Volkswagen ID. Buzz Panel Van (2022 - ) Electric review

At first glance the ID. Buzz Cargo looks equivalent in size to the familiar Transporter. However, it’s actually based on passenger car foundations shared with the ID.3 and ID.4 so carrying capacity is compromised compared with purely van-derived vehicles. To put numbers against that although the wheelbase is about the same as a Transporter 6.1 and it can carry two Euro pallets the load space is over 300mm shorter, 131mm lower and the tailgate (and therefore load aperture) is much smaller. The 3.9sq m internal space is a lot tighter than a Transporter as well, while the disappointing 695kg payload is less than a lot of smaller rivals. Indeed, the longer versions of more compact alternatives like the Nissan Townstar EV, Renault Kangoo E-Tech and Vauxhall Combo-e can all carry a lot more stuff and the suspicion the ID.Buzz prioritises style over content never quite goes away.

The ID.Buzz Cargo swaps the two-tone pastel shades and fancier trimmings of the passenger car version for more functional black plastics and fabrics but still feels substantially better quality than most van-based rivals, while the digital instruments and big central screen look suitably high-tech. It’s also very practical, with plenty of dash-top storage and a nifty ‘Buzz Box’ central cubby if you choose the two-seat option. Other than the looks if there’s one place the ID.Buzz feels worth the extra money over its rivals it’s here in the cab.

If your work schedule doesn’t accommodate stopping for charging all the time the official range of just over 250 miles will be very appealing, the efficiency we got in our (admittedly unladen) ID.Buzz test vehicle suggesting that figure should be pretty much achievable as well. In real-world terms that’s going to be at least 50 miles further between charging stops than aforementioned rivals like the Townstar EV and on a par with all-electric versions of the next-generation Transit Custom. This also means you’ll be able to do most of your charging overnight, minimising downtime and, if you’re smart, using much cheaper off-peak electricity. This will be especially appealing for owner-operators who bring their vans home each night and can charge on their driveway. Whether that’s enough to compensate for the burly starting price is another matter – at the time of writing government grants help take the edge off that but have been scrapped for passenger cars and, given the direction of travel, may go the same way on vans. On the flipside the promotional benefits of the Buzz’s cool looks, exemption from the London Congestion Charge and other benefits may well see a return on the investment for the right buyer.

While the ID. Buzz is a new vehicle the architecture beneath it is used across a host of passenger cars from VW, Audi, Cupra and Skoda. While we obviously don’t have specific information on the ID. Buzz itself experience of those cars suggests the electric powertrain is reliable, though there have been some wobbles with the touch-screen driven system that controls everything from navigation to heating and ventilation. VW has adopted an over-the-air update system that can hopefully fix bugs that occur without time off the road in the workshop but we’ll have to see how that plays out.

The electric platform under the ID. Buzz is modular, meaning VW will be able to vary the combinations of battery sizes and power outputs it offers. Other batteries and power outputs may become available but, to start with, all models get the same 77kWh battery and rear-mounted 204 horsepower motor. This matches the burly BiTDi diesel engine in top-spec Transporters and comprehensively out-guns the likes of the Vivaro-e, Proace, e-Dispatch and e-Expert. It can’t match the diesel’s torque output but still performs impressively, with instant response to the throttle and that effortlessly smooth power delivery electric vans always have.

Even as standard the Buzz runs 18-inch steel wheels, with 19-inch or even 20-inch options if you choose the fancy alloys. You see plenty of Transporters running big rims so this isn’t as crazy as it sounds in VW van circles, but this ratio of wheel to rubber sounds like it could really compromise ride quality. Thankfully it doesn’t, the Buzz’s overall comfort and refinement definitely a significant step up from most commercial rivals while the standard bulkhead insulates you from the booming and echoes you get in many vans. The silent electric motor is obviously very refined, while its instant response helps you keep relaxed and stress-free at the wheel. Passenger car refinement helps here, and long days at the wheel will be no fuss in the Buzz. Meanwhile, the rear-mounted motor means VW has been able to deliver an amazingly tight turning circle of just over 11 metres as well, which makes parking and manoeuvring in tight spots an absolute cinch.

Above average driver assistance tech is another advantage of being based on passenger car foundations, the ID.Buzz including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection as standard along with a driver drowsiness alert system and a switchable cruise control/speed limiter. Front, side and curtain airbags are also included, as are front and rear parking sensors. Go up a trim level to Commerce Plus and you get even more, with automatic distance sensing for the cruise control, a rear view camera, lane-keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring and even a system to ‘record’ tricky parking manoeuvres so you can reverse onto your driveway hands-free at the end of a long working day! Through an online subscription the connected Car2X system can deliver local hazard alerts and crowdsourced travel info that can feed into the navigation (where fitted) and keep you on schedule and out of trouble.

The ID.Buzz is a high-tech vehicle, and much of your interaction with it comes via the 10-inch central touch-screen, which looks very fancy for a van. As standard it includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you want to navigate with your apps, DAB to keep you entertained and preparation for subscription WeConnect support services. A heated, height-adjustable driver’s seat is standard, as are steering wheel controls for phone, entertainment and cruise control, two sliding cargo doors, power adjustable mirrors, a ply-lined floor in the back and more. Commerce Plus gets the factory navigation system, body-coloured bumpers and alloy wheels but if you want the signature two-tone paintwork to make your Buzz really stand out that’s another £1,500 plus VAT you need to factor in.

For many businesses a van is as much a rolling advertising hoarding as it is means of transporting goods or equipment, and the ID. Buzz will turn heads wherever you go. You can expect it to be a talking point with customers as well, and this will be very appealing for businesses wanting to promote a socially responsible image. Whether this offsets the high cost and relatively limited payload will depend on your priorities, and if you just want to get the job done there are more affordable alternatives. If you want to make a statement about going electric, though, the ID. Buzz is in a class of its own.