The Volkswagen Microbus has always been so much more than a mere minivan. In the 1960s and 1970s, the little rear-engine family-haulers became a symbol of social change. They were the “hippie” vans. When Syncro all-wheel drive arrived in the late 1980s and combined with the Westfalia camper option, these vans were hot for a whole new generation. And that love continues today.

Part of the reason why Volkswagen vans are so popular is because of their practicality. That distinctive flat front and cab-over-axle design means that the bus is small on the outside but big on the inside. The last Volkswagen bus, the Eurovan, left our shores more than 20 years ago. And in the years since, Volkswagen has teased us with several concepts, promising the return of the Microbus. Well, the bus is finally back, but now it’s called the ID. Buzz. Plus, it’s fully electric. We spent a day testing the new ID. Buzz around California’s Bay Area. So, is this the return of the Microbus we’ve been waiting for? And perhaps more importantly, is this a good EV? Let’s find out.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz walks the fine line between retro and modern styling.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz: Two Drive Systems For The U.S.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is produced in Hanover, Germany by Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division. In Europe, the company will offer a cargo bus version of the ID. Buzz. Folks overseas will also receive a choice of a shorter, five-passenger model, as well as a longer six- or seven-passenger model. The ID. Buzz arriving in the U.S. this fall is the longer model, and at this point Volkswagen has no plans to bring over those other variants.

Underneath that stylish exterior is Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix architecture. It’s the same grouping of parts the company uses for its other ID. vehicles, like the ID.4 sedan. The 91 kWh (86 kWh net) lithium-ion battery pack weighs just over 1,200 pounds and powers a rear motor in two-wheel-drive models for a total of 282 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. The 4Motion all-wheel-drive models have 335 horsepower. They use a front motor with 99 pound-feet of torque and a rear motor with 413 pound-feet of torque.

The rear-drive ID. Buzz models can travel up to 234 miles on a charge while the 4Motion models can hit up to 231 miles. The combined efficiency rating for the rear-drive models is 83 MPGe and three MPGe less for the 4Motion vans. The new ID. Buzz can use up to a 200 kW DC fast charger, which will bring the battery from 10 to 80-percent state of charge in just 26 minutes.

The ID. Buzz electric van is based on Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix architecture. It is available in two-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive.

Essence Of Old School Microbus, But With Modern Looks

Take a long, slow walk around the outside of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and it’s a hard not to smile. Very few vehicles today have a design that is so instantly recognizable and at the same time, so downright cool looking. The ID. Buzz hits on those notes for sure. It really captures the essence of the old-school buses while still looking totally modern and functional in today’s world. And it helps that the bus is available in a variety of eye-catching color combinations including Pomelo Yellow, Energetic Orange, and Blue Charcoal — all with a white accent on the top just like the classic Microbus.

The ID. Buzz seems to resonate with just about everyone. We got a thumbs up from a couple of painters in San Francisco as well as a college-age kid crossing the street a few minutes later. After lunch we had a chat with a guy in a camping area who couldn’t wait to pepper us with questions. Yes, it’s a joyful-looking van to be sure. But it’s also surprisingly slippery with drag coeffecient of just 0.29. Believe it or not, that’s better than a Toyota Corolla and very impressive for something that’s shaped like a box.

Although it appears to require a large step-up to climb inside, it’s an easy slide into the front seats. Once there, the driving position feels more like a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van than a typical minivan like the Chrysler Pacifica. And that’s a good thing, because you have an excellent view of the road.

A small instrument pod resides front and center in the driver’s field of vision and there’s a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen in the center of the dash.

Small Instrument Pod, But 12.9-Inch Infotainment Touchscreen

Volkswagen has made major upgrades to the infotainment system (it was panned for its so-so functionality when the ID.4 launched in 2021) and the 12.9-inch touchscreen worked well for us. We had an easy time moving from app to app and it connected with our phone quickly and easily. The ID. Buzz comes with a tiny 5.3-inch instrument pod just ahead of the driver, which seemed a little too small to fit all the appropriate information. But hey, at least there’s a head-up display standard on the upper Pro S Plus trim.

Our test vehicle was a rear-drive Mahi Green and Candy White two-tone Pro S Plus with an MSRP of $66,040. Just about everything comes standard on the $59,995 Pro S model but the Plus includes a retractable tow hitch, 14-speaker audio system, head-up display, and easy-open sliding doors and hatch. A First Edition model tops out at close to $70,000 and has a panoramic roof, unique wheels, and roof crossbars.

Smooth Ride, Brisk Acceleration

Over the road, the nearly 6,000-pound Volkswagen ID. Buzz rides smoothly. Only the largest bumps and potholes upset the chassis. It’s a slightly rougher ride overall than the more car-like vans such as the Honda Odyssey. We also noticed a bit of side-to-side head toss on certain terrain that probably speaks to the suspension’s ability to control three tons of van. One area where the ID. Buzz does out-perform every other van (and most SUVs), is in acceleration. The van is downright quick off the line and can reel in most cars on the freeway with one stab of the long pedal. The two-motor models can hit 60 mph in six seconds according to Volkswagen. Impressive acceleration is not uncommon for many EVs today, but to have that experience in a relatively large and boxy van is weirdly fun.

On the twisty roads driving up the coast in Marin County, the ID. Buzz could zip along, with prods of the right pedal and heaps of torque lurching the van from corner to corner. On the tightest bends we had to ease off. The rear tires would break loose and trigger the stability control. But overall, the van feels at home on all types of roads. Later in the day we switched to an all-wheel-drive 4Motion model and it seemed to handle a bit better on the tighter roads. On the downhill twisties, we switched the shifter from “D” to “B” which provides more brake regeneration and helped slow the van without touching the brakes.

When it comes time to haul stuff instead of people with the ID. Buzz, you can fold the second- and third-row seats down to create a cavernous cargo area.

Interior And Payload

In terms of space utilization, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is impressive. Up front, there are two storage areas in each of the front doors and another one above the glovebox. Oh, and the center storage bin can be completely removed to have a nice flat floor between the front seats. The van has eight USB-C ports, plus a 110-volt outlet under the rear seat and another one in cargo hold.

There’s nearly 40 inches of legroom in the second row and over 40 inches in the third row, which is better than any other third row in a minivan or SUV. Both seats can slide and recline, and speaking of the third row, getting back there is easy. Just pull the lever on top of the second row and it tumbles forward. Once back there, any size adult could easily handle a road trip in comfort. The total passenger volume is about five cubic feet less than a Chrysler Pacifica. But the ID. Buzz is also almost ten inches shorter in overall length. Because there’s a battery under the floor, the seats can’t be folded below the deck like some minivans. Yet it’s hard to imagine anyone longing for more room in the ID. Buzz.

The ID. Buzz can handle a payload of about 1,000 pounds. And when you fold all those seats down, the interior feels cavernous. It seems like it could be a great EV for camping. We hear that’s in the works for a future model. In the meantime, Volkswagen should offer a platform to lay across the folded seats.

The third-row seating legroom is generous, and it offers enough room for adults to sit comfortably.

Real-World Range Results

Our 130-mile test drive used up 55 percent of the battery charge, according to our gauge cluster. So real-world use aligns with the EPA range estimate of 234 miles. Yes, there are plenty of EVs that have a longer range. So, if you are looking to road trip the ID. Buzz, be prepared to spend some time at the charge station. Speaking of that, Volkswagen includes a charging plan with 500 kWh — or about 5.5 full charges — of charging through Electrify America.

The ID. Buzz seems to resonate with just about everyone. During our time behind the wheel we received thumbs up and folks went out of their way to ask questions about the van.

The Bottom Line

We really dig the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz. The whole experience brings a level of fun to people-moving that hasn’t really been available before. We would certainly like to have one charging away in our own garage. At nearly $60,000, even the cheapest model is expensive. But you do get a lot of equipment for the money. The ID. Buzz could certainly use a longer range option that delivers closer to 350 to 400 miles on a charge, and we’d like to see that camper model soon. But even with the handful of shortcomings, the ID. Buzz is poised to become a major hit for Volkswagen — again.

Photos by James Lipman and Sam Dobbins