Volkswagen ID. Buzz 2024 review - Is it worth the hype? | batchreviews (James Batchelor)

It's been a VERY long time coming. In fact, Volkswagen has been teasing us with a modern version of its iconic Type 2 van for over 20 years, with different concepts and previews showing what could be. But now, eventually, VW has made good on its promise.
Meet the ID. Buzz. It uses a lot of what you'll find in VW's other ID models, such as the ID.3 and ID.4, but wraps all of this up in a retro body. There's going to be a range of Buzzes too - coming along later in 2024 will be a performance GTX and a seven-seater long-wheelbase model.
Here I get behind the wheel of the standard wheelbase Buzz in top-spec trim to see if it's better than an electric SUV and whether they hype surrounding it is really justified.
Let me know what you think in the comments box below
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If I look a bit familiar then you might have seen me on Carbuyer and Auto Express KZbin channels in the past.
I'm now freelance - you can contact me by visiting batchreviews.com/
Twitter/X: / jrrbatchelor
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Website: batchreviews.com
#volkswagen #car #review
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - History
00:53 - Design
01:52 - Back seats
02:55 - LWB 7-seater
03:09 - Boot and practicality
03:39 - Interior
06:15 - Things I don't like
06:21 - Build quality
06:56 - Infotainment system
08:13 - Driving
10:26 - Battery and motor
10:41 - Electric range
13:01 - People love it
15:32 - Verdict

[@CarSoul]

Love that you matched the trousers with the car 😂 Great review, makes me want to buy one!

[@HenryPalfrey1963]

Really enjoyed your honest and informative review.

[@sambutcher4344]

Great review Batch!!

[@ndg9367]

I miss my 03 VW Eurovan MV with a VR6 201 hp. I had the suicide jumper seats in the 2nd row. It was a so practical 4 x 8 ft drywall would fit and also put 1500 lbs. skid in it. Back also had a jack knife bench/ bed. Miss that!

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video Review 😊

[@MegaRetr]

Incredible BUS 😊 thanks a lot for this video

[@muds1970]

Nice detailed review Batch, if you are over a year late to the party! At least you now have a vehicle with colour-ways to match your wardrobe!!

[@dikdebruijn5101]

I was on a wait list for the VW New Beetle in 1998, finally got one: 5-speed manual transmission, diesel. Still have it, still drives great, still gets 50+ mpg diesel. AND people are once again excited to see it!

[@beatmeierbm]

have done 12k in half a year and i love it ❤

[@hunterfaith8660]

For the record, I LOVE the VW Bugs ❤️

[@CKGoldiing]

Elite Forsyth impression 🏆

[@aarongranger]

I love that he's coordinated his outfit to match the car... orange on the bottom, mostly black on top with horizontal stripes in small places. 16:11

[@sharonec5419]

I agree totally with you about not buying the ID Buzz and the Multivan being better in most ways.

[@nintendoatarikiller]

We've been waiting for the ID Buzz to cross the pond for what seems like ages.

[@footballgeorgiebest]

It will be dated by the time it reaches America

[@AqualimeGuy]

@@footballgeorgiebest that's my fear. I love the design so much... but it'll be hard to bypass.

[@Hallo-Hallo]

Thanks! 👍😀

[@smellysam]

Got one as a company car, the obligatory "business" interior trim makes the Dark Ages look fun.

[@nottmfunguy]

I am assuming it is close to a C1 requirement on peoples driving licences? it's a grey area with alternative fuels. I know some insurers may take issue, even though they changed the B in 2018 for alternative fuels.

[@chryschrysostomou5392]

Batch, I fell head over heels in love with it. But, for the Range. I will wait for the LWB with maxed out battery and hope the motor efficiency will improve to make it what I always envisioned it to be, a European tourer! God help my wallet!

[@randomname9758]

That's a great point about the beetle. It just left us again with a whimper.

[@fumoffu_l]

Bug Bus has been my dream car for as long as I can remember. I was so excited when I heard they were releasing a new run... and then I saw them. Heart Broken. Guess I just need to stay on the lookout for a classic one.

[@nettcologne9186]

14:40 Volkswagen was one of the first manufacturers to bring a vehicle with a so-called retro design (New Beetle) onto the market. After all, it was built from 1997 to 2019, which is a long time considering that we live in an "ever-faster moving world" and constantly expect something new.

[@thiagolima5232]

love this car

[@CassandraTiensivu]

The only downside for me would be the passenger windows being unable to roll down. That’s a no-no in my book. But I actually love the matching interior to the exterior.

[@williameveritt3464]

I own one. Its brilliant. Flawed but brilliant. Think about leasing rather the purchase it

[@skinwalker_]

There is one of the blue white ones on my road and I have to say it’s the best looking car on the street. It’s a good looking car up close. I wouldn’t buy one but I like it.

[@joeyracano1]

Good reviewer

[@johnmcguigan5755]

Fantastic van, bought it for the tax benefits last march, but it's way beyond a tax benefit, love it

[@EPeltzer]

This has more staying power than the new Beetle. I think the appeal of the VW van is not just style; it's probably the very most practical vehicle on the road and that's been a large part of its appeal through the years. The best part about it is it's incredibly spacious but it's not an SUV! The Beatle never had that kind of intense space efficient practicality. I had a 2001 Eurovan, truly hated to sell it but it just had very high miles and was becoming a maintenance problem. It had vastly more space than even the largest SUV and yet it was about 3 ft shorter and fit in my garage perfectly, parked easily, was actually kind of fun to drive. It had an enormous fold-out bed. You could get a full sheet of plywood in it and shut the hatch. You could put three fully assembled mountain bikes in the middle section, seat five people, and put a ton of stuff in the boot as well, at the same time! Or put in the jump seats and seat 7. The LWB model would be the one to get. I sure do wish all the seats were fully removable on this though. It would be a warehouse in there.

[@owenmcdonald5922]

I seem to remember when the beetle was relaunched in the 90s, somebody said that everyone that was excited by it bought one, and suddenly VW were left building a car that wasn't selling. I see why you say what you did about the future of this. VW will have to work at keeping it fresh.

[@NBMBC40]

VW should have released it as a PHEV first and then EV versions and that's why it wont survive, I do love the look of it having had two type 2 Bays of my own.

[@KK-qi6mt]

There was little point to the new VW Beatle. It was a compromised golf. The mini is different enough from any other BMW product that it still sells. If they make an electric multivan then the Buzz might suffer the same fate as the Beatle . If not, then there should be demand for it if it is priced right.

[@rixster8282]

Failed to mention if you put the heating on full . You go from 225miles to 148miles . How I know I have one for work :(

[@72MRS]

Sounds like you might have an issue….that doesn’t happen in mine!

[@soggynomadpress]

Love it, but models where I can't remove the back seats are a deal breaker. In the era of van life many of us are waiting for a good eco option.

[@ronnie9187]

Actually this is very much value for money On just 4.7m of lenght if offers much more space then for example a VW Touareq or any other large car that has much more lenght. This will be much easier to park then a new BMW iX5 for example. The Beetle was also beautiful I think, but not practicle. Prices on the market dropped significant, here in Switzerland for around 50d pounds for a for occassions that almost new with less then 10d KM on the counter and one year old. But to be fair, I wish there was a hybrid or petrol model of this beautiful looking car. That is the only show stopper for me. This car is made for travelling around in other countries and only a few countries in Europe have a good fast charging network. And then only along the highways, not inland. With each country having its own charging apps and - cards, making it still unfriendly to use. I don't see that change on the short term due to ending of all kind of tax advantages in major EV countries like Germany or the Netherlands. The market share of EV is internationally still something to be worry about unfortunately.

[@bobbybarron3132]

Are those trousers official VW merch.

[@DBGE001]

I remember when the gasoline version was 15k, brand new.

[@yippie6862]

It's not a "House Brick" as he says. The Buzz has a drag coefficient of just 0.29.

[@mjrtensepian1727]

The major failing of the VW nostalgia-mobiles, is that they don't share any mechanical relationship to the OG vehicles. They're basically just front-engine/FWD generic cars underneath. Saps them of all character or resemblance. If new Beetles had been a modern, inexpensive rear-engine/RWD vehicle they'da been on to something. The Buzz is just a no-engine version, with a far too plastic-clad, car-like interior, where the OG transporters really were more "commercial", and all the more endearing for it. That German "Xbus" startup got closer to the original ethos of the thing.

[@The_Jimrod]

Other flaws aside - the Buzz is RWD.

[@williamplatt6859]

Outstanding review. I have considered goingbelectric but what happens if the grid goes down?

[@davidhayes4814]

I get what you are saying James ….. it falls short in so many areas, objectively. However it is buying into the cult branding that really does matter, particularly in terms of residuals and and aspirations. Why do VW Transporters have such high residuals? The early Transit was so much better than the T1 and T2 as a commercial vehicle but not as a cult vehicle/camper.

[@stevenmoran4060]

Don’t see the point of plug in hybrids at all. Either go full hybrid or just electric.

[@chuckuni5366]

Plug in hybrids have enough all electric range to allow many commuters to use the car as a full EV, but without the need for the massive battery and without the range concerns on longer trips and/or cold weather. Arguable the more environmentally friendly choice as it doesn't have nearly as much input to make the battery as a full ev and still wouldn't need the ICE for average commutes. And if you have a standard hybrid, why not go plug in? Most of the components are already there.

[@snyx7886]

Of course the hype will die down, but I don’t think it will be as passé as the beetle. Minivans and suvs are the norm for the suburban family car. Parents want a functional vehicle that isn’t as boring and dull as a van or less functional as a less embarrassing suv. This fits the bill. Not to mention that there are only a few electrics in this class of vehicle. The price will be the judge.

[@nunagoras]

...And don't forget the cargo versions. Here in Portugal, the few ID Buzz ones I've seen were all for the cargo and commercial versions; way more beautiful than the passenger version, and very few alternatives in the market with similar specs. I believe those cargo versions will actually to sell very well, especially for businesses that run on very environmentally sensitive historical urban areas or natural reserve areas...

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

Just a pity that VW didn't give the front facia the classy look of the earlier prototypes, the lattice bumper that you could grow Ivy thru is just too gadgety ...The cream Bakelite looking interior does nothing for me either.

[@aureliancozma251]

it is a unique vehicle, no one on the market will do anything similar, so the euphoria will not pass, I say it will remain number 1 in my choice

[@robertlloyd7493]

😊

[@jansefran1752]

Beautiful ... I order DIZEL version ...

[@michaelgoode9555]

I am going to watch this (paused at the moment with Batch crouching down nearside front) even though I suspect that the usual "Electrifying" criticism of certain aspects of VW will inevitably happen. Let's see if you can prove me wrong ... 🤔 Fail. @ 7:10 the usual rubbish about the infotainment and slider bars starts. I'll not bother with the last 10 minutes.

[@batchreviews]

😂😂 glad you didn’t stick around for the last 10 mins, Michael.

[@thejfg7741]

It lacks cleverness in the interior and ultimately this is the wrong shape and too heave for current EV tech. Efficiency is woeful. But… I can see the desirability of these.

[@TravellingwithTravis]

But disappointed tbh they should scrap it and start again, the only reason people would want to buy one is because they like Kombi’s and would want to convert it into a travel van. With a poor range and not much room for modifications you would end up getting more out of a Mercedes electric van. They’re just not there yet.

[@fidesvani]

Criminal price

[@adamghering]

without the original specs of a campervan it just a passe gimick, in its current base model its just another electric car which falls short of the ammenities of cars half its price. soooooo....yeah

[@graemetaylor629]

As soon as the price came up I stopped watching, don’t really know who this is aimed at. If it was a 500 mile a tank petrol or deisel and came in at £32000.00 is it would sell like hotcakes

[@MR_THINQ]

The range is awful, not worth the high price.

[@monkeysezbegood]

Range is totally fine or me. Price ...let's see

[@badhobz1]

your shot transitions are very annoying. dont use that weird transition filter

[@gritnltw]

Pointless car. Good content for ev-focused-KZbinrs only. Perhaps you are the second one (first is Alex from e-for-electric channel) that dared to be skeptical about this marketing-dept-driven vehicle. VW is going so dowwwwwn.

[@alexmckenna1171]

A petrol van??? Daft bggr. That's not to look old-hat in a couple of years??

[@batchreviews]

Are you a bot or just haven’t watched the first 30 seconds of the video?

[@sdfgh6017]

To many negatives

[@Banyan314]

Way too expensive and underspec’ed battery and range. £70K is a lot of anybody’s money !

[@pradeepmagan6951]

It’s taken to long, hopefully better than the ID rubbish

[@stevezodiac491]

The ID Buzz must be the biggest VW fail ever. Designed after the olden day California camper van but after it was built realising that if camper van bits were put inside it, the weight of the total unit would be outside the weight of 3.5 tonnes, the weight most people are allowed to drive who are not grand parents with grandfather rights on their licence. Not only that, 150 miles on a motorway in cold weather is dog s- - -e, for a camper van, and that is without being fitted out inside as a camper. Then we come to the ridiculous £60k price tag and the massive used depreciation, and you have a disaster on your hands. Couldn't somebody in VW see the problems before they o.k'd it to be built ?

[@kennshearer526]

You have obviously never driven one. Had mine for a year and it’s BRILLIANT. It never was designed as a camper van it is classified as a car - basically an alternative to boring SUVs. Yes there are a few issues but aren’t there always.

[@kennshearer526]

Good review. Owners are seeing around 210 miles range (unless using as a getaway car 😆). Yes some of the fittings could be better and the infotainment system is not great - but perfectly usable once you are used to it.

[@72MRS]

It doesn’t matter about the 3.5t limit now….it’s been changed to 4t for these now so no grandfather rights/C1 licence required. Realistically I’ve been getting 180-190 miles from 100% at motorway (pretty much) speeds.

[@joev.1202]

What a disappointing execution. This has none of the charm, space, flexibility or style of the old VW busses.

[@Nick-ct1ww]

interior is nice.....but boy will it show the dirt

[@Sanpedranoazul]

Bring down the price, put an ice engine, and Will be a success!!!

[@rickymeeker6465]

For electric motor bad idea 👎

[@MrMislav]

Ugly. Unusable and short range, for long trips.

[@MrJolppy]

Those things are freaking ugly. I’ve never buy one of those. It looks like a Ford focus with a flat top. I’d rather try to make a newer style one then buy one of those piece of crap.

[@jq2639]

No internal combustion engine, no buy.

[@mikequinlan9585]

You are going to be disappointed for the rest of your life. GAS engines are yesterday’s technology.

[@pjroberts2010]

The guy reviewing this car is too verbose. Get to the point and cut out the unnecessary details. Had to stop watching after a few minutes. Annoying.

[@stefan2796]

Overhyped, overpriced car...lots of cheap plastic. If you look at it from the back, it looks like a regular VW Transporter. The cargo version could be interesting for small businesses which work local/regional.

[@jameselliott1965]

Love the form factor, though. Given that today cars are different bodies on similar bases, I don't know why other (Chinese) manufacturers aren't making a similar vehicle at a more normal price.

[@stuffandnonsense8528]

More interesting than yet another crossover/suv.