There is nothing wrong with the way the VW ID Buzz looks. It’s a shame about the rest of it, though.
Where to start?
Well, how about with how it looks? What’s wrong with that is the looks deceive. The ID Buzz is styled to look like an old VW Microbus, also known (affectionately) as the Hippie Bus. But in every other way, it is nothing like the old Microbus. In fact, it is the antithesis of everything the old Microbus was – and represented.
The ID Buzz is massively heavy, three tons empty. The Microbus was light, about 2,500 lbs. – and don’t forget, it was a small bus that could carry six or more hippies. Yet it weighed about 300 pounds less than a current Honda Civic, which is a compact-sized sedan that seats five. The ID Buzz weighs nearly as much as a current-year 2500 series truck. 
The Microbus was powered by a simple, air-cooled four cylinder engine that was basically the same engine that powered Beetles of the era. It was Hippie Serviceable. A famous manual – How to Keep Your VW Alive For the Compleat Idiot – was a best-seller back in the ’70s because there were so many Beetles and Beetle spin-offs such as the Microbus on the roads back then, which there were because they were cheap and simple to keep. The Microbus did not have AC but it did have wing vent windows that opened so you could cool off that way. The ID Buzz has fixed-glass windows that don’t open so you have to use the AC, which saps the already limited range of its electric powertrain.
An early ’70s Microbus stickered for about what it weighed – which was round 2,500 lbs. – which amounts to about $21,000 in today’s dollars. The base price of the ’25 ID Buzz is about $60,0000. It costs more to insure a new ID Buzz than it cost to buy a used Bus back in the ’70s.
All of this is a shame – because it could have been something better. Imagine if the ID Buzz were more like the Microbus in the meaningful ways – as opposed to just the visuals . Imagine if instead of an expensive, massively heavy electric powertrain, the ID Buzz were powered by one of VW’s superb TDI diesel engines. The 2.0 liter TDI diesel that was available in VWs such as the Jetta through the 2015 model year was larger and much stronger than the 1.6 liter air-cooled, gas-burning four that powered the early ’70s Microbus. The latter produced 65 horsepower, which is why it took the Microbus nearly 60 seconds to get to 60 (and why there was no AC; the engine lacked the reserve power to turn the compressor and the additional load would cause the overtaxed engine to overheat).
The 2.0 liter TDI engine made 150 horsepower – nearly three times as much – and also 236 ft.-lbs. of torque. In the 3,241 lb. Jetta, this engine delivered 31 MPG in city driving and 46 on the highway. It could have delivered the same in a Microbus that weighed about the same, which it could have given the absence of 2,000 pounds of deadweight battery pack and motors not being there.
If it the ID Buzz were diesel-rather-than-electric powered, it would also have been able to go more than 600 highway miles on a tank of fuel and it would not have required its owner to hope there was fuel when the tank eventually ran low or made him wait at least half an hour to get some. The owner of a TDI-powered ID Buzz – which VW could have named Microbus II instead of something that sounds like the latest sativa-variant gummy at the medical marijuana joint – would also be able to use the AC (and heat) as much as he liked because no worries about not making it to where he was going due to the accessories using up too much charge.
Finally, our could-have-been Microbus II would be affordable – because it would not be priced out of reach by an all-electric powertrain. When the Jetta TDI was last available, it listed for $21,640. Even if that MSRP were to be doubled (to take account of inflation and the bus being a larger vehicle) it would still come out just over $40,000 – which is about what a new Toyota Sienna minivan lists for.
Would a $40,000 ID Buzz sell? A better question to ask – the one VW arguably ought to have asked itself – is whether a $60,000 ID Buzz will sell. A few will, certainly. But probably not enough to make it worth having put it out there. On the other hand, a Microbus II that not only looked like the old Microbus but was better in just about every way – including the working heat and standard AC plus 600 miles of highway driving range – that cost about the same as a typical well-equipped new crossover that looks like everything else?
VW probably wouldn’t be able to build them fast enough to keep up with demand.
Instead, VW gave in to government demands (and lies) regarding the now-verboten TDI diesel engines and embraced the EV tar baby, which could very well spend the end for VW since you can’t stay in business very long selling what most people can’t afford and the rest don’t want.
. . .
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What could have been seems to be the state of the car market lately.
The update here in commie NS is three buzzes still on the wokewagan lot. Have to keep charging them in summer(climate Change ) weather. So they are always being moved around. So any prospective buyer should be asking not about the mileage, but the number of charges it has suffered. Any fool who would offer 60000 for one of these duds needs their head examined.
If it had a TDI, it would be choked by exhaust filters, EGR, DEF fluid, unreliability… etc. All the benefits of diesel (longevity, reliability, cheap operation, and high mpg) have been destroyed by regulations.
That’s true, Ben –
All of that needs to be “thrown in the woods.” A TDI diesel made circa 2013 was and is “environmentally” innocuous. Indeed, it can be argued that its 30 percent efficiency advantage far outweighs whatever trivial “emissions” it produces. Diesels are under attack solely because they are efficient and affordable.
I don’t even see any resemblance to the real bus, other than a two-tone paint job. It reminds me more of one of those awful Chevy Lumina “Dustbuster” vans of the early 90’s. I love how they’re going to “save the planet” (as if it needs saving) by driving vehicles that weigh three times more than their equivalents of 40 years ago.
A
Stop doing math that’s racist, don’t you know. It’s all about the spin and everything else needs to be tossed down the memory hole.
The first time I saw one of these things in person I thought “what an idiotic rip-off of a VW Bus!” I don’t know what it is with EVs, (and this goes beyond Volkswagen), why do they all have to be so damned ugly? It’s quite easy to spot them at a glance because most of them are so putrid looking. Makes me wonder if the people who buy and drive these things wonder why people might stare at their ride. If only they knew that most of the looks are from people thinking “Ewww…what the hell is that ugly piece of crap?”!
What a total piece of shit.
“There is nothing wrong with the way the VW ID Buzz looks.”
Actually, the looks are just as bad as the function.
Save the buyer $7,000 in repairs from the first time someone backs into it.
PUT BUMPERS ON THE DAMNED THING.
Then lose the UGLY 25 inch wheels and put on some less expensive, light-weight 15 inch wheels and much less expensive tires that are just as functional.
And, yes, by all means, trash the stupid electric crap and put in an efficient, clean diesel engine that saves a fortune in fuel and weight.
Yeah, what made vw great was well engineered, inexpensive, high quality cars. I do like the looks, but bumpers would help a lot.
VW should change their name to “Reichenwagen”, or “rich people’s car”. Seriously, though, I feel absolutely NO remorse for any company/business/establishment that’s willing to kick us to the curb, over some elitist agenda. There’s no way in hell these manufacturers are THAT stupid and naive, to not notice the end goal: the elimination of private transportation (for us), and ultimately, the elimination of FREE MOVEMENT (again, for us).
I’m not above thinking they are just that stupid.
VW is like any other company run by fucking boomers. I go to a few music festivals every year. It wasn’t that long ago that they followed the normal arc started by the hippies. You buy a ticket, show up and camp. It was affordable and fun and you saw a lot of young people.
Then the boomers started retiring in mass quantities and began showing up, reliving their lost Woodstock youth. The old pickups and Subarus carrying tents has been replaced with very expensive RVs, rocking camp chairs and $600 tickets to see retread bands.
That generation ruins EVERYTHING.
What should been ruined was your fathers balls x number of years ago. Blaming a whole generation on your inadequate talents is childish. STFU
It’s always someone’s fault …. just not yours.
Don’t hate us for our freedoms. 🙂
Doh! This was meant for Brosi, below.
If it the ID Buzz were diesel-rather-than-electric powered, it would also have been able to go more than 600 highway miles on a tank of fuel…
If 600 miles of range wasn’t enough, you could easily tie a couple of jerry cans with fuel to the roof rack too. Perhaps there’s a way to rig a house sized Anker or Ecoflow battery “generator” to the roof but you better make sure there’s enough support for all that weight.
What can be manufactured to an automobile with an engine and automotive know-how applied, the modern Microbus would sell in far greater numbers than battery-powered almost useless EVs.
A complete waste of resources, a complete waste of generated electricity, a total waste of brainpower used to build an electric vehicle doomed to fail.
In the first three months of 2025, 1901 Buzzes were sold, that is what a search says, anywho.
Less than 8,000 in one year’s time.
60,000×8000=480,000,000 dollars
What other words are required?
It will be nothing but the buyer’s remorse in the future.
8000 in one quarter at 40,000 dollars each, engine included, a total sales number is 320,000,000 dollars.
Times four, 1,440,000,000 USD for Volkswagen if they would build and sell Microbuses with engines.
You’ll be manufacturing 24,000 more of them, it’ll be in the bag, orders will be instantaneous.
VW can offer loans to buy one and make money on the loan, a little bit more still won’t be enough.
Another lazy, hazy, crazy day of summer, the weather is fine.
The Buzz is targeted at idiot greens worldwide and idiot boomer ex-hippies who now support the Jewish genocide of Gaza.
VW also makes the Multivan which up to last year came with a manual transmission and was available with the 2.0 TDI diesel with which it could easily do better than 30mpg. After getting black balled by the communist US government and the US auto industry VW wisely decided that the big 3 would throw conniption fits if they offered it to US shitizens. It was also offered in several models with a pop-top roof with 2 beds. Here is the older model
https://www.mycalifornia.eu/california-ocean/
here is the newer, apparently only available with double clutch automatic:
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60719528/new-volkswagen-california-revealed/
Up until the deliberate devaluation of money during the Covid hysteria, a VW California could have been available in the US probably starting in the mid $30K range.
In Europe older T5 and T6 4wd California’s are very popular with younger sporty couples who lift them, put 33″ offroad tires and snorkels on them.
Too bad America is such a “free” country, otherwise they might be able to purchase quality products available to the rest of the planet.
Yep. America is indeed, a “free” country. As in, free to pillage!
Dang, Brosi, those look interesting. Still too plastic and electronic but better. I wonder if they’re available in S America?
Another cool van available in Europe with a very efficient diesel is the Mercedes Marco Polo. The body sits lower between the wheels and it is more like a car. It is available with wide array of efficient 2.0L diesels getting up to well over 200HP. No manual transmissions though.
https://www.motor1.com/news/725050/2025-mercedes-benz-marco-polo/
Russia used to be a very large market for BMW, Mercedes and VW utility vehicles and SUV’s. But Germany and their Jew controlled puppet leaders allowed Germany to be dragged into the civil war in Ukraine that the US started on behalf of Israel and the Jews.
As Germany slides further into depression due to the US sabotage of their source of cheap energy (Nordstream) the variety and quality of selection of these vehicles will slowly disappear.