We got a close-up look at the Volkswagen ID.Buzz — see inside VW's nostalgic electric minivan

April 16, 2022

We got a close-up look at the Volkswagen ID.Buzz — see inside VW's nostalgic electric minivan

Volkswagen recently unveiled the ID.Buzz, its electric minivan coming to the US in 2024.
It's a modern, electric version of VW's iconic hippie bus.
We saw the ID.Buzz up close and toured its many funky features.

Last month, Volkswagen took the wraps off of the ID.Buzz, a new all-electric take on its iconic Microbus.

VW showed off the ID.Buzz this week at the New York International Auto Show, where we got up close and personal with the funky van.

The ID.Buzz takes the basic design of Volkswagen's hippie van and updates it for the electric era. All in all, it makes minivans cool again.

The van has faux vents in the same spot as the original model's real ones.

Its front wheels are pushed far forward and its rear wheels are pushed all the way back, affording lots of interior space. This is the European ID.Buzz. The US version will be longer and add a third row.

And a tall roof and boxy shape means there's plenty of room inside for people and stuff. At 6 foot 1, I fit in the back seat with tons of headroom to spare.

Modern touches include a horizontal light bar that spans the rear of the van.

There's a diamond pattern on the front of the ID.Buzz that's carried throughout the interior.

Like lots of electric vehicles, the ID.Buzz gets special wheels meant to boost aerodynamics and help with range.

Inside, the ID.Buzz feels super open and features fun pops of color that match its paint job.

It seems like a place kids would really get a kick out of. And there are copious crannies and USB-C ports for sticking small items and charging devices.

If you ride in the back seat, you get a tray table and a handy cellphone pouch above it.

The ID.Buzz brings plenty of utility to front-seat passengers as well. There's a nook above the glovebox that would be perfect for a wallet, glasses, or other small items.

There's a spot by the steering wheel that's meant for charging phones.

The ID.Buzz gets the same screen setup as Volkswagen's ID.4 SUV, consisting of a small display for the driver and a larger touchscreen for things like the radio.

The driver sits nice and high, and it seems like there would be good visibility thanks to the van's big windows and short hood.

The driver and and front passenger also get armrests, an underrated comfort feature that should come in more vehicles.

One quirk: The center console is removable. VW says it's because some customers said they'd want to shuffle to the back seat from the driver's seat.

Two dividers in the center console double as an ice scraper and a bottle opener.

As you might expect, the ID.Buzz offers no shortage of cargo space, particularly when you collapse the rear seats. An optional feature brings the loading floor up to the same level as the folded seats, enabling owners to lay down an air mattress.

The hatch is high enough to stand under, which could be great for camping or tailgating.

Volkswagen also packed the ID.Buzz full of little quirks and Easter eggs that add no benefit besides being fun and cute.

Look closely, and you'll see little ID.Buzz renditions all over the place. Here's one embossed into an armrest.

Here's another on the rear window.

When it's raining, the rear wiper reveals a little umbrella.

Here's a little smiley face I found.

And the accelerator and brake look like play and pause buttons.

If you're a fan of all this cuteness and you live in the US, you'll have to wait a while. Commercial and passenger ID.Buzz models go on sale in Europe later this year, but it only hits US shores in 2024.