Volkswagen ID. Buzz review - Interior & comfort

Despite its tall and boxy shape, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is surprisingly refined behind the wheel. The curved front end means there isn’t a huge amount of wind noise, and while the suspension setup is relatively firm, it doesn’t cause too much disturbance in the cabin beyond the largest of potholes.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz dashboard

Despite being renowned for producing solidly-built cars, Volkswagen’s ID. lineup has, until now, been shipped with rather lacklustre interiors. The ID. Buzz and Volkswagen ID.7 buck this trend, however, with cabin materials of much higher quality than VW’s earlier ID electric cars.

The switch from combustion engines to electric power is all about sustainability and Volkswagen has focused on this goal in the interior of the ID. Buzz; the seats are constructed using a material that is made from 10% collected ocean plastic and 90% recycled plastic bottles.

The overall design of the cabin is incredibly minimalist and full of nifty touches such as a removable centre console, dubbed the ‘Buzz Box’, and an optional three-pin plug under the front passenger seat.

36

Sitting on top of the dashboard is now a 12.9-inch touchscreen replacing the old 10-inch system, which comes as standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. This is bolstered by a small five-inch digital instrument cluster and is, unfortunately, rather frustrating to use. Volkswagen’s latest operating system has had its fair share of bugs and glitches, while the screen itself can be very laggy to respond. 

Another issue we have is with the climate controls which sit underneath the central screen. These are touch-sensitive sliders and can be much more difficult to use when on the go than a traditional knob or dial. To add insult to injury, just like in the new Mk8 Volkswagen Golf, these controls aren’t illuminated either, making them even more of a pain to operate in the dark. This is gradually changing, however, with the ID. Buzz LWB and GTX being the first versions coming with a new screen and illuminated slider bars as part of a round of small upgrades.

Trim levels & equipment

Buyers can configure their new ID. Buzz in one of three distinct specifications: Life, Style and GTX. Starting at around £47,000, the entry-level ID. Buzz Life model has all the equipment the majority of buyers will ever need such as LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, the aforementioned infotainment system, 60:40 split folding rear seats, keyless start, a reversing camera and a host of safety and driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking. As of 2024 a powered tailgate and electronically sliding rear doors are also standard.

For around an extra £4,000, the top-of-the-range Style trim boasts larger 20-inch wheels, Matrix LED headlights, stainless steel pedals, two-tone upholstery and other additions. The GTX model brings unique sporty styling, larger 21-inch ‘Townsville’ alloys and upholstery with red accents as well as the dual-motor performance upgrades. It will also be offered with an exclusive Cherry Red paint colour, which can also be specified as a two-tone finish beneath Mono Silver paintwork to really make it pop.