The Volkswagen ID Buzz is a masterclass in how to squander a decade and still deliver a dud. VW’s been teasing this electric Microbus reboot since 2010, parading concept after concept like a desperate band milking reunion tour hype. Fast-forward to 2024, and the ID Buzz finally stumbles into showrooms, a full 14 years later. Spoiler: It was doomed from the jump, and VW’s recent production halt proves it’s crashing harder than their Dieselgate PR.
Let’s start with the timeline. VW unveiled the Bulli concept in 2010, promising a retro-futuristic van to capture hearts and wallets. They kept dangling shiny prototypes—2011, 2016, 2017—like a carrot on a stick, each one hyped as the next big thing. Meanwhile, the EV market evolved, Tesla dominated, and VW was still stuck in the design studio, overthinking a van that should’ve been a slam dunk. By the time it launched in 2024, the Buzz was already late to a party where competitors like the Rivian R1S and Kia EV9 had stolen the spotlight. Building anticipation is one thing; making customers wait through Obama’s second term to Biden’s lame-duck year is malpractice.
The product itself? A letdown that proves VW learned nothing in 14 years. The ID Buzz looks like a Microbus that got lost at a Botox clinic—retro in theory but bloated and awkward up close. Its 200-horsepower base motor is underwhelming, barely managing a 260-mile range that shrinks to under 200 in real-world conditions. For $60,000-plus, you get a sluggish, overpriced box with an interior that screams “budget Tesla knockoff.” Touchscreen-heavy controls, cheap plastics, and cargo space that loses to minivans half the price—VW bet on nostalgia over substance, and it shows.
Now, the death knell: VW’s halting production at its Hanover plant for a week starting October 20, 2025, citing “weak demand” and “market challenges.” They built a factory for 130,000 units annually but sold a pathetic 35,000 in 2023.Blaming holidays or competition is a weak excuse when your van’s been outdated since its first sketch. The Buzz was doomed by VW’s indecision, a bloated price tag, and a market that moved on while they daydreamed about Woodstock. It’s not a comeback; it’s a cautionary tale of how to waste a legacy.
We have been poking at the Buzz since the hype train was still chugging in the mid-2010s. Our coverage kicked off around 2017-2018 with concept teases, but the real skepticism ramped up as production delays dragged on. For instance, by late 2023 (well before the 2024 U.S. launch), we ran pieces questioning VW's engineering chops, like one titled "With A $60,000 Starting Price, Is The VW ID Buzz PROOF The BIGGEST Lie We’ve Ever Been Fed In The Car Business Is That The Germans Are The BEST Engineers?" That was a brutal jab at the ballooning price tag and specs, implying it was overpromised vaporware from the get-go. Then, in early 2024—months before deliveries hit roads—we dropped "NAME A MORE DISAPPOINTING Looking New Vehicle ON-ROAD Than The VW ID BUZZ. BET YOU CAN'T!" calling out the production model's bloated, underwhelming real-world vibe compared to the sexy concepts. And don't forget their 2023 scoop on pricing hitting $75K for top trims, which they framed as "off the hook" in the worst way, signaling a disconnect with buyers.
Here's one recent article to savor...
Credit where due: We smelled the buzzkill coming before the others. AS USUAL.
If you want to have some fun go watch some YouTube reviewers fawn over this dud. VERY entertaining.
Here's one real beauty...