2025 VW ID Buzz: The Classic VW Hippie Van is Back. Sorta.
Imagine an all-electric Scooby Doo Mystery Machine… and today, it now looks like the 2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz. Sorta.
Classified as a minivan, this is an all-new electric vehicle with plenty of room inside for people, lotsa space and cubbyholes for stuff, and an eye-catching appeal that masks a real-world driving range of less than 250 miles.
And yet, it is very charming vehicle, perfect for your (very short term) road trips.
First off, prepare for feeling like you are driving a bus. This is a big vehicle, comparable to the Hugh Jass Chevy Suburban. There are plenty of mirrors and cameras to help you navigate, but often it still feels like you are driving a city bus, sorta like how Ralph Kramden did back in the 1950s.
(Here’s a clip of The Honeymooners – brought to you by Buick – for those who may not know about Ralph Kramden but vaguely know the phrase “to the moon, Alice.”)
Edmunds.com says that this new Buzz is “exceptionally comfortable,” has “cavernous cargo room” and “smooth, swift electric power” – there are “distinctive styling and color choices.”
U.S. News and World Report says it has a “balanced ride and handling, [a] spacious and comfortable cabin, capable powertrain options” and a “long list of standard features,” to include heated and ventilated front seats that also massage you as you roll along.
Yes indeed, you will get noticed. The look is, shall we say, refreshed from the days of The Brady Bunch and Woodstock, as you can see here. You can get a combined 335 horsepower between all the engines and batteries, which is a far cry from the sputtering engines that often were standard with most family cars while Watergate was still in the news.
Up to 146 cubic feet of storage space is possible. Riding high in the saddle, you can easily see all around the road, but again, there are plenty of cameras and driving aids to ensure that you don’t hit something that could send your life into an insurance black hole.
Still, a range of less than 250 miles on a single charge is concerning if you are planning to do road trips. Also, the entry price of $60K US makes it expensive from the get-go. And, truly, how long can all those nostalgic feelings last if you are not paying 1970s prices for everything?
If you are interested in the ID Buzz, first off, make sure you have a garage where you can charge it every night.
Further, make sure you really do want an electric vehicle. In all honesty, the infrastructure needed to make EVs wholly worthwhile is still not IMHO available in the United States. As much as I want to believe more federal money will be granted to help improve this situation, well………
And finally, despite its nostalgic charm, the ID Buzz is a 21st Century vehicle. It’s not the hippie van of years past. It’s bigger, smarter, roomier……
Indeed, welcome to the future. And good luck.
