Driven: 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro S
2025 | car reviews | vans | volkswagen
Volkswagen has a long history with vans, dating back to the 1950s. The 2025 ID. Buzz is a modern reinvention of the Microbus that’s roomier, more practical, and much quicker than the O.G. thanks to an electric drivetrain. Now that we’ve spent two weeks driving one, we can confidently say that it’s a fun and functional ride that leaves other minivans in the dust.
The van has enough space to seat seven passengers in comfort. Yet, at 195.4 inches long, it has a significantly more compact footprint than minivans like the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna, which are nearly 10 inches longer. At 76.2 inches high, the ID. Buzz is also more than 6 inches taller, which makes a big difference in its cabin's sense of space and driving position. VW offers five trim levels for 2025: the base, but well-equipped Pro S reviewed here, the Pro S Plus, Pro S Plus with 4MOTION, 1st Edition, and 1st Edition with 4MOTION. There's only a $10,000 base price difference between the least and most expensive versions, and every ID. Buzz has a substantial list of standard features.
There are two drivetrain options available here in the States: a rear-wheel drive setup that offers 282 horsepower and 413 lb-ft. of torque, and an all-wheel drive model that adds a small motor up front for 335 horsepower and 512 lb-ft. of torque. The RWD model we tested offers instant torque application and can do 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds. The AWD bumps that time to 5.5 seconds. While it is quick for its weight, its handling isn't exactly sporty - the suspension is a bit on the springy side, and the steering feels a bit disconnected. On the plus side, the low center of gravity from its heavy battery pack helps keep it well planted when cornering, despite its height. As expected from an electric vehicle, the ID. Buzz is whisper quiet on the road, and it's well insulated, providing a serene driving environment that shuts out road and wind noise.
Powered by a 91 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with 86 kWh available, Volkswagen says the ID. Buzz tops out at an EPA-estimated 234 miles of range for the RWD model and 231 miles for the AWD. When fully-charged, our vehicle registered 249 miles. The battery system supports DC fast charging at rates up to 200 kW, though during our testing at a 350 kW Electrify America station, we maxed out at 114 kW. It took about 40 minutes to go from a 35% charge to a 100% charge, reaching 80% in about 14 minutes. However, we didn't engage battery preconditioning, so it may have accepted more juice. For future reference, we should have taken advantage of the automatic preconditioning, which kicks in automatically when you select a DC fast-charging station on the built-in navigation system.
Inside, the ID. Buzz has an open and airy feel to it. Its tall windshield, skinny A-pillars, and front quarter windows provide amazing forward visibility. The front seats are comfy and supportive and come with 12-way power controls, heat, ventilation, and can even give you a back massage. The driving position has a confidence-instilling upright position that makes you feel like you're truly driving a miniature bus. Peek beneath the D-shaped steering wheel, and you'll notice another playful design touch - the accelerator pedal is marked with a "play" icon, and the brake has a "pause" icon. Like in the VW ID.4, the instrument panel is mounted to the steering column and presents a concise and highly legible display of information right where you need it. Sitting atop the dashboard, there's a large 12.9-inch touchscreen for the multimedia system. On both the dashboard and steering wheel, almost every control is touch-based, which is fine for most operations, but we would have preferred physical controls for the radio volume and temperature to their somewhat fiddly touch-based sliders.
VW loaded the ID. Buzz with safety and convenience tech that makes daily driving easier and more secure. Its IQ.DRIVE system includes Travel Assist for hands-on semi-automated driving and Front Assist with emergency braking that keeps an eye out for pedestrians and cyclists. Active Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Traffic Alert, and Exit Warning System are especially handy when parking. Adaptive front lighting and automatic high beams improve visibility at night, while multiple airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors protect passengers. One gripe: the video display from its backup camera is surprisingly grainy for a 2025 model. An overhead-view camera is available on the Pro S Plus and above models that we didn't get to test.
We love its clever storage features, too. A dual cupholder pops out of the bottom of the dash when you need it, opening up floor space when not in use. The dashboard and doors have built-in shelving for smartphones and/or wallets. The passenger-side door shelf even has its own USB-C charging port. There's a cozy and secure nook that charges the driver's phone wirelessly. The center console also has several neat tricks, including a pop-open storage bin on the front, a slide-out bin on the back, and a top tray with movable dividers. For a simultaneous touch of whimsy and practicality, the front divider doubles as a bottle opener, and the back one works as an ice scraper. The whole center unit can also be removed with the push of a button.
Space for second row passengers is downright incredible. Sitting on the bench seat, a six-foot-tall passenger gets nearly a foot between their knees and the front-row seatbacks. Headroom is excellent as well, and the outboard seats are heated. Each sliding door has a sliding window and a built-in smartphone shelf with a USB-C charging port. These seats can slide on a track to provide more or less legroom for the third row and can also recline. The bench seat folds in a 60/40 split for cargo-carrying versatility, and second row captain's chairs replace the bench on the Pro S Plus 4MOTION and 1st Edition 4MOTION.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the ID. Buzz interior is how much room the third row seats offer. The two seats are wide enough for larger passengers, and the kneeroom is astoundingly good, with roughly 10 inches between knees and seats for a six-foot passenger. There's about 4 inches of headroom for a person of that height, too, and the second row has a few inches more than that. Third row passengers also get cupholders, speakers, and smartphone trays with USB-C ports. Entering and exiting the back row is easier than we've experienced in any 3-row vehicle, thanks to the ceiling height and how far forward the second row can slide.
The third row seats can also be removed for extra cargo space. While they're not as convenient as the Chrysler Pacifica's Stow 'N Go seating, the VW's back seats are shockingly easy to remove. Each seat has a built-in carrying handle and takes less than 30 seconds to remove without tools. When you put them back in, the seats lock confidently into place with a satisfying click. Volkswagen recommends that you have a second person when handling them to avoid scratching the bumper cover. Still, they're lightweight enough that one person can carry a seat without a problem. With the second row pushed forward and the third row removed, there's a cavernous 145.5 cubic feet of storage space. With the second row in use, 75.5 cubic feet is still plentiful. Load up all seven passengers, and space drops to just 18.6 cubic feet, enough for a few carry-on bags, but not much else.
There's a whole lot to like about the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz. Its design brilliantly blends playfulness and usefulness and offers spirited, eco-conscious driving. Its interior is incredibly spacious, and every seat is comfortable and roomy. We also love the inventive storage and cargo handling capabilities and how well equipped the base model is. Like most EVs, the ID. Buzz isn't cheap, primarily due to the cost of its battery pack. The Pro S RWD model driven here starts at $59,995, and ours had a sticker price of $61,545 after the hefty destination charge.
