Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo electric van review (2024)

• Smooth, swift and car-like to drive
• Barely any noise on the move
• Excellent turning circle for a large vehicle

If you’re going to buy a VW ID.Buzz then you will be doing so for two major reasons – how it looks and how it drives.

This van is based on the same MEB platform that you get under the likes of the VW Golf and Cupra Born etc and it really shows. The short story is that this feels like an enlarged version of this family of vehicles, which is not really a huge surprise when you think about it.

Smooth, grown-up driving

This means that the ID.Buzz behaves in a very mature and controlled manner on the road. Our initial drive was on the beautifully manicured and maintained roads around Copenhagen and Malmo, which meant we struggled to find much in the way of poor road surfaces. We managed to subject it to a few extreme urban speed bumps, but these were tackled without a great degree of nose nodding, even with an empty loading bay.

What was particularly noteworthy is the noise, or lack of it. Initially there appears to be a degree of wind and road noise, but this is due in part to the lack of sound from the rest of the vehicle while it’s on the move.

There is barely any unwarranted noise from the motor, beyond what is there to alert others to its presence. Of more note, though - the cabin and body are very well screwed together and insulated, which means there isn’t the rattling and creaking that you have had with some of the electric van conversions we have seen so far.

Urban orientated driving dimensions

Although the ID.Buzz Cargo is a big vehicle – it is as long as a long-wheelbase Citroen Berlingo – its shape and design mean that it is relatively easy to drive in tighter spots around town.

The windscreen reaches almost all the way to the front of the vehicle, meaning you get a good indication of where the front corners are even without resorting to the parking sensors. The large front three-quarter window helps you see out at junctions too.

There is also an incredibly impressive turning circle – at 11.1m it means you should be able to spin around in a spot that is smaller than a van this size should manage.

On paper, the 204hp motor and 310Nm of torque puts the ID.Buzz Cargo right up there with the most powerful of vans, but it keeps its powder dry somewhat on the road. There is occasionally a little jerkiness when you put your foot down initially, but otherwise it doesn’t have the relentless surge of speed that an electric motor can provide – no bad thing for your cargo though.

• Smart cabin layout
• Not as stylish as the passenger version
• Low roof makes it tight on space and storage

The ID.Buzz Cargo gets a cabin that isn’t as stylish as the outside of the van. This is probably for the best, as the materials and design are geared a bit more towards practicality rather than out-and-out style in the manner of the passenger version.

The dash features straight lines, hard plastics and little in the way of colour. The only thing we really missed compared with the passenger version was the padding on the door armrest, though.

What is the space like in the VW ID.Buzz Cargo’s cabin

There are several decent storage locations in the VW ID.Buzz Cargo’s cabin, with big pockets low down in the door, smaller ones higher up and a huge open-top area on the top of the dash the main highlights. The latter has small dividers to keep things from rolling around but nothing to keep items out of sight.

There is also an open slot with a grippy rubber mat in it, sitting just above the only lockable area – a glove box. Two-seater models can have a deep and moveable central console, but this is the only major design change versus the three-seater version.

Thankfully, because the ID.Buzz Cargo has been designed as an EV from the start the central passenger has a decent amount of legroom, relatively speaking. The overall cabin is fairly narrow, though, so getting three across the front should be viewed as more of an occasional thing rather than a daily solution.

The huge windscreen, which is situated a long way from the seats, brings a lot of light into the cabin, but the overall feeling of space is hampered slightly by the low roof. It makes you feel a little hemmed in, and there isn’t enough height to offer any overhead storage.

VW technology abound

The infotainment and steering-wheel buttons are all carried over from VW’s passenger car models, which is not great news for those who are critics of the latest setup. The screen is clear but not the quickest to respond and takes a lot of practice to get comfortable with the various shortcuts and menus.

The lack of physical buttons for things like the climate control is particularly infuriating, especially for those who are jumping in and out of the cabin in colder months and might be wearing gloves.

You don’t get the App Connect system on the entry level model, which is a shame given you are talking about a van that is pushing £40,000 before VAT.

• Expensive to buy
• Strong range
• Price includes first three services

The VW ID.Buzz Cargo’s fancy styling comes at a hefty price, but you get a fair amount included to sweeten the deal.

VW ID.Buzz Cargo servicing

The ID.Buzz Cargo’s punchy purchase price is offset slightly by the fact that you get the first three services and the first MOT all included, which will help the cost of running for the initial owner (or two) at least.

The service intervals are every 24 months, with no mileage restrictions in that time.

VW ID.Buzz Cargo warranty

The warranty for the ID.Buzz Cargo is fairly standard – you get three years and 100,000-miles of cover. The battery gets an eight-year / 100,000 policy though.

Three years is standard for the industry, but falls short of the best in class – Toyota’s vans offer up to 10 years of warranty.

VW ID.Buzz Cargo standard equipment

There are two models of ID.Buzz Cargo to start off with – Commerce and Commerce Plus. To go some way towards justifying the high purchase price they both come relatively well equipped,  with the following highlights included:

Commerce

• Cloth seat upholstery
• Heated driver’s seat with height adjustment
• LED lighting in the load compartment
• Rubber flooring in cabin
• Dual passenger bench seat
• Steering wheel controls
• App Connect with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 10-inch colour touchscreen
• Four USB-C ports
• Climate control
• Two side sliding doors
• Side-hinged solid rear doors
• Cruise control
• Black bumpers
• LEAD headlights
• Black steel wheels
• Fixed bulkhead
• Wooden floor covering in loadbay
• Type 2 charging cable with 11Kw charging ability

Commerce Plus

• Leatherette steering wheel
• Discover Pro navigation system
• Heated windscreen
• Powered and heated door mirrors
• Adaptive cruise control
• Park Assist Plus system
• Rear-view camera
• Surround lighting with logo
• Body coloured bumpers
• 19-inch alloy wheels

Customers who choose to finance their ID.Buzz Cargo will also get a free Ohme Home Pro wallbox charger.

The VW ID.Buzz is a brand new model, but the technology has featured in several other Volkswagen Group vehicles. That said, it is not that long established yet and there have been a few teething problems, particularly around the infotainment systems.

• Decent safety equipment offering
• Most as standard including lots of airbags
• Active and reactive safety kit included too

There is a good amount of safety kit on the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, with many more airbags than you usually see on a commercial vehicle. There is one each for the driver and passenger to go with the side and curtain airbags on both sides. Although there is no Isofix point on any of the seats, there is also an airbag off switch on the passenger side too.

The good thing is that VW doesn’t charge for all this – it all comes as standard on the entry-level Commerce, while Commerce Plus adds a few extra elements, including adaptive cruise, keyless locking and start, aide assist. It also brings several driver assist systems, including lane assist and emergency assist.

None are too intrusive, thankfully, so you are less likely to be reaching into the menus to switch them off.