2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz review

We don't tend to think of Volkswagen as a late entrant to the EV market, having established itself with cars such as the id.3 in Europe from 2020, but Australia is a very different market to the homeland, and we've skipped on the first wave of Vee-Dub's EV products.

That also included the ID. Buzz, launched in Europe in 2022, but which only now makes its way Down Under.

Why the wait? The prime reason is that VW had bigger fish to fry, prioritising those markets that had rapidly looming internal combustion engine cut-off dates before it started casting the net wider.

While Aussie buyers have missed out on plug-in Volkswagens to date, the good news is that the ID. Buzz that's coming here, and almost concurrently to the US, is the revised and updated version, delivering a refreshed interior and a step-change in the amount of torque under your right clog. Has it been worth the wait? Let's take a closer look.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How much energy does it use?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

There's a two-phased intro for the ID. Buzz in Australia. The first vehicles to arrive, and the ones we've been testing, are the Pro trim level. These are rear drive models offered in either short or long wheelbase guises with five and seven seats respectively.

The range opens at $87,990 for the five-seat SWB version, with the seven-seat LWB Pro pitched at $91,290, barely squeaking under the 2025 Luxury Car Tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles of $91,387. Bear that number in mind if you're getting a bit excitable with the options list or looking to lease with Fringe Benefits Tax implications in mind.

In quarter two of 2025, Australia will start to receive shipments of the all-wheel drive ID. Buzz GTX, the flagship dual motor model, which will carry a $109,990 sticker price. We'll report on that one as soon as we get our hands on it.

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Commercial operators will probably be drawn to the ID. Buzz Cargo commercial vehicle, which we'll also deal with separately.

Straight off the bat, paying an additional three grand and change for the longer wheelbase model seems like money well spent. It's got another 350mm grafted between its axles, and this means that not only the second but the third row also has ample room for adult-sized adults; a genuine rarity amongst most vehicles that bill themselves as seven seaters.

In addition to that, the LWB models also lever in a few additional lithium-ion battery cells, which lifts the total battery output from the 84kWh gross (79kWh net) of the SWB model to a healthier 91kWh gross (86kWh net). Do the maths and that's a nine percent increase in net battery size for less than a four percent uptick in vehicle price, notwithstanding the practicality benefits.

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The Pro trim comes fairly well equipped too. It runs on 19-inch alloy wheels and features sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle.

Tri-zone smart climate control, 10-colour ambient lighting, a cloth interior, 7 USB-C ports, a 9-speaker stereo and rear privacy glass are standard refinements. While we were testing only wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was offered, although Volkswagen assures us that an over the air update will arrive for wireless phone mirroring in 2025. Yes, there's also the support of a wireless charging pad so that you don't have to plug your handset in anyway.

There's the option of 21-inch wheels at $1900 which introduce a noticeable level of bump and thump into the cabin, and the eye-catching two-tone paint is a fairly eye-watering $4090. In fact Candy White is the only standard paint colour. As soon as you start ticking metallic or pearlescent colours, you're adding $1890 to the bill.

There are a series of options packs, detailed below:

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While it's not cheap, the ID. Buzz builds on an iconic line of Volkswagen minibuses which, to a certain extent, have conditioned buyers to premium pricing.

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How do rivals compare on value?

Rivals? You tell us. If you absolutely want to maximise every last centimetre of interior space and every litre of boot capacity, chances are you're not the target market for the ID. Buzz.

You might well be in the airport transfer or maxi-taxi business and there are already a whole host of ICE options that cater to this market very well. A Kia Carnival or a Hyundai Staria both offer more space and arguably better thought-through detailing for carrying a stack of passengers, but for many potential Buzz customers, that's missing the point.

The ID. Buzz is a vibe. It's a claim that many manufacturers would like to make, and occasionally do, but in this case it's absolutely true. Many buyers will be reasonably price insensitive and will place a value on its design equity, enjoying the fact that such a stylish and endearing vehicle is also endowed with a practical side.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

Volkswagen could have easily compromised the ID. Buzz by trying to squeeze seven seats into the SWB body. Fortunately it hasn't.

As a result, but the five and seven seaters offer stacks of leg and headroom in every seating position. It's a genuine revelation if you're sick of passengers complaining about being seated in the non-favoured seats.

The dash layout is interesting, with a small and somewhat busy 'pod' binnacle in front of the driver and a large 12.9-inch screen in the centre. The ambience is luxe, even if some of the Scandi-cool ash wood effect of our test vehicle's dash is revealed to be a fairly thin, hard plastic strip.

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Yes, there are a few of the loathed haptic controls on the dash and the steering wheel, but they worked reasonably well.

Fear not, you're not going to have to rub at them as if you're willing a workshy genie to appear. The main screen's user interface isn't great, but would doubtless improve with familiarity. An 'Ask IDA' command, also activated by pressing what you would expect to be a central home key also takes you to an overview screen.

Your view from the driver's seat is commanding. The hip height in this vehicle is reassuringly elevated, but even taller drivers will have no issues with headroom, even with the optional glass pano roof fitted. This, by the way, has no blinds, but features a sandwiched PDLC film which can switch the roof from transparent to a milky semi-opacity at the touch of a button.

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The huge quarterlight windows and the yawning distance to the windscreen base mark this as something decidedly different in form factor to your garden-variety SUV.

The mirrors are surprisingly small. I'd have liked bigger door mirrors, but otherwise visibility is very good, with a low hipline helping you to remain confident about manoeuvring and parking what, in LWB guise, is quite a sizeable vehicle. At 4962mm long, it's longer than a big SUV like a Mercedes-Benz GLE. In other words, you might want to measure the amount of available real estate in your garage before you sign up for the seven-seater.

As well as plenty of space once ensconced, the access to the third row is very good, with the second seat tumbling forward and leaving a generous aperture to clamber through.

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A rather secreted-away fabric pull tab even allows the third row to recline by up to 16 degrees, improving comfort in the process. There are sliding side windows to vent the second row and seat-back tables.

Volkswagen seems quite proud of its ID. Buzz Box, a plastic edifice located between the front seats which features open and closed compartments including a five-litre drawer as well as cup holders and a bottle opener. It's removable and attaches to the vehicle floor with locking latches and folding eyes.

Arcane car reference incoming, but the Opel Signum from 2003 featured something broadly similar in the back seats called the Travel Assistant. That was a source of more rattles and squeaks than the rest of the car put together.

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Thankfully the Buzz Box doesn't live up to its name in that regard, but it's questionable how often it'd be hauled off onto the beach for a picnic.

The tailgate of the ID.Buzz is a powered system and the standard floor has a length of 1121mm to the rear seats in the SWB. In the seven seater, you get 1340mm to the second row, but a mere 306mm when the rear seats are used.

The third row is removable, but even a vehicle of this size doesn't entirely solve the issue of carrying a big family and their gear. Should you wish, you can option a Multi-flex board that raises the boot floor but allows for two storage boxes that slide beneath, keeping valuables out of sight. One thing you won't find is a spare wheel and tyre set.

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What is it like to drive?

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is unexceptional to drive. While that might sound like a slightly sniffy pejorative, in this case it's anything but.

It feels pleasantly calibrated in all of its key dynamics and controls, with nothing standing out as a dominating characteristic. And that is exactly how it should drive.

The 210kW power output doesn't translate to unruly or corrupted acceleration off the line. The steering is light but accurate, the brake pedal expertly finessed to blend re-gen with friction braking, performing the handover to the front discs and rear drums when retardation hits 0.25g.

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It's clear that a lot of time and effort has been spent on smoothing the rough edges from the ID. Buzz's dynamics and there's a lot to be said for a vehicle that's undemanding and which won't spring any unwanted surprises on you.

The drive route took us on some fairly scratchy roads around the Hunter Valley and, from the front seats, ride quality was more than acceptable. Firmish but not harsh. There's no option for adaptive suspension, so generous tyre sidewall is your friend if you value a plusher ride.

As you move further back in the vehicle, you begin to notice a little more vertical movement which is perhaps surprising, as you're moving from sitting over a strut suspension to a more sophisticated multi-link in the rear.

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The steering takes 3.42 turns to go from lock to lock and the turning circle of the long wheelbase model is a relatively spry 11.4 metres.

Because the steering rack is mounted ahead of the centreline of the front wheels, there's a reassuring stability to the base setup of the electrically assisted steering.

The gear selector is a stubby column-mounted wand that you twist and press to select gears. As well as a self-explanatory 'D' mode, there's also a 'B' setting. In 'D', the ID. Buzz will coast when the driver lifts off the throttle, but energy recuperation will begin when the brake pedal is pressed.

Engage 'B' (brake) mode on the fly and the ID. Buzz will re-gen on lift off up to a retardation limit of 0.13g. It's not a true 'one pedal' driving solution, but it's been designed as a solution that won't alienate those drivers migrating to the Buzz from an ICE vehicle.

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Acceleration is crisp rather than concussive, the SWB getting to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds and the heavier LWB car in 7.9 seconds.

Top speed is rated at 160km/h, so while the Buzz is never going to be an autobahn stormer, it's got plenty in reserve for an Aussie freeway schlep.Torque off the line is notably good, which takes the stress out of accelerating out onto roundabouts or away from junctions. Even when loaded, there's plenty of torque on tap and this is a huge improvement over the original ID. Buzz, lifting that peak (and instant) torque from a so-so 310Nm to a far healthier 560Nm figure.

The Pro trim comes with Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual drive modes, controlling variables such as steering weighting, throttle response and electric motor response.

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A sharp throttle and lighter steering seemed to be suit the ID. Buzz best, so the Individual mode may well be a good pick there.

Body roll is well controlled, thanks to the low centre of gravity and the low-rolling resistance Continental EcoContact 6Q tyres (235/35 R19) were admirably quiet. Only determinedly inappropriate driving would push the front end into modest understeer, so the handling setup is safe and extremely well judged.

We had a few issues with one of the seven-seater test cars. The wired Android Auto connection fell over repeatedly and then flat refused to allow reconnection. A spurious tyre pressure warning also illuminated and the adaptive cruise also seemed to scrub off 10-15km/h very frequently for no apparent reason on arrow-straight, lightly trafficked freeways.

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How much energy does it use?

Driving range is rated at 422km for the SWB and 452km for the bigger-batteried LWB variant.

In mixed use driving in the LWB, we saw typical energy usage of around 20kWh/100km, which would translate to a range of around 395km, which isn't too far off the claim. Is that enough? That very much depends on your expectation. If you're planning to use your ID. Buzz to drive around Australia, you might wish for a it to be leggier between recharges. This, however, adds weight, complexity, cost and a whole host of other compromises.

We did find that, as with virtually all EVs, battery usage is poorest on a highway run. The LWB version was typically seeing around 23kWh/100km, so that would translate to 343km of range. A freeway radius of 172km (return) before recharging is something to bear in mind.

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In more mixed use, that energy consumption figure dropped sharply, and with a few more opportunities to engage re-gen, we could see that the Buzz could indeed attain those WLTP numbers.

When it comes to recharging, you won't get the lightning fast charging speeds you might have come to expect from some South Korean cars. Plug one into the juiciest 350kW charger you can find and it'll still peak at around 185kW, which translates a 5-80% state of charge in 30 minutes. If you've got a wallbox at home, expect to go from zero to 100 percent in a worst-case scenario 7h30m.

If you haven't got a wallbox and just plug into a normal electrical socket, you'll have to twiddle your thumbs for nearly 23 hours. Both Mode 2 (home) and Mode 3 (public) charging cables are supplied with the vehicle. The charging port is on the rear of the vehicle at the driver's side and, yes, it is still accessible if the sliding door is open.

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How safe is it?

The ID.Buzz carries a five-star EuroNCAP score, so it's doubtful you'll have too much in the way of safety concerns. It comes with a long list of safety gear including:

It would have been nice to have some sort of speed limit recognition, but that's hardly a deal breaker. Volkswagen also offers a function called Travel Assist with swarm data, effectively an enhanced adaptive cruise that not only adapts to your preferred vehicle positioning in the lane but also pick up the speed limits from mapping data, offering an adaptive cornering function as a result.

Interestingly, it has been calibrated for the SWB car at the time of writing but not for the LWB version.

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Warranty and running costs

Like the rest of the Volkswagen range, the ID. Buzz is supplied with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

The battery is guaranteed for eight years and the modular nature of the battery means that cell modules can be removed and replaced if necessary without incurring the huge cost of an entire battery pack.

On the subject of ownership, to coincide with its first EV launch in Australia, the Volkswagen Group is rolling out a new program called ON EV, covering not only Volkswagen cars and light commercials, but Audi, Skoda, and Cupra too.

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The company talked to its buyers in order to gain a comprehensive picture of what was stopping them buying an electric car and has aimed to solve those issues with ON EV.

It has partnered with AMPOL to offer discounted public charging, it offers a deal with Europcar for extended 'try before you buy' arrangements such as a month with a Cupra Born, and it has worked with its financial services team to not only bundle the cost of home chargers and installation into one single payment finance deals but also to develop more flexible novated lease arrangements that will especially help smaller businesses.

An upfront Guaranteed Future Value also aims to take a lot of the anxiety away from EV residuals.

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Buyers also get a five-year subscription to the GoConnect App where they can remotely monitor the status of the car, the battery health, locate the vehicle, communicate with the workshop, monitor any vehicle warnings and see recent trips.

The servicing schedule and pricing is as follows:

Alternatively, services can be bundles into discrete care plans, which tends to work out cheaper if you have a clearer view of how long you'll keep the ID. Buzz for. A six year/three service deal is $1450, an eight year/four service plan is $1850 and 10 years and five services works out at $2250.

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VERDICT

Volkswagen claims to have over 7000 registrations of interest here in Australia for the ID. Buzz and that doesn't surprise us one bit.

If those are converted to orders, it would make this the second biggest-selling product for the Australian arm after the Amarok ute. So you can see why it's quite a big deal for them.

Fortunately, the vehicle appears to live up to the pre-launch hype. It's hugely endearing, more than adequately practical, drives pleasantly enough and has that rare quality for an electric vehicle: character.

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This will serve to elevate the ID. Buzz to a polished lifestyle accessory.

The ID. Buzz isn't perfect. The ride can be choppy on the larger 21-inch wheels, there are still issues with the infotainment system and some may hanker for longer real-world range if they want to turn their hand to hitting the open roads of Australia. We encountered some electronic gremlins with our test vehicle too.

Although Volkswagen claim that it's cheaper than many were expecting, forking out what'll likely be nigh-on six figures with a typical option spend might be beyond some family buyers wearing the current cost of living travails.

In all likelihood, this will serve to elevate the ID. Buzz to a polished lifestyle accessory. An ID. Buzz would probably stand out like a sore thumb among the scatter of battered and sun-wrecked Subarus and Toyotas at gnarly surf spots like Bells Beach or Wreck Bay but would fit right in at Balmain or Brunswick.

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And there's nothing wrong with that. Why wouldn't gentrification happen to vehicle model lines as well as neighbourhoods?

It deserves success. Volkswagen Australia should be applauded for throwing the kitchen sink at making buying an EV as painless as possible and it appears to have learned a number of lessons from the European mothership's first tranche of electric products that sucked up huge investment but didn't hit the spot with consumers.

The company is older and wiser. And, if public interest while driving the ID. Buzz is anything to go by, once again able to paint a smile on peoples' faces. It's hard to put a value on that.

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