Vans aren't particularly famous for their sporty handling, so it's fascinating to see how the European-spec VW ID. Buzz handles the moose test and a slalom. The retro-inspired EV performs pretty well in the evaluations.
This is the short-wheelbase ID. Buzz with a single, rear-mounted electric motor that makes 201 horsepower. It rides on Continental EcoContant 6 tires.
Gallery: Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB (2023)
The van goes through the slalom first in this video. The reviewer notes the body roll and slow steering ratio. It clocks a time of 25.7 seconds, which easily tops the 26.5-second figure for a VW Multivan 1.4 eHybrid. The ID. Buzz also beats a Land Rover Range Rover Sport P510e Autobiography that goes through the cones in 26.1 seconds.
The moose test is more challenging. The first attempt is at 47 miles per hour (76 kilometers per hour, but the ID. Buzz hits cones in the second and third sections. The van is eventually able to find success with a 44-mph (71 kph) entrance speed, and this comes with lots of intervention from the electronic stability control. An attempt at 50 mph (81 kph) is a complete failure by not being able to drive into the third portion of the course.
The ID. Buzz is coming to the United States with room for up to seven passengers. To make room for them, the wheelbase is 9.8 inches longer than the version in this test. Buyers can get a massive 16.1-square-foot panoramic sunroof.
The North American ID. Buzz is available with 82-kilowatt-hour (77 kWh usable) and 91-kWh (85 kWh usable) battery packs. A rear-mounted motor makes 282 hp and 413 pound-feet. Reaching 62 miles per hour takes 7.9 seconds, and the top speed is 100 mph.
The GTX will join the range in 2024 with all-wheel drive, 335 hp, and a 6.4-second 0-62-mph time.
VW already confirmed plans to offer a camper variant of the ID. Buzz sometime after 2025. No details are available about it yet, and there's no info about bringing this RV to the United States.
