer – “just under half an hour” – for the same recharging process.

The ID.Buzz GTX isn’t the first time VW has played around with GTI cues for its commercial vans.

In 2021, Volkswagen gave its European-market Transporter commercial van a GTI-style maker for a Sportsline variant, with cosmetic additions including the trademark red-striped grille, as well as a rear spoiler, lowered suspension, and dark, sporty alloy wheels.

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