U.S.-spec VW ID. Buzz Price, Features: Everything you need to know [Update]

Volkswagen is set to bring back the iconic VW bus to the U.S. market next year. The 21st-century version, known as the VW ID. Buzz, was introduced in 2022 and is now making its debut in America, starting with the launch event at Huntington Beach, a beloved surfers’ destination.

The VW ID. Buzz will be available in both six- and seven-seat configurations, offering flexibility for different passenger needs. It is expected to provide a range of up to 260 miles, making it a viable electric option for various travel purposes.

While the bus holds a nostalgic appeal for many Americans, the new version boasts a clean, futuristic design, being fully electric and equipped with modern comfort and convenience features.

Interestingly, the VW ID. Buzz will be imported from Germany, with no plans for U.S. production at the moment. The base configuration is anticipated to retail at over USD 60,000, offering customers a premium electric minivan option.

Moreover, Volkswagen has been investing in autonomous driving technology, making it likely that the VW ID. Buzz will come with advanced autonomous driving capabilities.

Overall, the return of the VW bus to the U.S. market brings an exciting and eco-friendly option for those seeking a spacious and iconic electric minivan.

Design

The VW ID. Buzz is a modern and daring interpretation of the classic VW Bulli, which was originally introduced as the VW T1 in 1950. While the designers have taken inspiration from the iconic past, they have created a futuristic and friendly character for the VW ID. Buzz.

Available in both normal wheelbase (NWB) and long-wheelbase (LWB) versions globally, the U.S. market is getting the LWB version, which debuted in 2022. The design of both versions is nearly identical, with a mix of curvy and sharp elements. Notable features include the signature V-shaped hood, a honeycomb-designed front bumper, charismatic IQ.Light LED matrix headlights, and distinctive squarish windows. True to its electric nature, the ID. Buzz incorporates short overhangs, aero wheels, and various LED light elements throughout, such as the end-to-end light strip at the rear.

One interesting detail exclusive to the U.S. version is the illuminated brand logo at the front, adding a touch of uniqueness. Additionally, the U.S.-spec ID. Buzz features an orange marker light and reflector integrated into the headlights, further distinguishing it from the Euro-spec models.

Overall, the VW ID. Buzz successfully combines modern design elements with a nod to its iconic heritage, offering a charismatic and forward-thinking electric minivan for adventures and journeys.

The VW ID. Buzz boasts a distinctive and appealing design on its sides. With headlights extending into the fenders and a four-part window area in true MPV-style, it exudes a unique character. The combination of chunky wheels, short overhangs, and a boxy body gives the MPV a stubby yet charming appearance. Notably, the LWB version is recognizable by the classic sliding windows, which are now fully powered, and the visibly longer power-sliding doors.

Volkswagen has planned to offer the ID. Buzz in the U.S. with 20-inch wheels. However, in the showcased images, the company has presented it with the striking 21-inch Bromberg wheels. These wheels, five inches larger in diameter compared to the 1950 T2 model, come wrapped in Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 ev tires sized 235/45 R21 for the front and 265/40 R21 for the rear.

Overall, the VW ID. Buzz stands out with its eye-catching sides and well-thought-out design elements, combining modernity and practicality in a charismatic manner.

Colors

The ID. Buzz will be available in no less than six colors in the U.S.:

• Cabana Blue
• Metro Silver
• Indium Grey
• Energetic Orange
• Pomelo Yellow
• Mahi Green

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Interior

The interior of the VW ID. Buzz LWB shares similarities with the VW ID.4, but it also incorporates some upgrades inspired by the ID.7. The cabin exudes an airy and light ambiance, embracing the Open Space theme, creating a lounge-like atmosphere. The design appears clean, simple, and modern, adding a touch of sophistication to this people mover. The overall impression is of an upmarket and comfortable interior, making it a delightful space for passengers to enjoy their journey.

Cockpit

The interior of the VW ID. Buzz LWB features a compact steering wheel with a flattened center cap and touch-sensitive controls. The driver’s side houses a control panel for light and vision functions, followed by a round AC vent, adding to the modern aesthetics. In the center of the dashboard, a floating 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes center stage, offering enhanced functionality and customization, akin to the ID.7 model.

The intuitive infotainment system provides easy access to the main menu through a new direct access function. Below the display, there are illuminated touch sliders for adjusting audio volume and temperature, giving the interior a sleek and high-tech feel. Moreover, the climate functions are now integrated into the bottom of the touchscreen, ensuring convenience for the driver and passengers.

Behind the steering wheel, there is a compact 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster, accompanied by a rocker switch for drive mode selection and parking brake activation. Additionally, the ID. Buzz LWB introduces a head-up display, providing vital information directly in the driver’s line of sight, a feature not present in the NWB version. These interior upgrades create a comfortable and tech-savvy space, enhancing the overall driving experience for passengers.

Seats

The ID. Buzz LWB boasts a significantly longer wheelbase compared to the NWB version, offering ample space to accommodate an extra row of seats. As standard, it comes with seven seats, featuring a bench in the second row. For enhanced comfort, customers have the option to upgrade to two captain’s chairs in the second row. The bench in the second row can be adjusted manually by up to 7.9 inches, and with a simple handle pull, the outboard seats can slide forward by 4 inches.

Both the second and third rows can be folded flat, providing flexibility to increase the cargo space as needed. Additionally, customers can remove the third row entirely for even more room. An optional Flexboard with two fabric storage bins helps create a flat floor when the seats are folded down, offering convenient storage options.

The interior of the ID. Buzz LWB is thoughtfully designed with various amenities. It features 12-way power driver and passenger seats equipped with dual armrests, ventilation, massage, and memory functions. The front seats and outboard second-row seats come with a heating function as standard. Moreover, the second-row seats can be reclined by 16º, ensuring a comfortable and relaxing journey for all occupants.

The vehicle also caters to the technological needs of passengers with eight USB-C ports spread throughout the cabin, a wireless smartphone charger, a 110V outlet under the passenger seat, and a 12V charging port in the cargo area. These features allow everyone to keep their portable electronic devices powered on the go.

Refreshing colors

The cabin of the ID. Buzz LWB offers a delightful and relaxing atmosphere, thanks to its vibrant and appealing color options. There are three interior color and trim choices available to suit different tastes and preferences.

The first option combines dark brown and black, featuring dark brown seats with white piping, blue door inserts, and a dash with a dark wood-look finish, complemented by black headliner and decor elements.

The second combination is light grey and clay, offering light grey leatherette seats with clay-colored piping, clay door inserts, a light wood-look dash, and light grey decor pieces, creating a soothing and elegant ambiance.

The last option is a mix of light brown leatherette seats with yellow piping, light grey door inserts, and a washed wood-look dash, combined with black elements, adding a touch of sophistication and style to the interior.

Adding to the inviting atmosphere, the ID. Buzz LWB comes equipped with 30-color ambient lighting, allowing passengers to choose from five preset moods or individually select specific areas for personalized lighting settings. The metal pedals in the vehicle feature pause (brake pedal) and play (accelerate pedal) symbols, a unique interior design characteristic found in VW ID. models, adding a playful and distinctive touch to the overall experience.

Buzz Box

The ID. Buzz comes with a versatile and convenient feature called the ‘Buzz Box,’ a detachable center console located between the front seats. Marketed as such in other regions, this removable console offers various functionalities to enhance the user experience.

The Buzz Box includes a practical drawer designed to hold a laptop or clipboard, as well as a cup holder and a flip-lid compartment for a water bottle. Additionally, it provides ample storage space with storage bins for keeping essential items organized during your journey. Notably, the Buzz Box also features an ice scraper and a bottle opener, making it a well-rounded and handy companion for various situations.

To release the center console, all it takes is a simple press of a button conveniently located at the rear of the storage compartment. The Euro-spec model has its center console fitted in the opposite direction, which means the button is at the rear by default. However, this doesn’t affect its functionality, as the center console is reversible, allowing for easy customization based on the preferences of the market it is destined for.

ID. Light

The ID. Buzz comes equipped with an innovative feature called ID. Light, an interactive light strip cleverly positioned below the windshield. This intelligent light strip serves as a visual alert system, providing intuitive signals for various functions and notifications.

For instance, when the driver needs to change lanes, ID. Light illuminates with a signal on the respective side (right or left), making lane changes more intuitive and safe. It also uses color-coded signals to indicate the presence of obstructions on either side of the vehicle. In critical situations, such as urgent braking requirements, the entire light strip lights up in red, clearly indicating to the driver that immediate action is needed.

Moreover, ID. Light enhances the interaction with the voice assistant of the infotainment system. It uses light pulses to convey that the voice assistant is actively listening, replicating a more human-like communication. Placed strategically in the driver’s field of vision, the light strip provides these visual cues in a subtle manner, ensuring that the driver’s attention remains focused on the road.

In summary, ID. Light utilizes different positions and colors to offer clear and intuitive visual alerts, enhancing both safety and user experience inside the ID. Buzz.

Panoramic sunroof

The ID. Buzz LWB boasts a stunning panoramic sunroof, setting a new benchmark for Volkswagen Group models. With impressive dimensions of 67.4 inches in length and 40.8 inches in width, this sunroof is the largest ever featured on any Volkswagen model. However, its size is not the only remarkable aspect of this glass panel.

The sunroof comes equipped with electronic dimming technology, providing occupants with the ability to effortlessly switch between clear and opaque states with just a simple swipe of a finger. This innovative feature allows for seamless control over the amount of natural light entering the cabin, enhancing the overall comfort and ambiance of the interior. The ID. Buzz LWB’s panoramic sunroof is a true delight, combining functionality with elegance and contributing to an even more enjoyable driving experience.

Autonomous driving

In the near future, fleet customers in the U.S. will have the opportunity to experience the cutting-edge technology of the ‘VW ID. Buzz AD’ specially designed for autonomous driving. Volkswagen Group of America has already begun testing the SAE L4 prototypes of this autonomous vehicle in Austin, Texas. Ten test mules equipped with advanced cameras, radar, and lidar technology sourced from Mobileye are currently undergoing rigorous testing.

Volkswagen Group of America has set its sights on launching the commercial version of the ID. Buzz AD in Austin by 2026. Following the initial launch, the company plans to expand the availability of this autonomous electric vehicle to more locations in the future. It has already confirmed its intention to conduct testing in at least four additional American cities. With this exciting development, Volkswagen is paving the way for a new era of autonomous driving that promises to transform the way we travel.

VW ID. Buzz Specifications

VW ID. Buzz Features

VW ID. Buzz Price & Release Date

The anticipated base price for the all-electric VW ID. Buzz is set to be over USD 60,000, but customers can find solace in the fact that the company is taking measures to prevent excessive mark-ups or additional fees. Pablo Di Si, President and CEO of Volkswagen of America, has made it clear that the company is committed to ensuring that customers pay only the official price (MSRP) without any mark-ups or price gouging from dealers.

The ID. Buzz is scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealerships in 2024, with expectations of a release in the third quarter, just in time for the next summer season. In the meantime, customers can explore the ID. Buzz online on Volkswagen’s U.S. consumer website and sign up to receive updates about the U.S. launch. With this approach, Volkswagen aims to make the buying process fair and transparent, offering an exciting and hassle-free experience for potential buyers.

Here is a table of the estimated starting prices of the 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz in all 50 states:

Production

The U.S.-spec VW ID. Buzz will be produced at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN)’s Hannover plant in Germany, alongside the global model. The Hannover facility underwent specific modifications to accommodate electric vehicle production, including the introduction of a new body shop and the addition of new sections to the assembly line for EV components.

In 2022, VWN received an overwhelming 26,600 orders for the ID. Buzz but was able to ship only 10,800 units. Unfortunately, by the end of the year, only 6,000 of these units reached customers. However, the company has ambitious plans for 2023, aiming to manufacture 44,000 units of the ID. Buzz to meet the high demand and deliver more of these exciting electric minivans to eager customers.

No U.S. production plans

In a 2022 interview with Automobilwoche, Carsten Intra, Chairman of the Board of Management at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, stated that there are no plans to manufacture the ID. Buzz in the U.S. While demand for the ID. Buzz is expected to increase in 2023, the annual production capacity at the Hannover plant cannot be raised to 130,000 units that year. However, Intra acknowledged that when production reaches that level in the future, it will likely be sufficient for the European market.

Regarding the U.S. market, Intra mentioned that there will be a surge in demand once the ID. Buzz is introduced in the country. At that point, the company will need to reassess the need for expanding production capacity. If increasing capacity in Hannover is not possible, the Volkswagen Poznań plant in Poland could be considered as an alternative manufacturing location. However, Intra emphasized that no other options are currently being considered.

In a subsequent interview in June 2023, Dr. Astrid Fontaine, Chief Human Resources Officer at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, firmly stated that the ID. Buzz, regardless of its form (NWB or LWB), will be exclusively produced in Hannover according to the site agreement. This confirms that there are no plans for production of the ID. Buzz in the U.S. or any other location outside of Hannover.

Significant customer interest recorded at U.S. dealerships

During a conference call with the media on March 21, 2022, Scott Keogh, the former President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, expressed that the response from U.S. dealers for the ID. Buzz was significant. According to Keogh, customers have already started inquiring about ID. Buzz reservations, with one dealer receiving as many as 75 reservation inquiries. He mentioned that if demand exceeds the production capacity in Hannover, Volkswagen could consider localizing production in the U.S.

In another interview with Yahoo Finance on the same day, Keogh emphasized that there is record-breaking demand for the ID. Buzz in the U.S. and Volkswagen needs to be prepared for an exceptionally high demand at launch. He believes that the ID. Buzz will be a “home run” for the German brand in the American market.

The classic VW Microbus has a rich history in American culture, known for bringing families and friends together and embodying a sense of freedom and adventure at an affordable price. From its appearances in iconic music and TV shows to being a part of pop culture references, the German van has held a special place in the hearts of many Americans over the years.