Volkswagen ID.Buzz evaluation – Automotive Weblog
If the success of a brand new automobile may very well be judged purely on kerb attraction and cult standing, then the Volkswagen ID.Buzz is a winner.
This retro-cool reboot of the enduring VW camper generated extra curiosity and optimistic feedback from full strangers throughout my road-test week than absolutely anything else I’ve pushed over the previous couple of years.
However right here’s the factor – the 100% electrical ID.Buzz isn’t simply eye sweet. Beneath that charming exterior is a sensible folks service that’s simple and enjoyable to drive.
At launch, this eco minibus has 5 seats and incorporates a 150kW electrical motor powered by a 77kWh battery pack that delivers its energy to the rear wheels. There’s additionally a less expensive industrial model (marketed because the ID.Buzz Cargo Van).
Sharing its underpinnings with the smaller ID.3 hatchback and ID.4 and 5 crossovers, it has a claimed vary of as much as 258 miles (nearer to 200 miles in real-world driving).
With a charging energy of as much as 170kW, it’s doable to replenish the battery from 5-80% in as little as half-hour (utilizing a fast 150kw connection), and you probably have a house wallbox it’s going to cost in a single day.
Should you’re conversant in Volkswagen’s ID household of EVs, you’ll recognise the minimalist entrance cabin which options a big central touchscreen and a ‘twisty knob’ gear selector positioned behind the steering wheel.
Sadly, this infotainment system just isn’t with out its critics. Too most of the automobile’s principal performance is accessed through the touchscreen (together with local weather management), whereas the contact delicate sliders under and on the steering wheel are fiddly.
Fortunately, the electrically adjustable driver’s seat is snug with a commanding driving place, providing an expansive view of the street forward. There’s loads of glass round the remainder of the ID.Buzz too, so with the assistance of the reversing digital camera, manoeuvring isn’t as difficult as you would possibly suppose. What’s extra, it has a turning circle of simply 11.1 metres.
My check automobile additionally got here with Park Help Plus which may memorise as much as 5 particular person parking manoeuvres – similar to you backing into your storage. All you do is park up, save the spot, and it’ll park itself routinely subsequent time.
On the street, the ID.Buzz is amazingly nimble for its dimension (L= 4,712mm, W= 2,211mm x H= 1,937mm) and weight (as much as 3 tonnes).
There’s one thing uncanny about driving a van-sized automobile with immediate torque that may speed up from 0-62mph in simply 10.2 seconds. The look on different drivers’ faces as you ground it to overhaul is priceless – and it feels swifter than the official acceleration determine suggests.
There are numerous drive modes (eg Eco, Consolation and Sport). Inevitably, Consolation is simply tremendous for on a regular basis motoring, as a result of Eco dulls the driving expertise and Sport is simply tremendous for energy-sapping brief bursts of enjoyable. The truth is, the one noticeable distinction between the settings is the responsiveness and output of the throttle pedal.
Oh, and don’t neglect the ‘B’ setting on the gear selector which can be utilized for increased ranges of brake regeneration when you’re driving (particularly helpful on downhill stretches or when braking from velocity for junctions).
However it’s not nearly straight-line velocity, the ID.Buzz is remarkably agile on twisty nation roads, solely let down by the brakes which appear to have a number of journey earlier than they interact, which means that slowing down requires a little bit extra anticipation and isn’t as clean because it may very well be.
As you’d anticipate with an EV, it’s clean and refined. Sure, the journey is on the stiff aspect, so it’s not so forgiving on poorer surfaces, however total it has extra in widespread with a big automobile than a van.
Add direct and nicely weighted steering and it appears to defy physics and undoubtedly places a smile in your face.
To date so good, however maybe the most important shock is that the ID.Buzz is so costly at launch. There’s at present simply the one mannequin out there with two trims.
Beginning at an eye-watering £58,915 for the entry-level Life spec, subsequent up is the Type trim for £63,715. A flagship GTX will be part of the vary quickly, and it’ll have a twin motor four-wheel drive system.
An extended wheelbase model and camper van are additionally coming, and the latter will tackle the opposite present annoyance, which is the MPV cabin’s lack of flexibility.
At current, the rear seats can recline and slide to both enhance the cavernous boot or improve legroom if pulled ahead.
Ideally, ID.Buzz house owners need to have the ability to swivel the entrance seats spherical and have the power to take away the rear seats altogether.
That mentioned, boot capability is likely one of the its largest strengths. Even with 5 passengers on board, there’s 1,121 litres of cargo area. With the rear seats folded and pushed ahead there’s a van-like 2,123-litre capability.
And a particular point out for the intelligent ‘Buzz Field’ – a detachable storage compartment between the driving force’s seat and entrance passenger seat.
So, it isn’t good and there’s undoubtedly room for enchancment which future variations will tackle, however total VW has carried out a fantastic job with the ID.Buzz, which oozes model and character.
Awards for the ID.Buzz to date embrace Automobile of the 12 months and Greatest Giant Electrical Automobile on the What Automobile? Awards 2023, plus Greatest MPV and Electrical Automobile of the 12 months on the 2022 High Gear Awards. It’s additionally full of security and driver help tech, reaching a most five-star Euro NCAP ranking.
Verdict: Funky, practical, enjoyable to drive, snug and protected, the retro-cool Volkswagen ID.Buzz has room for enchancment, however such is its character, all is forgiven.
