Meet the VW ID. Buzz 2023: It’s certainly not the hippie bus you remember
It’s been more than 20 years since Volkswagen first promised a reincarnation of the “OG” #vanlife vehicle – that iconic flower-power VW hippie bus. Now, the new, all-electric North American VW ID. Buzz is just a year away from appearing like an apparition from the ’60s on America’s streets again.
The “ID” stands for “intelligent design,” while the “buzz” is a nod toward the new all-electric powered bus.
But this time, it’s less hippie than hipster. More soccer mom than counterculture.
Some purists are already poo-pooing the rounded edges, futuristic feel, and smoothed-out, silky suspension. They miss the old half-bicycle-tire-sized steering wheel and ride that feels like you’re about to get bucked off a horse. They worry that the peace, love, and happiness idealism of the old VW Type 2 busses will get lost to a new sort of ‘smart this, connected that’ sense of next-gen misguided materialism.
The rumored $45,000-$55,000-plus expected price tag already rules out the humble masses.
Still, tens of thousands of people have already put deposits down for the new ID. Buzz without ever seeing one firsthand.
Here's what you need to know:
When can I buy ID. Buzz in USA?
The ID. Buzz is expected to hit the streets in the United States in June 2024.
What it’s like behind the wheel of the new ID. Buzz
If you’ve seen a reporter taking a spin in one, it’s the European version, which is slower, smaller, and a bit less flashy than the American-spec VW ID. Buzz.
So, I got to sit, recline, walk around in, play with controls – but not drive – the ID. Buzz over two days in Huntington Beach, California, in early June.
Can you use the ID. Buzz as a camper?
The American version is nearly a foot longer than the European one, with three rows of seats. You can fold down the rear two rows for extra cargo room or take the back row out completely.
The ID. Buzz is just over 16 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and 6.2 feet tall. It’s roomy enough for seven people − or fewer folks and more stuff. It’s not a camper − but my husband, dog, and I could sleep in it comfortably with the seats removed − and we expect to see people converting them the minute they hit the U.S. market.
What colors will the new VW bus come in?
People often laugh at me when I start an auto review with its color, but in this case, everyone else does too. “What I love most about the ID. Buzz is the awesome color palette,” VW product manager Jeffery Lear says with a grin. (I feel so vindicated!)
The head-turning colors with names like “Cabana Blue” and “Energetic Orange” are flower-power-bold throwbacks to the rigs’ colorful past, with a nod to its 21st-century makeover.
What makes the ID. Buzz worth the wait – maybe
There are electric sliding windows that open back to front, rather than up and down, in the middle of both side-sliding doors that are fun to play with.
But, it’s when you get behind the wheel that you start to feel like this bus might have been worth the wait, and all the purists can pound salt, so to speak.
When you slide in behind the retro-inspired wood-optic dash, two screens light up − the smaller 5.3-inch just beyond the steering wheel − and a larger 12.9-inch “infotainment” command center in the middle.
The larger screen is both touch and voice-activated and has all kinds of little next-gen magic tricks people like me − who want comfort over fancy car specs − appreciate the most. This includes automatically adjusting seat temperatures (even the passenger seats) and changing the 30-color option interior “mood-lighting,” along with all the music, apps, phone connectivity, and everything else you expect a cutting-edge new EV to do.
Will the ID. Buzz have a sunroof?
Yes, and it's worth talking about. The panoramic glass sunroof takes up nearly the entire roof of the ID. Buzz and has Electrochromic tinting, so one swipe of your finger instantly turns the glass opaque, Lear explained.
You can automatically change the shade degree of the sunroof tint three different ways, which not only looks super cool but can help you cool off when the sun’s beating down on your or let a lot more light in when it’s shady.
How much is ID. Buzz going to sell for?
VW has not released the price or the battery range. But Lear offered a hint: It'll be a "little bit more" than the smaller ID.4, which tops out around $51,000 for the Pro S plus trim model, he said.
What is the battery range of the ID. Buzz 2023?
Lear was not specific, but with a beefy 91 kWh battery, the ID. Buzz should be able to exceed the Euro version's 260 miles on a full charge, with a 282-horsepower electric motor in the rear adding plenty of get-up-and-go.
ID.Buzz 2023: Not quite road trip ready
Sure, I’ll probably pony up for a fast charger at home someday, but this VW Microbus screams “road trip,” and we’re just not there yet. (My brother-in-law just did his first Raleigh, North Carolina, to Washington D.C. trip in his new Mustang EV and said he was nervous the entire time.) Also, going from just a few minutes to refuel to sitting for 30 minutes will take a big shift in the way we think.
Does the US have enough charging stations for electric cars?
I would love to buy a Cabana Blue VW ID. Buzz when it rolls off the lots next year. But I likely won’t because of the price (unless I win the lottery) and the fact that I live on an island in the Pacific Northwest, and there’s a serious shortage of fast-charging options here.
Proponents of EVs are quick to point out that there are plenty of places to get a quick and full charge, but they often use examples in and around major metropolitan cities.
Tesla superchargers for GM EVs: Drivers to gain access to fast-charging network in 2024
The rest of us are dealing with some serious “charger insecurity,” and that’s not something to scoff at. Hopefully, that’s changing, but I’m not taking off for Montana or any of those middle-of-nowhere-beautiful places in Utah in an EV − not one I could afford anyway − yet. (Colleagues of ours have driven the $138,000 EV that can go 1,000 miles on a single charge. Again, that’s not realistic for most of us.)
Will people buy it?
I don’t think VW will have any trouble selling the ID. Buzz in the United States, especially if Randall Richards and his family are any indications.
Their excitement reminds me of earlier years of Apple’s smartphone releases when people lined up around several blocks and camped out overnight to be among the very first people in the world to own the newest iPhone.
The 65-year-old and his son, Reid, camped overnight in their two vintage VW Westfalia’s to be first in line at the reveal event. And both have put down $200 deposits on the 2025 ID. Buzz.
“There’s still that sense of utility and freedom,” Reid says. “It looks very solid, and it’s also much larger than I thought it was going to be. It looks great."
For them, the ID. Buzz is as much about the culture as the actual vehicle. That might be its best feature yet.
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech columnist and on-air correspondent.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
Contact her at JJ@Techish.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet the VW ID. Buzz: It's not the hippie bus you remember
