First Drive: 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz – The Electric Microbus Finally Reaches the U.S.

The buzz is back – the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz, that is, finally reaching U.S. showrooms decades after the demise of VW’s original Hippie Van – and two years after going on sale in Europe. If you’re one of the folks who’ve been anxiously waiting for the arrival of this new electric microbus, the good news is that the wait has been worthwhile. It’s not cheap, and it’s not perfect, but the Buzz delivers a lot for the money.

It’s gone by many names over the years, including Kombi, Samba, Transporter, T2 and even the Hippie Van. But what most Americans know as the Volkswagen Microbus is finally returning to U.S. shores, 21 years after the last one was sold here – and 11 years after the last one was built in Brazil.

For dedicated fans, it’s been an excruciating wait. There’ve been plenty of feints and false starts, the German automaker rolling out a series of concepts over the years, including the well-received 2011 BULLI and 2016 BUDD-e. It was only with the 2017 debut of the ID Buzz that it appeared the Microbus would finally return – this time in all-electric form. And, even then, the production ID.Buzz would launch in Europe nearly two years before reaching U.S. shores.

After taking a first drive through the old van’s spiritual home, San Francisco, it’s obvious it was worth the wait. American buyers will get a longer, roomier, more powerful and markedly better-equipped version. Here’s our review of the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

Forward into the past

Coming up with a replacement for the iconic Microbus hasn’t been easy, especially with VW determined to stick close to the critical design cues of the original, blunt-nosed, rear-wheel-drive van. There were emissions issues and tough new crash standards to deal with, making it all but impossible to come up with a modern incarnation. Until VW began going electric. Suddenly, with the underlying MEB architecture used for other battery-powered products like the ID.4 crossover, a viable alternative became possible.

The new ID.Buzz isn’t a clone of the original. For one thing, the nose is a bit longer – among other things providing more space for meeting frontal crash standards, as well as for an optional second motor – but despite the overall cleaner, more aerodynamic lines, the lineage is unmistakable. Perhaps it’s just the old van’s historic ties to hippie-era San Francisco but Buzz drew a crowd everywhere I drove it around the city.

One of the most frequent questions has been why it’s taken so long for Buzz to make its return since it has been on sale in Europe for a couple years. You’ll get a few different reasons from Volkswagen officials. But what matters is the fact that the one arriving in the States is markedly better. It’s now a three-row package delivering both better performance and longer – if not benchmark – range. It’s also much better equipped, even the base Pro S package offering welcome touches like front heated, ventilated and massaging seats.

A roomy interior

Let’s start here with some numbers. The 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz comes in at 195 inches, bumper-to-bumper. That’s about two inches shorter than the all-electric Kia EV9 which is likely to be one of its most direct competitors. It’s 78.15 inches wide and stands 75.8 inches in height, with a 127.5-inch wheelbase.

Despite its relatively compact footprint, however, it offers a mind-blowing 146 cubic feet of interior space. That’s one more cf than the 226-inch-long Chevrolet Suburban.

The American market gets only a 3-row version of the ID.Buzz. Europe is stuck with the smaller 2-row package, though that’s probably a better fit. At least for now, the U.S. won’t get the EU’s commercial van package, though VW emphasizes the ease of removing the third row, if need be. Unfortunately, the big battery pack underneath the cabin ruled out any opportunity for a foldaway option, such as the Chrysler Pacifica’s Stow-n-Go seats.

How many commercial users might opt for Buzz is yet to be seen, but I expect, just like the original, many buyers will find a way to squeeze in a mattress for on-road adventures. And VW planners note there will be plenty of appropriate aftermarket options buyers can choose from. I’d expect to see some van outfitters start tinkering with the electric Microbus, as well.

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Powertrain, Range and Charging

My test vehicle was, like the original Microbus, rear-wheel-drive, a single electric motor providing 282 horsepower and 234 pound-feet of torque. As is the case with virtually all EVs, there’s a single-speed transmission.

The upgrade is a twin-motor version of VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, here bumping output to 335 horsepower – though, surprisingly, torque actually drops to 231 lb-ft. And, yes, the automaker has verified those figures. The AWD package can hit 60 in an estimated 6.0 seconds – which is more than acceptable considering it weighs in at more than 6,000 pounds.

VW offers a neat retractable tow hitch for Buzz and for those who tow, the single-motor Microbus manages 2,600 pounds, the AWD model maxing out at 3,300.

All U.S. versions of ID.Buzz feature a 91 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The minivan will need to be plugged in overnight if you’re planning to charge up a drained battery. But going from a 10% state-of-charge to 80% takes as little as 26 minutes if you have access to a 400V DC public charger putting out 200 kW, VW claims.

At launch, Buzz will come with the widely used CCS charging port. VW, like virtually all competitors in the U.S., recently inked a deal with Tesla allowing its EV buyers to plug into the widely available Supercharger network. The German maker plans to ship adaptors to ID.Buzz owners sometime in 2025 and will switch to Tesla’s NACS charging port at a “later” date.

Driving Impressions

As fond as I am of the original Volkswagen Microbus, the reality is that the driving experience wasn’t especially pleasant. Its little rear-mounted air-cooled engine was grossly underpowered, even in late editions. Steering and handling weren’t much better.

The 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz is an entirely different matter. Even the base, RWD model offers reasonable, if not quite thrilling, acceleration. I had no problem handling the streets in hilly San Francisco, nor accelerating onto and then executive high-speed passes on US-101, heading north out of the city.

I was uncertain about what to expect once I turned off onto CA-1, the Marin County portion of the Pacific Coast Highway featuring rapid elevation changes and tight, often blind, curves. After all, Buzz is one very tall vehicle, with a height of more than 6.5 feet. I needn’t have worried. Even though the driver sits at bus height, the hefty battery pack translates into a far lower center of gravity than might initially be apparent.

No, you won’t be able to flog the van around corners like, say, a Volkswagen GLI but it was far more nimble around corners than I anticipated. There was surprisingly little body roll. And the power steering wasn’t over-boosted, while providing a reasonable level of road feel. One trade-off: the ride did prove a bit jarring at slower speeds on rough pavement and speed bumps.

Technology and Safety

The U.S. version of the ID.Buzz is, in many ways, a very different animal than the European model. Not only does it offer three rows but even the base Buzz Pro S comes with a welcome mix of features, including front heated, cooled and massaging seats. Even the base model goes with fully digital display technology, including a 5.3-inch gauge cluster atop the steering wheel, as well as a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen.

The new Microbus  also get welcome tech touches including  keyless entry and eight USB ports. (One of the odder features, however, is the lack of a start button. Like ID.4, Buzz automatically starts when the driver buckles up.) VW, meanwhile, has integrated an AI system into Buzz’s smartphone app to make it easier to ask questions, say, when an inscrutable IP warning light triggers.)

Depending upon package, you’ll find even more features on the Plus and 1^st Edition – though many are available as options on the base model. Theses include an upgraded Karman-Hardon audio package and  an electrochromic panoramic roof. It can switch from opaque to transparent with a simple button tap. This marks the first time VW offers that technology on U.S. model

When it comes to safety, all versions of Buzz come standard with Volkswagen’s IQ.Drive suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including front emergency auto-braking, rear traffic alert and active cruise control. There are some desirable options, however, including a head-up display and road sign recognition.

Pricing

In its day, the original Volkswagen Microbus was a decidedly cheap way to move people around, whether a family or a commune of hippies. The 2025 VW ID.Buzz may retain its people-moving chops, but it’s clearly not cheap.

The base 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro S starts at $59,995 and comes solely in rear-wheel-drive configuration – though, as noted, there are plenty of features, such as those heated, cooled and massaging seats.

The Pro S Plus package is even more lavishly equipped, but it jumps to $63,495 in RWD, while the optional twin-motor 4Motion package starts at $67,995.

Buzz debuts in the U.S. with a limited-run 1^st Edition trim that features virtually everything you otherwise might find on the checklist. But it starts at $65,495 for RWD, $69,995 for AWD.

Add $1,550 for delivery fees to all those numbers.

Note that the new electric van does not qualify for federal incentives when purchased because it is imported from Germany. It will qualify, however, when leased. And, to sweeten the deal, ID.Buzz l get 500 kWh of free energy when using the Electrify America charging network.

Final word

As I discovered wandering around San Francisco, the new ID.Buzz really is generating plenty of buzz. It’s been an entire generation since a Microbus was last offered in the U.S. and late versions of the original van simply didn’t have the cache of the original. Yet there’s something compelling about the new, all-electric model. I immediately began imagining it in my own driveway.

That’s not to say I don’t have a few gripes, starting with the rough, low speed ride. And I’d certainly prefer to have a bit more range – though, as an EV owner myself, I really don’t think 240+ miles per charge will create problems for the typical Buzz buyer. And the trade-off in terms of a quiet, roomy interior, instant off-the-line torque, and operating expenses are a real plus.

My biggest grumble? VW borrowed liberally from the ID.4 crossover’s interior. I would have hoped they’d have skipped the widely disliked controller used for the power windows. It features just two buttons, as well as a third control to switch between front and rear windows. I have found no one who’s used that system in ID.4 likes it. The same can be said for the equally dysfunctional power mirror controls.

Those complaints aside, there’s plenty to love about the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Sure, the base price will limit demand. But, when you consider what you get for your money, the pricing is quite reasonable. This modern incarnation of the legendary VW Microbus is stylish, incredibly roomy and fun to drive. For anyone thinking about either a 3-row SUV or minivan it’s clearly worth considering.