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Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro Electric LWB First Drive Review
17 Aug 2024|8,471 views
What We Like
Happy-go-lucky disposition
Ample space to be had
Airy and uplifting ambience thanks to large sunroof and colour scheme
Holds its own surprisingly well
Good range on a full charge
What We Dislike
It won't be affordable, no thanks to COE prices
Getting an opportunity to drive a special car is hard to come by. I've had the privilege of experiencing some of the juiciest cars, but they aren't necessarily special in my book. When I say special, it's not about being fast or expensive - rather it's more about how distinctive the car makes you feel when you're piloting it.
For instance, there's the small but sizzling Toyota GR Yaris - now that's quite special. There's also the iconic Land Rover Defender and even the Volkswagen up! - a compact hatchback with an exclamation mark on its nameplate that's unfortunately not available in Singapore.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro is a lovely car to look at and drive indeed
And it seems Volkswagen isn't stomping on its brakes when it comes to producing cars that are somewhat special.
Cue the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro, a retro recreation all-electric seven-seater van that got its naming inspired by the enchanting Volkswagen Type 2 'bus'. The 'Pro' moniker is a new variant of the ID. Buzz vehicle that comes with a host of upgrades that make it much more sensible to drive and own.
The second row bench is easily knocked down to allow easy ingress and egress to third row seats
That doesn't mean the Buzz wasn't appealing at all to begin with. It's still that charming, carefree and cool sort of vehicle that you will never feel ashamed to be seen in. Now, the Pro offers two different wheelbases with two different battery sizes - normal wheelbase (NWB) with a 79kWh battery pack and the long wheelbase (LWB) with an 86kWh battery pack that's being tested here.
With the Pro LWB that you see on this very page, the ID. Buzz will be configured with seven lovely seats that match the exterior colour. So, it's best experienced with a pastel colour instead of a dark one. Chosen correctly, like the cheerful two-tone pastel yellow and white on our test car, the cabin becomes an extremely refreshing and uplifting place to be in.
Couple this with a larger-than-life sunroof that can transform from nearly clear to an opaque state via a touch slider, as well as huge windows all around, and what you get is a light-hearted and airy ambience that no other car can match.
The cabin colour matches that of its exterior
What about performance and driving?
Impressively, the upgrades do not end there. The ID. Buzz Pro sends a healthy dose of 281bhp and 560Nm of twisting force to the rear, which is about a substantial 40% increase compared to before.
These figures help to propel the voguish Volkswagen to the 100km/h mark from nought in a rather swift 7.9 seconds, which should come as no surprise since it's an EV. Indeed, it's no sports car, but it does hold its own very well around switchbacks. What does come as a pleasant surprise, however, is how well-insulated and refined the ID. Buzz goes about its business.
The Pro in its long wheelbase guise completes the century sprint in 7.9 seconds
You get a clear, panoramic view out from the driver's seat, a place where everything is just simple and straightforward to operate. And it's nowhere near demanding and daunting as how some vans can be. You literally get in, depress the brake pedal, toggle to 'D' and you're good to go.
And once you're on the road, the Buzz just takes all the tarmac imperfections in its stride, sending minimum vibrations to the cabin only over badly broken surfaces. It's undoubtedly polished, this van, with the sort of stability and sophistication that can outdo some of the MPVs in the market.
Flexible seating arrangement is the name of the game with the VW ID. Buzz
Slightly less sophisticated but no less glorious has to be the cabin. In here, comfort and space take the lead. Well-cushioned yet stylish seats make it a very relaxing place over longer journeys, with plenty of space for passengers to stretch out in all three rows, even taller ones.
With all seven seats in place, you get slightly over 300 litres of boot space. Knock the third row down and you're faced with a generous 1,340 litres. Fold both second and third row benches down flat and you can easily convert the space into your very own touring bedroom.
Singapore can expect this car to arrive some time in September
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro is arguably the most interesting and compelling all-electric vehicle in the market right now. Sure, there are many other faster and better driving ones out there, but none quite as special and distinctive as the Buzz.
The different variants of the ID. Buzz Pro are expected to arrive in Singapore in September this year.
What We Like
Happy-go-lucky disposition
Ample space to be had
Airy and uplifting ambience thanks to large sunroof and colour scheme
Holds its own surprisingly well
Good range on a full charge
What We Dislike
It won't be affordable, no thanks to COE prices
Getting an opportunity to drive a special car is hard to come by. I've had the privilege of experiencing some of the juiciest cars, but they aren't necessarily special in my book. When I say special, it's not about being fast or expensive - rather it's more about how distinctive the car makes you feel when you're piloting it.
For instance, there's the small but sizzling Toyota GR Yaris - now that's quite special. There's also the iconic Land Rover Defender and even the Volkswagen up! - a compact hatchback with an exclamation mark on its nameplate that's unfortunately not available in Singapore.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro is a lovely car to look at and drive indeed
And it seems Volkswagen isn't stomping on its brakes when it comes to producing cars that are somewhat special.
Cue the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro, a retro recreation all-electric seven-seater van that got its naming inspired by the enchanting Volkswagen Type 2 'bus'. The 'Pro' moniker is a new variant of the ID. Buzz vehicle that comes with a host of upgrades that make it much more sensible to drive and own.
The second row bench is easily knocked down to allow easy ingress and egress to third row seats
That doesn't mean the Buzz wasn't appealing at all to begin with. It's still that charming, carefree and cool sort of vehicle that you will never feel ashamed to be seen in. Now, the Pro offers two different wheelbases with two different battery sizes - normal wheelbase (NWB) with a 79kWh battery pack and the long wheelbase (LWB) with an 86kWh battery pack that's being tested here.
With the Pro LWB that you see on this very page, the ID. Buzz will be configured with seven lovely seats that match the exterior colour. So, it's best experienced with a pastel colour instead of a dark one. Chosen correctly, like the cheerful two-tone pastel yellow and white on our test car, the cabin becomes an extremely refreshing and uplifting place to be in.
Couple this with a larger-than-life sunroof that can transform from nearly clear to an opaque state via a touch slider, as well as huge windows all around, and what you get is a light-hearted and airy ambience that no other car can match.
The cabin colour matches that of its exterior
What about performance and driving?
Impressively, the upgrades do not end there. The ID. Buzz Pro sends a healthy dose of 281bhp and 560Nm of twisting force to the rear, which is about a substantial 40% increase compared to before.
These figures help to propel the voguish Volkswagen to the 100km/h mark from nought in a rather swift 7.9 seconds, which should come as no surprise since it's an EV. Indeed, it's no sports car, but it does hold its own very well around switchbacks. What does come as a pleasant surprise, however, is how well-insulated and refined the ID. Buzz goes about its business.
The Pro in its long wheelbase guise completes the century sprint in 7.9 seconds
You get a clear, panoramic view out from the driver's seat, a place where everything is just simple and straightforward to operate. And it's nowhere near demanding and daunting as how some vans can be. You literally get in, depress the brake pedal, toggle to 'D' and you're good to go.
And once you're on the road, the Buzz just takes all the tarmac imperfections in its stride, sending minimum vibrations to the cabin only over badly broken surfaces. It's undoubtedly polished, this van, with the sort of stability and sophistication that can outdo some of the MPVs in the market.
Flexible seating arrangement is the name of the game with the VW ID. Buzz
Slightly less sophisticated but no less glorious has to be the cabin. In here, comfort and space take the lead. Well-cushioned yet stylish seats make it a very relaxing place over longer journeys, with plenty of space for passengers to stretch out in all three rows, even taller ones.
With all seven seats in place, you get slightly over 300 litres of boot space. Knock the third row down and you're faced with a generous 1,340 litres. Fold both second and third row benches down flat and you can easily convert the space into your very own touring bedroom.
Singapore can expect this car to arrive some time in September
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro is arguably the most interesting and compelling all-electric vehicle in the market right now. Sure, there are many other faster and better driving ones out there, but none quite as special and distinctive as the Buzz.
The different variants of the ID. Buzz Pro are expected to arrive in Singapore in September this year.
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- The Inside
- Driving It
- Space
- It Is Coming Soon
