Join us as we examine Volkswagen’s ambitious transition from heritage to innovation with the all-electric ID Buzz. We explore the intricacies of this EV, from its diverse configurations to its hefty price tag. With candid insights into performance clashes and marketing strategies, our hosts deliver an honest assessment of whether this modernistic van measures up to its storied predecessor.
00:00:00 Introduction and Excitement about the Vehicle
And we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. That time of the week where we do a car review, and we’ve got a different one this week. And this one, Richard, I just want to preface in that I had a lot of actual excitement on this particular vehicle. I couldn’t wait to drive it once we had the availability. I was able to drive it even prior to you. And I say all that because, again, I had a lot of excitement in this particular vehicle, and we don’t rarely do this. Normally, I am, you know, a car aficionado. I look out for the car itself. I typically don’t do much in the way of negative things when it comes to cars itself. Um, I have to make an exception for this particular unit. I’m sorry. I don’t normally do that, but in this particular case, uh, this is a Volkswagen 2025 Volkswagen ID buzz. It’s the little old retro van, you know, like the old Vanagans used to be. It’s like the old bus that VW made for years and they redid it into a all EV. It’s available in rear wheel drive, all wheel drive, depending upon how you configure it has a range of about 230 miles total, uh, And I’ll just tell you, Richard, and I’m sorry to say this, I don’t normally say this often, but a huge miss on Volkswagen’s part. I’m sorry, just a huge miss.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, it was interesting, Dad, right? It was just an interesting vehicle. And well, let’s get into the details, right, folks? This is their, again, all-electric vehicle. It’s got seating for, well, I think six or seven, depending on how you configure it. It’s got lots of storage, depending on what you want to take in or out of it. It’s got a single, you know, it’s got rear-wheel drive model, Dad, or an all-wheel drive model. The range, right, because we are talking an EV, is right around the 230 miles mark, and we’ll talk about that more in just a second, right, Dad? There’s different trims. There’s the Pro-S, the Pro-S Plus. And then there’s the first edition. And then the other key, I’ll say, Dad, is folks that are, because you’ve seen some of these driving around, folks, there’s two-tone paint options. There’s wrapping options. There are some fun configurations that you can do on this vehicle. The one we had did not. It was a little bit more of the kind of plain Jane silver variety.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, as far as paint goes, plain Jane, but had pretty much every, I mean, just for reference, the car we drove was right around $70,000. They started at $60,000. So ours was really, was equipped very well.
SPEAKER 02 :
You are correct. It absolutely was. And it’s definitely, and the tech in it, I will say, was nice. It had massaging front seats. It worked really, really well as far as the performance of it goes in terms of the, which we’ve said on EVs, and folks, we will continue to say that if you haven’t driven an EV, we encourage you to go out and drive them because the performance on them, pretty much no matter what model you’re in of any of these vehicles, is just different, right? Because all of the power is there instantaneous. You don’t have anything to weigh for anything. That’s right. With saying that, Dad, I was able to fit some car seats in here, put some kids in it. Obviously, you didn’t do that as much. You obviously drove it around a little bit in a different manner. But, and there’s a big but in there, and we’ll just say it. My biggest thing with this vehicle, Dad, and I’ll just say it’s a Volkswagen, I want more range, right? For a vehicle as big as this, you’re 70 miles beneath the quote-unquote cutoff that a lot of people have for an EV, right, which is a 300-mile range. And I just wanted some more, to be honest with you, just because it felt like at the end of just everyday driving, I was at or below 50%, maybe it was my driving style, whatever it might be. And not that that’s a big thing if you’ve got a level 2 charger at home, Dan, but if you don’t, it may be a really big concern.
SPEAKER 01 :
I agree. And again, for those of you listening, my biggest issue with the car is, Richard’s correct, functionality, how it drove, all of that. And I don’t know, maybe it’s just the one that we had. I couldn’t get over the funky smell from the inside. I don’t know where that’s coming from and what’s going on. It could have just been the model that we had, but it definitely had this. In fact, every person that got in it said exactly the same thing. So it wasn’t just me and my sense of smell. It was across the board. Everybody that got in it talked about that. But as far as its functionality, it’s a little weird getting used to because the way the van is made, the windshield is like so far in front of you, you can’t even touch it. It’s literally an arm’s length plus distance function. you know from you so that it’s it’s weird once you get used to it not a big deal i agree with you richard the tech and all of that worked really well i had no issues along those lines and as far as actual fit finish how it drove all of that my biggest complaint with this car is it’s a niche vehicle which is what i think they planned on it being made for unfortunately though they missed the mark because not only is it not fitting the niche it’s way overpriced i’m sorry it’s just way overpriced for what you’re getting
SPEAKER 02 :
You are correct. Nope, you’re 100% correct, and that’s one of the things. And we’ll talk about price, right? Dad, this thing starts at, if you just get the Pro-S model, about $62,000. The first edition starts at $67,000. We priced one out, and we’ll get the Monronian, and we’ll update folks, Dad. We believe it was a little bit over $70,000. Yes, folks, you heard that correct. A little over $70,000 for a minivan. And I know that maybe, and Volkswagen, maybe you’ll correct us, and I apologize. Maybe it’s not quite a minivan, but in the way I view it.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s a minivan. Sorry, it’s a minivan. You’re marketing it to the same people that would buy some sort of a minivan-type vehicle. You know, multi-passengers. It works with the back hatch the same way a minivan does. The side doors slide back and forth. You know, you can do them remotely just like a minivan. I mean, at the end of the day, this is a super expensive EV minivan.
SPEAKER 02 :
You are correct. And it was a fascinating, well, I’ll just say it was an interesting experience to drive it, like you said, because knowing what else is out there, we’re not going to name specifics, but I was a little bit underwhelmed by the car. And like you said, Dad, you and I typically don’t get overly excited about a car.
SPEAKER 01 :
this one was right just from the lore that my wife my wife for one she always liked the old ones and she couldn’t wait to actually get in this and drive it and you know not drive a big you know ride in it have an experience in it and so on and and richard even she was disappointed yeah and i just kind of got and folks we’re just being honest i just kind of got that that feel right i got that
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, other people got it. Now, I will say this, Deb. One thing for you, Volkswagen. Even the plain Jane one, I got several compliments on how this vehicle looks. So you’ve done a good job at drawing eyeballs and getting people to look at it and it being an eyeball catcher. However, once you get into it, and that’s really what you and I obviously focus on, I just wish there was a little bit, I guess it just leaves a little bit to be desired in some of the different aspects of it.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yep. And with that, folks, again, you have to go drive one of these. If you’re somebody that used to have one of these types of vans back in the day, you are that niche market that they’re going after. You’re excited about it. All I can say is go drive it. You might have a different opinion of it than I do. And again, as far as the vehicle fit, functionality, all of that, no complaints. I just think that part of, and sales are off on this, by the way, and Volkswagen, hear me out on this, they’re off because you’re charging too much for what the average person in that market wants to pay for that type of a vehicle.
SPEAKER 02 :
I would 100% agree with you. But, again, Dan, as you said, sales are a little bit different in this one. However, I do think they’re starting to get more and more on the lots. And if you’re interested, right, maybe you want to go check this vehicle out. I think that you might have some luck on some Volkswagen dealership lots. We encourage you to do so and get your friends in it, get your family in it. And when you do that, let them know that John and Richard Rush from Drive Radio and Rush to Reason sent you.
