Summary
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is an upmarket people carrier and the largest model in the all-electric ID. family, which arrived in the UK in the second half of 2022.
With exterior styling that harks back to the original Type 2 Microbus of the 1960s, the ID. Buzz has been widely praised for its unique looks, which stand out from its people carrier rivals.
Described by What Car? as “a charming retelling of a classic for the modern era”, Parker’s Tom Webster argues that the Volkswagen “has some much-needed character in a class that is so often devoid of it.”
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a funky, practical, 250-mile nostalgia trip”, Carbuyer’s Tom Jervis explains. “Unfortunately, nostalgia costs money.” The car’s pricing starts at around the £60k mark – which is considerably more expensive than mainstream van-based rivals like the Peugeot e-Traveller and Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life, but cheaper than luxury rivals like the Mercedes-Benz EQV.
Auto Trader‘s Dan Trent adds that the ID. Buzz is not as practical as the slightly more spacious Volkswagen Multivan, and Autocar‘s Mark Tisshaw concludes that you may need to “take some night courses” to understand the car’s rather confusing infotainment.
However, “it trumps the myriad SUVs it competes with when it comes to space and family-friendly features”, says Richard Ingram of Auto Express. “Beneath the retro styling and functional cabin, there’s a really capable, compelling EV.”
As of November 2023, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz holds an Expert Rating of 79%, based on 21 reviews published by UK motoring media to date. This is still a new model, however, and the rating could shift up or down by a few points.
ID. Buzz highlights
- More practical than upmarket SUVs
- Competitive battery range
- Attractive styling inside and out
- Strong resale values
ID. Buzz lowlights
- Expensive, base price and up
- Van-based people carriers are more spacious
- Confusing infotainment
- Seven-seat models not yet available
Key specifications
Body style: People carrier
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £57,115 on-road
Launched: Summer 2022
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: 77kWh Pro Style SWB
Score: 9 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a genuinely practical, comfortable and characterful family car that will have potential SUV buyers thinking twice – if they can get past the price tag that is.”
Author: Ellis Hyde, Dean Gibson
Read review
Score: 9 / 10
“It’s frankly hard to see how any vehicle could live up to this much hype, but we’re pleased to report that the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has indeed been worth the wait. It’s not quite as practical as its van-based rivals, admittedly, but it trumps the myriad SUVs it competes with when it comes to space and family-friendly features. It’ll sell on image alone, but beneath the retro styling and functional cabin, there’s a really capable, compelling EV. Only the high price counts against it.”
Author: Richard Ingram
Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is not cheap, nor is it as practical as the more spacious and hybrid-powered Multivan. Neither is it big enough to count as a true van and operate as an electrified alternative to the Transporter Kombis beloved of lifestyling outdoors types. But, for fashion-conscious families, it’s still a compelling alternative to an SUV.”
Author: Dan Trent
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Autocar
Model reviewed: 82kWh Style
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s a little debatable if the Volkswagen ID. Buzz offers enough clever cabin modularity to justify that price, and its performance and range, while better than key rivals’, aren’t particular selling points. But its refinement, drivability and quietly upmarket cabin ambience can be depended on to please owners just as much as its cheery outward appearance surely will.”
Author: Mark Tisshaw
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Business Car
Model reviewed: Style 77kWh Pro
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is the best ID. model yet. It looks great, with a ‘want’ factor that perhaps hasn’t been there for EV models in the past.”
Author: Martyn Collins
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“Retro electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz brings heaps of style and practicality.”
Author: Sean Keywood
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Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a unique offering which fuses clever packaging, spot-on looks, up-to-date electric propulsion and a truckload of emotional brownie points at a relatively affordable tariff.”
Author: Georg Kacher
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a funky, practical, 250-mile nostalgia trip… unfortunately, nostalgia costs money.”
Author: Tom Jervis, Charlie Harvey
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a family vehicle with lots of space and character to offer, but it’s very expensive and its infotainment is fiddly.”
Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The ID. Buzz combines funky styling, a functional cabin and refinement to create a unique electric family car – and a particularly pricey one at that.”
Author: Ellis Hyde
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Has the wait been worth it? It would appear so. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz looks fantastic and is certain to convert a new demographic of driver to electric. Volkswagen has clearly done a decent job with the driving dynamics and while the range and efficiency is a little disappointing, the ID. Buzz feels more than the sum of its parts. I can’t wait to try one on UK roads.”
Author: Ginny Buckley
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz has iconic design, it offers lots of space, and the driving experience has all the normal benefits of an EV including refinement and instant torque. Fun is back.”
Author: Paul Clarke
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Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“A modern take on the iconic hippy bus, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz is an electric people carrier that’s so much more desirable than yet another family SUV. You’ll pay a premium for 2023’s must-have electric car while the ID.Buzz isn’t quite as versatile as you might expect, but its charm and charisma make it a very desirable choice.”
Author: Andy Brady
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Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is the reborn retro icon everyone’s been waiting for, just modernised for the electric age. With a car-like driving experience, a bright and airy cabin, plenty of tech and a decent electric range it’ll hold broad appeal, although it’s only a five-seater for now.”
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Motoring Research
Score: 7 / 10
“The ID. Buzz channels the spirit of the classic Volkswagen Microbus into a modern, fully electric MPV. Oozing retro charm, especially with optional two-tone paintwork, the ID. Buzz generates an incredible amount of attention and goodwill on the road. Even with the limitations of this launch version, Volkswagen will have no problem finding customers, such is the strength of feeling towards it. In a head-versus-heart battle, nostalgia is always likely to win, especially after such a long wait.”
Author: John Redfern
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Move Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen ID. Buzz feels like the kind of electric car we were always promised would come from the era of the skateboard chassis, allowing for much more creativity in body shapes, sizes and styles thanks to a reduction of fixed hard points cars have to be created around. To that end, the ID. Buzz is a triumph of design and a perfectly agreeable electric car to drive with it.”
Author: Mark Tisshaw
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“It attracts attention like almost nothing else – people will come and talk to you when you park up in one of these, and you will smile when you look back at it. It has some much-needed character in a class that is so often devoid of it.”
Author: CJ Hubbard
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The looks, spaciousness and electric-only powertrain make this one of the few large cars that appears to be wholly socially acceptable — a perfect alternative to SUVs, which add height and weight without any extra carrying capacity.”
Author: Dave Humphreys
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“As a family troop carrier, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz probably needs more seats, it’s very expensive and the MPV market is fast disappearing in the UK. Yet somehow the charm, the care that’s been lavished and the long-legged comfort of this born-again Type 2 are irresistible. It’s nicer than the rest of VW’s electric offerings put together and a deeply desirable machine in its own right. Welcome back Bulli.”
Author: Andrew English
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“A convincing vision of a family car done better. We love it because it’s different, because it’s a new anti-SUV template, because it’s fun to be in and around.”
Read review
What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 10 / 10
“A charming retelling of a classic for the modern era, which is good to drive, hugely practical and nicely refined. Yes, there are cheaper electric vans, but none travel as far between charges, or have the performance of the ID Buzz.”
Read review
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 92%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 60%
Safety assist: 90%
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of November 2023, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of November 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Volkswagen ID. Buzz to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively for us using warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the ID. Buzz, we’ll publish the score here.
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 255 miles | B | 252 – 258 miles | B – B |
Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 3.3 m/KWh | E | 3.3 – 3.4 m/KWh | E – E |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 32 | C | 31 – 33 | C – C |
Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
Year 1 | £238 | B |
Year 2 | £475 | A |
Year 3 | £806 | A |
Year 4 | £980 | A |
Year 5 | £1,321 | A |
Overall | £3,820 | A |
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is not the most electrically efficient EV on sale (electrical efficiency is the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for petrol and diesel cars) and is less efficient than other ID models in the Volkswagen family. This means that battery range is not as good as it otherwise could be.
Insurance costs are average, which is not surprising given that the ID. Buzz is a £60K electric vehicle. The good news is that scheduled servicing and maintenance costs over the first five years are ikely to be excellent.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has received
2023
- Carbuyer Awards – Best Large Electric Car
- EcoCar Electrified Top 50 – Best Electric MPV
- What Car? Awards – Car of the Year + Best Large Electric Car
- What Car? EV Awards – Best Electric MPV
2022
- News UK Motor Awards – Best-Designed Car
- Top Gear Awards – Best MPV
- Top Gear Electric Awards – Electric Car of the Year
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Citroën ë-Berlingo | Citroën ë-SpaceTourer | Mercedes-Benz EQV | Nissan e-NV200 Combi | Nissan Townstar | Peugeot e-Rifter | Peugeot e-Traveller | Tesla Model X | Vauxhall Combo Life Electric | Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric
More information
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