Volkswagen ID.Buzz LWB 7-Seater Review

At last.

After nearly two years since the Volkswagen ID.Buzz first made its debut here in Singapore at the 2023 motor show, countless appearances at various events and a slew of overseas drives, we've finally got our hands on an example here on local roads. Is it the charming people mover that we've always dreamed of?

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz stands at 1,924mm tall, delivering all seated within a commanding view out onto the road

Absolute charmer

This new ID.Buzz certainly has the looks to win fans over. Finished in this two-tone Candy White / Lime Yellow exterior colour combination and complete with that large Volkswagen logo at the front, all should have little trouble identifying this car as a successor of the iconic Volkswagen minibuses.

But look closer and there's also plenty of details that will please even fervent fans of the historic model. At the rear of the ID. Buzz, for example, rests three black strips - a nice nod to the cooling slats found on the earliest iterations of the Volkswagen Bus.

There's a handy strap to assist those climbing up into the second row of the ID.Buzz, and the two seated at either end of the second row can utilise tray tables to eat while on the move

Pleasant accommodation

Step within and you'll find plenty to love about this new ID.Buzz as well. All passengers in this 'LWB 7-seater' variant are well accommodated when it comes to space, and all three rows will have access to air-conditioning vents as well as USB ports.

And it always feels light and airy in here thanks to the car's massive panoramic roof (the largest yet seen in a Volkswagen), alongside the cabin's abundant use of light-coloured materials.

Look around and you'll spot plenty of Easter eggs littered throughout the ID.Buzz

Family-minded individuals will also be pleased to note that the second row of seats don't require too much strength to fold and tilt forward. Set as so, they surrender plenty of space for easy access into the third row. Don't expect your young ones to be able to do all this themselves, however, as these seats sit quite tall off the ground.

There's also plenty of cubby storage spaces throughout this cabin, although these are all modestly sized, so those fond of bringing along their 1.5-litre bottles on road trips will need to keep them in the boot.

Still, the ID.Buzz counters on the practicality front with a nifty little 'Buzz Box' removable centre console, so you can trade storage space for the ability to shift over into the second row without exiting the vehicle.

The Multiflex board gives you a flat loading space at the rear and handily raises the boot floor for easier loading and unloading of heavy items

An easy drive

Take the driver's seat and the ID.Buzz will still reward.

You get excellent outward visibility alongside a seating position that is so tall you sit at nearly eye level with other public bus (and Buzz) drivers here. Further enhancing just how easy it is to drive this thing is its total output of 210kW (282bhp), which is enough to see it making effortless getaways from the lights. And the car is a treat to steer as well - its slab sidedness and boxy shape make it easy to place on the road despite its considerable 4,962mm total length.

Having said all this, those who prefer to drive without regenerative braking will find they need to deliver a mighty stomp on its brake pedal to bring all of the ID.Buzz's 2,815kg weight to a quick stop. The ride quality here is also just about passable. It's pliant enough but could do better with isolating passengers from ruts from poor surfaces.

Over the course of three days I managed to rack an average energy consumption of 5.2km/kWh in the ID.Buzz - impressive given its considerable weight. All these were, however, for the most part lonely drives, so expect to do worse if you've got the whole family on tow.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz just oozes irresistible charm

Worth the wait?

Interested? This long wheelbase seven-seater ID.Buzz can be yours from $343,900, which is steep next to the slew of Chinese electric MPVs we have seen arrive on our shores recently. But consider this: You are purchasing what will be an iconic product from a well-established brand.

And if this price is a little hard to swallow and you don't need to ferry seven, there's also the option to get the 'NWB 5-Seater' variant of the ID. Buzz, which comes with a slightly smaller battery (79kWh against the LWB 7-seater's 86kWh battery), but still gets that irresistible exterior and comes in at a more sensible $318,900 (all prices as of 27 November 2024).

I suspect, however, those already set on motoring about in this revived icon already know what they want and won't settle for anything less. If you're already charmed by this motoring icon, consider this: Volkswagen took an age to bring this car here. Are you going to do the same when it comes to making your own dreams come true?

Looking for an electric MPV for the family? There's also these options to think about:

The Maxus MIFA 7 offers no-frills electric motoring for the family

The Denza D9 is well-equipped and comes with a competent drivetrain

There's also the BYD M6 with its practical and roomy interior to consider