​Thankfully, the doubters were wrong. In the metal, the ID. Buzz is glorious. Yes, there are some elements that have been compromised to ensure compliance with crash regulations. But the final production car is impressively close to the concept, and you can even have it in the cheerful, bright colours and two-tone paint of the classic VW camper (also fondly known as the ‘VW bus’, so even the ‘Buzz’ name is a nod to its ancestor) that is unmistakably the chief design influence, here.

Sales of the ID. Buzz eventually started in the UK in 2022, with both a five-seater and a van version on offer. A long-wheelbase, seven-seater version will also join the range, and you can read more about that here. That means that it’s got to compete with everything from the BMW iX3 and Mercedes EQB, through to the Kia EV9 Air, although there is no other electric, lifestyle-focussed family-van that does quite the same thing as the Buzz – it's all SUVs, if you want electric power and a big, useful family wagon. 

Naturally, a VW ID. Buzz California camper van is also planned, but it’s likely to be a few years away. 

Anyway, back to the basics of the ID. Buzz, which is based on the same foundations as all Volkswagen Group ID models. Known as the MEB platform, this is effectively a giant skateboard with the battery pack in the middle. As you’d expect, the Buzz has a longer wheelbase (2,989mm vs 2,771mm) than the VW ID.4, and it has a much higher roofline, meaning that the Buzz feels much bigger than its SUV stablemate inside. The floor is also much higher in the Buzz and features a small step up into the cabin, which you’ll have to get used to.

The rear of the Buzz has sliding doors on both sides, which makes for super-easy access in tight parking spaces, while the vast, single-piece bootlid also reveals a huge boot aperture -  although the size of that bootlid is such that you need quite a bit of space behind the Buzz to open it fully. 

In terms of boot space, the ID. Buzz offers an incredible 1,121 litres of space with the rear seats in position. Fold the second row down and that figure rises to 2,205 litres – comfortably more than any rival models can muster. What’s more, the rear seats fold to give a completely flat load area – or a 2.2-metre, makeshift bed, if you fancy a bit of spontaneous van-sleeping. 

The comfort and perceived quality up front is great, in the Buzz, with the huge glass area and high-set position making for a really lovely driving position that’s just peachy for long drives. It’s a shame that the touchscreen system can be a pain to get used to, and is sometimes a bit slow to respond, but the usability is usefully improved over the notoriously glitchy software that featured in early Volkswagen ID models.

As for the range, the ID. Buzz launches with a single 77kWh battery model (a bigger battery will come with the long-wheelbase models), which powers a 201bhp motor that drives the back wheels. That’s good for a range of 258 miles, according to the boffins that do the government-legislated WLTP efficiency tests. We say that you’ll get more like 210 miles in the real world, or that might drop to as little as 150 miles in winter on a motorway run. 

So it’s a good thing that the Buzz gets good DC rapid charging speeds of up to 170kW, which can deliver a top-up from 10-80% in around 30 minutes provided you’ve hooked up to a powerful enough rapid charger. 

For anyone used to hearing about the brutal acceleration often offered in premium electric cars, the Buzz’s 10.2 second 0-62mph time makes it sound like something of a pudding. However, in reality, the acceleration from rest is lively and there’s a useful shove of torque if you need to make any overtaking manoeuvres. You’ll most likely be pleasantly surprised by how rapid and agile the ID. Buzz feels, while ride comfort is very good, too. This is a fabulous car to tour in, if you can live with the fairly frequent charge stops.  

Verdict

We love the ID. Buzz. Sure, it’s not cheap, but it’s way more versatile and practical than those comparably priced SUVs – even the Kia EV9, which comes closest, isn’t anywhere near as roomy overall and is more expensive even for its cheapest variant.

It is a shame that VW couldn’t squeeze a bit more range out of the ID. Buzz, as this is the sort of family car that you will want to use all of the time, especially on longer family trips where the comfort, refinement and spaciousness becomes a huge bonus. Even so, with decent charging speeds, a vast interior and the sort of ‘want one’ factor that no SUV comes remotely close to, the ID. Buzz is definitely the coolest, and is also one of the best electric family vehicles on sale.