► ID.Buzz gains seven-seat long-wheelbase version
► Larger 86kWh battery fitted as standard
► Incredibly desirable, but is it worth having?
Of all the electric cars to launch in the past few years, one of the most eagerly awaited was the ID.Buzz. It’s the reincarnation of the iconic Microbus for the modern age, and was the car to make EVs cool by tugging on VW’s rich nostalgia. It’s safe to say it’s done just that.
But weirdly for such a practical and large MPV, it was initially only offered as a five-seater. Volkswagen promised an LWB model would follow and two years after the Buzz’s original launch, it’s finally delivered the seven-seater. But is it the one to have, or is it just a lesson in style over substance?
At a glance
Pros: Can seat seven adults with ease, feel-good factor, enjoyable to drive
Cons: Bouncy ride, interior could be more flexible, average range considering battery size
What’s new?
It’s safe to say I’ve never been as excited to drive a seven-seat MPV as with the Buzz – the car to make MPVs cool again? Undoubtedly. With a wheelbase stretched by 25cm compared to the standard model, and just shy of five metres long, it’s one of the longest VW passenger cars ever, though just fractionally shorter than the ICE Multivan.
The stretched wheelbase means the Buzz can accommodate seven seats for the first time, though Volkswagen has just launched a six-seat version of the standard SWB model, and you can also get the LWB with six seats, should you wish. Confusing, right?
The LWB model also gets a larger 86kWh battery, compared to 79kWh for the regular versions. It brings a small increase in electric range, though it’s offset by the extra weight of the additional metal and seats.
Volkswagen has also ushered in several other small upgrades to the Buzz, including a new touchscreen now rolled out across the ID line-up and a cool panoramic glass roof that’s electrically dimmable without a need for a blind. There’s also a sportier dual-motor model being launched, which we’ve covered in a separate ID.Buzz GTX review.
What are the specs?
The Buzz’s 86kWh battery is one shared with the new ID.7, and though it enables up to 436 miles on Volkswagen’s electric streamliner, it’s safe to say you won’t get that here. Blame the fact it weighs more than 2.7 tonnes rather than its shape – incredibly for a van-like MPV, the Buzz has a drag coefficient matching that of the VW Tiguan SUV.
Volkswagen claims up to 291 miles – up from 278 with the smaller Buzz with the smaller battery. Even with quite careful driving, though, you’ll struggle to get more than 245 miles, not a lot for a big electric seven-seater.
You also now get a more powerful electric motor on the rear axle, putting out 282bhp and 413lb ft of torque – enabling a surprisingly brisk 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds and a top speed capped to 99mph.
How does it drive?
You get a real feel-good factor from the Buzz, with a driving experience like no other. You sit particularly high up, towering over everyone in their wannabe SUVs, and with so much glass at the front, visibility is sensational. Imagine a greenhouse on wheels and you get the idea.
It’s a big old bus at 5m long and just shy of 2m wide, but it’s a surprisingly easy car to drive thanks to that visibility and a combination of light steering and a small turning circle. It’s only when it comes to parking that you’re reminded of its sheer dimensions. Worth being mindful of its height, too.
The Buzz’s performance came as much a surprise to me as it does to other road users, with an instant pick-up that gets you to national speed limits in no time. It’s not a car you’ll hoon, but that power can come in handy for a quick overtake, and even with all seats occupied it makes minimal difference to performance – just remember to pre-warn your passengers if you want to put your foot down.
I tried pushing the Buzz once or twice through a few corners, but it’s not an enjoyable experience – it feels heavy here and with lots of roll, not surprisingly. Settle the Buzz down and enjoy that incredible visibility, refinement and many admiring glances you receive. (N.B the Buzz attracts conversation like no other car I’ve ever driven – a stranger even paid for my parking).
Downsides? Well, unusually for something with a stretched wheelbase, the ride is worse than a standard Buzz. The best way to describe it is bouncy, not particularly soft, not especially harsh but the worst traits of each of those attributes. It’s by no means terrible, but it’s something passengers will pick up on.
What’s it like inside?
SO MUCH SPACE. This is a big car, but those dimensions have been put to good use. Normally if you want seven adults in anything outside of a minibus it will be a squeeze, but all seats can be occupied with room to spare. The second and third-row seats are all on rails, but even with the middle chairs as far back as they go, those in the back will still have more than enough room. It’s a properly useful family car for those with tall kids, and access to the rearmost seats is easy, too. It’s the most useful seven-seater I’ve ever tested.
Downsides? Well, it could be a bit more flexible with its space, especially the boot. It has a height-adjustable boot, but rather than having two height levels like on most cars, you have to unscrew it and remove the false floor entirely if you want the boot to sit flush with the sill. But then if you want a flat floor with the seats folded, you’ll need the false boot floor back in place. It’s a bit of a faff if you constantly swap between having the seats in use or folded. With the seats folded, there’s also a big gap between the second and third rows, meaning you’re likely to lose items between as they fall through.
The rest of the cabin is impressive, though. Even without the optional glass roof (not fitted to our test car), the interior is super bright and airy, aided by lots of light materials. How those white seats will stand up to family life I’m not convinced, but in a showroom at least they look fantastic.
The new 12.9-inch touchscreen is a big improvement, too. Granted it’s still annoying having anything on one screen, but now with real physical shortcut buttons, it’s a welcome improvement.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
Unless you really don’t want anything bigger than the standard ID.Buzz, you would be daft not to choose the LWB model as it costs just £500 more than the shorter car, and considering the extra seats and larger battery, it makes sense to choose it.
Whether you have the Buzz with six or seven seats will be down to personal preference, but given how useful it is with all of those chairs in use, we’d have it with seven seats without a second thought.
As for pricing, the Buzz isn’t cheap, starting from £59,935 for a Life model and £64,195 for the Style. Standard equipment is good for the price, however, with 19-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, a heated steering and a 360-degree camera system included as standard. We can see why you’d want to upgrade to the Style, however, for its electric boot, electric sliding doors (worth their weight in gold), Harman Kardon sound system and more stylish 20-inch alloy wheels.
Anything else? Well the two-tone paint is personally a must for me. It’s expensive at £2,790 but the Buzz was made to be fun and colourful and it works so well. As with all electric Volkswagens, a heat pump is an £1,000 option – all the more annoying considering it’s standard on some cars a third of the price.
The Buzz sits in an unusual position between conventional van-based MPVs and seven-seat SUVs, but we’d take a look at the Mercedes EQB and Kia EV9 if you want the latter bodystyle. Or if you like the idea of a van, the pricier Mercedes EQV is more of an upmarket electric people carrier though for a much more upmarket price, or a Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric if you’re on more of a budget.
Verdict
The long-wheelbase ID.Buzz is the car VW should have from the start. It’s perhaps the best seven-seater on the market if your top requirement is simply to carry as many passengers as possible with no shortage of space. The Buzz makes you feel good like few other cars I’ve ever driven and attracts a warm reception at a time when the roads seem to be a place filled anger. You get let out of junctions, people stop to ask you about it and you’ll smile every time you see it parked on your drive.
Yes, the average electric range means you probably won’t use it as a cross-continent holiday car like you might a Transporter – and the boot area could be more flexible – but this is a terrific large family car that does a better job of being an electric SUV than… well, most electric SUVs.
Specs are for VW ID.Buzz LWB Style 7 Seat