From this year onward, June 2 will be celebrated as “International Volkswagen Bus Day,” and kicking off the new tradition is America’s first-ever version of the ID. Buzz. Making its debut at Huntington Beach, California, it’s not a moment too soon as the North American-spec 2025MY ID. Buzz will arrive a whole two years after its European reveal.
Was the wait worth it? Well, with a larger battery, longer wheelbase, up to 330 hp, and with more seats, Volkswagen hopes this Mircobus call-back has been tailored to the demands of NA customers. There’s no beating around the bus(h) here – Volkswagen expects the ID. Buzz to add some significant brand equity stateside as the spiritual reincarnation of the Microbus. At the very least, it could go some way in making their EV lineup look uber cool.
More Rows For Your Bros
The North American-spec 2025 VW ID. Buzz is 6.9 inches (175 mm) longer than the two-row version, with a total length of 192.4 inches (4,887 mm). The basic design stays the same, with identical overhangs front and rear. Instead, that extra girth comes from the stretched wheelbase, which is now 127.5 inches (3,239 mm) vs. the 117.6 inches (2,985 mm) for the European model. Width comes in at 77.9 inches (1,979 mm) wide with a height of 74.6 inches (1,895 mm).
You’ll be able to seat as many as seven in the passenger compartment in the standard 2-3-2 layout. The second-row seats can slide fore and aft by up to 7.9 inches (200 mm) and feature 60:40 split folding. The second and third rows fold flat, and the rearmost seats can be removed entirely.
If you want a completely flat floor with the rear seats folded, you can utilize an optional flexboard with fabric bins hiding underneath — and seeing as there’s no cargo version on the cards for the States, it’s nice to see there’s some flexibility in terms of load-lugging. Alternatively, if you want a bit more room for occupants, you can spec the ID. Buzz with six individual captains chairs in a 2-2-2 layout.
Heated seats are standard, while the second and third-row windows get tinted glass. On the subject of glass, the ID. Buzz features the largest sunroof of any Volkswagen Group offering. Measuring 67.4 inches (1712 mm) long and 40.8 inches (1036 mm) wide, the optional panoramic roof can change from opaque to transparent thanks to electro-chromatic tech.
A Bigger Battery And More Power
The North American ID. Buzz features a number of drivetrain similarities with the VW ID. 7. It uses the same 91 kWh (gross) battery pack as the ID.7 Pro S and which is larger than the 82 kWh battery found on the short wheel-base ID. Buzz. Both the ID.7 and the ID. Buzz ride on the MEB platform, with the batteries mounted underfloor in a skateboard-like configuration. At the time of writing, Volkswagen hasn’t released a range estimation for any of the North American ID. Buzz EVs on offer.
Meanwhile, the ID.7’s APP550 electric motor is on duty at the back of the three-row ID. Buzz. In rear-wheel drive guise, it has 282 hp (286 PS / 210 kW) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque – a significant jump from the two-row model’s 201 hp (204 PS / 150 kW) and 229 lb-ft (310 Nm).
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In addition to the rear-wheel drive model, a dual-motor all-wheel drive option will also be available from launch. This adds roughly 48 hp (49 PS / 36 kW) to the front axel, for a total output of “about” 330 hp (335 PS / 246 kW).
No acceleration figures have been mentioned; however, the top speed of the N.A. ID.Buzz rises by 9 mph (14 km/h) over the European model, with an electronically-limited top end of 99 mph (158 km/h) — evidently, no land speed records will be broken just yet.
New Colors And Lots Of Standard Kit
The 2024 North American-spec VW ID. Buzz will launch with many of the same colors found on the European model, plus some NA exclusives. Newly introduced for the American model are Cabana Blue, Metro Silver, and Indium Grey.
The cabin features three different color and trim options, all sporting vegan-friendly leatherette. Standard equipment includes heated and power-adjustable seats, a heated steering wheel, power sliding windows, power folding and heated rear-view mirrors, ambient lighting, and a power tailgate. There are eight USB-C charging ports dotted throughout the cabin, a 110-volt outlet up front, and a 12-volt traditional power outlet in the cargo area.
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The ID. Buzz’s infotainment system has been upgraded to what’s found on the ID.7. It still features the dreaded capacitive touch buttons and sliders, but VW says that climate functions have now been integrated into the bottom of the display for immediate access.
Available Next Year
Sales of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz will begin in 2024 as a 2025MY. There are still a number of details that potential owners will be keen to know, such as range and price, but we’ll have to wait closer to the launch for those figures to be revealed.
For now, the ID. Buzz really does appear to be a mildly up-sized version of the original, with usable space, improved seating options, and added power. But is it worth the two-year wait that North American customers will have to endure by the time the first units roll out of showrooms in 2024? Let us know in the comments below.
