The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is getting the GTX treatment.
Hot on the heels of the recently announced ID.3 GTX and ID.7 GTX, this souped-up battery-powered people carrier comes with all-wheel drive for the first time, courtesy of a dual-motor system, charging speeds of up to 200 kilowatts, and a maximum towing capacity of almost 4,000 pounds.
The new ID. Buzz GTX will be available in Europe with two wheelbase options, just like the regular versions, but unlike the bog standard modern Bulli, the GTX comes with two new batteries that are larger than those available on the non-GTX models.
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VW launches its third GTX model in less than a month
The new Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX is the latest performance-oriented EV shown to the world by the German automaker after the ID.3 GTX and ID.7 GTX.
The new, hotter electric minivan is the most powerful ID. Buzz to date thanks to its dual-motor setup that makes 335 horsepower.
The standard-wheelbase ID. Buzz GTX packs a 79-kilowatt-hour (net) battery, while the long-wheelbase is powered by an 86-kWh battery. The smaller unit can accept up to 185 kW from a compatible DC charger and the larger pack can be recharged at up to 200 kW. By comparison, the non-GTX ID. Buzz can be fitted with either a 77-kWh pack or an 85-kWh unit and the maximum charging speed is 200 kW.
Volkswagen doesn’t say how much range these new batteries can enable in the hot Buzz, but it did mention that no matter the pack, it can accelerate from zero to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in an estimated 6.5 seconds, while the top speed is limited at 99 mph (160 kph)
Power-wise, the new ID. Buzz GTX gets the same dual-motor setup as the recently unveiled ID.7 GTX. This means an APP550 permanent magnet synchronous motor that makes 210 kW (281 hp) at the rear and an AKA150 asynchronous motor that puts out 80 kW (107 hp) on the front axle. The total power output is rated at 250 kW (335 hp), making the hot minivan the most powerful ID. Buzz to date, with 40 kW (53 hp) more than the rear-wheel drive trims.
It’s also worth noting that the front electric motor is disengaged most of the time; it only kicks in when the traction control system detects wheel slip at the rear, which happens “within fractions of a second,” according to the German carmaker.
Gallery: Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX (2024)
The towing capacity has been improved compared to the lesser models by up to 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds). The short Buzz GTX can tow up to 3,527 lbs, while the extended EV can pull up to 3,968 lbs.
Just like the regular ID. Buzz, the GTX can be had in either five- or six-seat configurations when getting the standard-wheelbase version, while the long-wheelbase model adds the option of a seven-seat layout. The cargo volumes also remain the same, with the five-seat SWB ID. Buzz GTX capable of carrying 1,121 liters (39.5 cubic feet) of stuff in the back with the rear seats in place, while the seven-seat LWB model can accommodate up to 306 l (10.8 cu ft) of cargo behind the third row.
Design-wise, the hot zero-emissions minivan comes with all the usual bells and whistles that we’ve come to expect from a GTX-branded EV. These include a redesigned front end with a new front bumper, black honeycomb grille, triangular-shaped LED daytime running lights, a bunch of plastic bits painted in high-gloss black, several GTX logos, and a new set of 19-inch alloy wheels.
The body of the ID. Buzz GTX is painted as standard in Cherry red, but Volkswagen will also offer si more solid color options, as well as five dual-tone paint finishes.
Inside, the EV features a black headliner–the only ID. Buzz to do so–GTX-specific seat designs, red cross-stitching on the steering wheel, and a few GTX badges here and there. It also comes with VW’s latest hardware and software for the infotainment system, which means the ID. Buzz GTX has a 12.9-inch touchscreen on the center console that’s a little bit easier to use than the previous iteration found on older ID models.
Furthermore, the "IDA" virtual voice assistant integrates with the internet-famous artificial intelligence bot known as ChatGPT to answer questions more naturally by using basically the whole internet as its source of information.
The souped-up electric people mover can be optionally specced with the biggest panoramic sunroof ever fitted on a Volkswagen. It integrates a liquid crystal film that can make the glass transparent or opaque at the flick of a switch.
On the safety side of things, the ID. Buzz GTX is fitted with an exit warning system that can warn and even briefly prevent a door from opening if it detects that a vehicle or bicycle approaches from behind. Travel Assist, which includes Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Emergency Assist is available on the GTX, and VW says it’s now more responsive and smoother than ever.
Volkswagen will start taking orders for the new ID. Buzz GTX in the European Union this summer, with deliveries slated for the second half of the year. In the United States, the hot Buzz feels unlikely to make an appearance, seeing how the performance sub-brand has so far been a European-only affair.
That said, the U.S. will get the LWB rear-wheel drive ID. Buzz toward the end of the year, and maybe–just maybe–an all-wheel drive version will make its way stateside sooner rather than later.
