Reviewed: The 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro S Plus – The Perfect Roadtripper that can’t really Roadtrip

by Greg Karpinski

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz makes you smile before you even drive it, and that might be both its greatest strength and biggest problem. Our tester arrived finished in Candy White over Charcoal Blue two-tone which nails the retro-futuristic vibe so hard that people wave, point and take photos at stoplights. Short of the bright-yellow Lotus Emira we tested back in 2024, this humble VW van garnered the most attention of any car we’ve had in our fleet and that’s because it’s an EV designed to spark joy and, on that front, it absolutely delivers.

The Fine Print: Volkswagen wanted to finally give us a shot at one of their cars and remembered Jordan drooling over the ID.Buzz at the New York International Auto Show, so they dropped one off with us finished in Charcoal Blue over Candy White with a full charge and said to enjoy the van life for a week.

The charm starts with the design itself, which is unapologetically nostalgic but grounded in modern proportions. The ID.Buzz measures about 195 inches long, 78 inches wide and 76 inches tall, riding on a long 127.5-inch wheelbase that gives it those classic cab forward vibes while maximizing interior space. The short overhangs, massive VW badge and friendly face instantly call back to the original Microbus, while full LED lighting, clean surfacing and the stylish 20” wheels keep it firmly in the present. The two-tone paint is doing a lot of heavy lifting here – without it, the Buzz loses some magic – but with it, the design feels joyful, intentional and refreshingly different in a world full of anonymous crossovers. It’s not subtle and it’s not trying too hard to be cool, which is precisely why it works.

Inside, the ID.Buzz continues to play to its strengths – the cabin is airy, quiet and exceptionally well-packaged, making great use of its long wheelbase and flat EV floor. Space is the headline here, lots of it, and clever solutions are everywhere. The rear cargo area features removable storage bins that double as underfloor compartments, allowing the load floor to sit completely flat when needed. Fun Easter eggs like the integrated bottle opener and ice scraper add charm without feeling gimmicky and overall comfort is excellent. The Pro S Plus trim also comes packed with all the luxury goodies like heated, cooled and massaging front seats, which make it a genuinely easy place to spend time.

Technology is modern and largely well executed. The compact digital gauge cluster paired with the central touchscreen delivers clear graphics and the information you actually need. Once you’re familiar with the layout, the system works smoothly, which is a nice step forward from previous VW infotainment systems. That said, Volkswagen still leans too heavily on screen-based controls, meaning simple tasks often require more screen interaction than they should. Additionally, the ID.Buzz is also complicit with VW’s plan to make certain physical buttons multi-use – the additional cost of two more window switches should be able to be absorbed into the hefty pricetag here. Materials are generally solid and durable, but don’t feel quite as premium as the design and pricepoint suggests. It’s a smart, functional interior with lots of charm, even if it frequently reminds you that form and fun take priority over luxury.

On paper, the ID.Buzz keeps things simple – power on our Pro S Plus tester comes from a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 282hp and 413lbft of torque. Around town, that instant EV torque makes the Buzz feel lively and responsive, especially off the line, and has no trouble keeping up with traffic. The ride is smooth and impressively quiet, reinforcing that relaxed, lounge-on-wheels personality. Acceleration is more than adequate for daily driving with the 0-60 sprint taking a relaxed 6.7 seconds, but this is clearly not an EV designed to feel fast, it’s about calm progress, not excitement.

Where the Buzz shines is ride quality and composure. The suspension does a great job soaking up rough pavement and expansion joints and, despite its height and slab-sided shape, feels stable and predictable at highway speeds. Steering is light and easy, which dues its mission perfectly, though it offers little feedback for enthusiastic driving. Handling is safe and confidence-inspiring rather than playful and, while it’ll happily cruise all day, it’s not something you’d ever describe as engaging. One quirky footnote: the ID.Buzz uses rear drum brakes, which is an unusual choice. Volkswagen notes that EVs generally don’t have significant brake wear, and drum brakes tend to perform better after extended periods of non-use and allow the Buzz to roll a bit more freely as the pads on disc brakes can bump the rotor periodically, slowing the car down. Plus, they’re also generally less expensive, helping keep that burgeoning cost down.

Efficiency, however, is where the Buzz’s biggest contradiction lives. Despite that large 91 kWh battery pack, EPA range is capped at just 234 miles, and real-world efficiency seems even lower than that. DC fast charging helps ease the pain, but the math still works against the Buzz on longer journeys. That’s the irony of the ID.Buzz: it’s quiet, comfortable, spacious and feels absolutely perfect for road trips, yet it's limited range and efficiency make it less ideal for the very thing it seems built to do.

The ID.Buzz ultimately feels like a brilliant idea caught in the wrong moment. It’s charming, spacious, quirky, comfortable and fun to live with, but it’s high price and limited range make it hard to justify for a wide audience, especially when it’s meant to be used as a road trip machine. In that context, Volkswagen’s decision to quietly step away from the Buzz for 2026 amidst slow sales felt less shocking and more inevitable. This is a vehicle that people absolutely love to look at and talk about, but one that fewer consumers are willing to actually buy once the numbers come into focus. And that’s the real shame, because the ID.Buzz proves VW still knows how to build something fun with heart – it just didn’t quite give it the range, efficiency or pricing it needed to survive.