TESTED: REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ TAKES THE SLOW ROAD
Much as we espouse the virtues of minivans—unbeatable passenger space! more practical cargo hauling than a pickup truck! SUV-topping efficiency!—most buyers approach them unenthusiastically, if at all. The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is different.
Other minivans don't get unsolicited "I like your van!" comments from strangers or thumbs-up from pedestrians in the crosswalk. Nor in our experience have passing runners and dog walkers paused to grab a photo of other minivans we've had parked in the driveway.
With its modern reinterpretation of VW's iconic Microbus style, the head-turning ID.Buzz looks different from other minivans. It's especially eye-catching in our test example's festive and flattering Candy White over Mahi Green, one of several two-tone liveries available at a cost of $995. (Single-hue colorways also are available for the determinedly boring.)
The Buzz, of course, is also different in that it's electric, whereas other minivans are gas powered (or gas-electric hybrids). We had previously driven and tested the ID.Buzz in its dual-motor, 4Motion configuration. Now we're doing the same with the version that has a single motor, which powers the rear wheels exclusively. We were curious about how this powertrain would alter the ID.Buzz experience. We were also eager for another turn behind the wheel.
Range Unchanged
Typically with electric vehicles, a lower-horsepower single-motor variant will have significantly better range than its more powerful dual-motor sibling. That's not the case here, though—which is particularly unfortunate, since the range on the dual-motor ID.Buzz is pretty marginal to begin with.
Effectively, the single-motor Buzz doesn't travel farther with a full load of electrons than its dual-motor counterpart. The EPA doesn't see much difference between them, estimating 234 miles for the single-motor ID.Buzz and 231 miles for the dual-motor version. Our 75-mph highway range test was also essentially a tossup between the two, with a 180-mile result for the single-motor Buzz and 190 for the dual-motor. (Keep in mind that we round down to the nearest 10-mile increment.)
Recharging, at least, is pretty speedy. We saw a max rate of 204 kW and averaged 137 kW while charging the 86.0-kWh battery from 10 to 90 percent, which almost exactly matched the average for our long-term Kia EV9. The recharge takes 33 minutes, by the way.
What's Your Hurry, Man?
"Pretty speedy" is not how we'd describe the single-motor ID.Buzz's acceleration, however. Taking 6.7 seconds to reach 60 mph, the 282-hp rear-wheel-drive Buzz is 1.2 seconds behind its 335-hp dual-motor sibling—putting it that much closer to the congenitally unhurried original Bus. Likewise, the quarter-mile here stretches to 15.3 seconds at 90 mph versus 14.2 at 97 mph.
Even so, the 235-pound-lighter single-motor Buzz doesn't feel particularly languid in the way of its soporific ancestor, and its other test-track numbers slightly better those of its dual-motor counterpart. Skidpad grip is 0.83 g (versus 0.80), and the 70-mph stopping distance is 165 feet (down from 174 feet). Brake feel is not bad until you get to the final few feet before a stop, which can be challenging to execute smoothly. In Comfort mode, there's no lift-off regen; Sport adds a little. Shifting from D to B adds more.
Inside Out
As in the dual-motor Buzz, the predominant impression from behind the wheel is the incredible visibility. The windshield is huge and wraps around, and the A-pillars are commendably thin. The cowl is ultra low, and the forward part of the dash falls away out of view, mitigating the impression that you're looking out over a vast dashboard.
Turn your gaze to your surroundings, and take in the best-looking Volkswagen interior since the Phaeton. This cabin recalls the days of the Mk 4 Golf and the B5-generation Passat, when VW was known for its class-leading interiors—it would be swell if the ID.Buzz ushers in a return to that ideal. The aesthetic here though is different and sort of IKEA-ish, with the Dune interior's light colors amplifying the feeling of spaciousness. The color and materials choices also effectively disguise the hard surfaces. Though stowage areas and USB-C ports abound, we were surprised at the lack of cupholders in the second row (particularly since VW stuffs a total of 17 cupholders into the Atlas).
The infotainment system endeared itself by quickly connecting to first one and then another passenger's iPhones and seamlessly streaming music. Nice. We also can't fault the layout and appearance of the central screen, but we still absolutely hate VW's touch-slider volume control. And if you're using the native satellite-radio tuner, attempting to swipe past more than a handful of stations at once will cause the screen to lock and display a message that reads: "Please focus on driving. Interactions temporarily paused for safety." That's like having a steering wheel that locks as soon as you turn it because the rim is made of barbed wire.
The Buzz's second row is spacious, and the third row is adequate. Unlike other minivans, the VW's rearmost seats do not fold away into the floor. In both rows, the seatbacks merely fold flat onto the seat bottoms. The third-row seats can be removed, but it's a hassle. There's a raised subfloor behind the third row to create a level load floor, below which are removable fabric bins.
Your reward for embracing minimalism by means of the single propulsion motor is $4500 saved. That may be enough to flesh out your wardrobe of tie-dyes, but it's not a whole lot in the context of a van that starts at $61,545 for the Pro S, a price that rises to $65,045 for the Pro S Plus and $68,040 for the First Edition (only the upper two trim levels can be optioned with the second motor). So, while a slower pace may be considered part of the classic-Bus ethos that the ID.Buzz so charmingly updates, we'd say the single-motor version really doesn't pay much dividend beyond the up-front cost savings.
