VOLKSWAGEN CREATES A BUZZ

Every now and then, a car manufacturer creates an icon. There’s the Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin DB5, Porsche 911, AC Cobra, Bugatti Type 35, Bentley Blower, Triumph Stag, MGB,…..you’ll probably have your own personal favourite.

But, as you can tell from that short list, car manufacturers are very fortunate to produce one icon. Most don’t produce any at all.

And then there’s Volkswagen.

Beetle, Camper, Type 3 (look it up), Golf (it kick-started the global love of hatchbacks),… and of course the original GTi which rates as the car that led to the phrase ‘hot hatch.’ You could even throw the original Dune Buggy into the mix because most of the oily bits came from a Volkswagen Beetle.

Unlike other manufacturers, Volkswagen don’t let their icons die. They update them.

The Beetle (don’t worry, it’ll be back), Golf and GTi are 21^st Century classics.

And now we have the latest Volkswagen Camper (Caravelle, Type 2, Microbus) which arguably rates as one of the most anticipated cars…..ever. It’s already achieved cult status.

The big difference is that the new Volkswagen version of the Camper / Type 2 / Caravelle is a very different creature.

It’s a battery driven, 100 per cent electric, rear wheel drive SUV. It’s also one of the funkiest vehicles you could ever want to drive and / or be seen in.

It’s the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

And you can test drive it now at your local Pulman Volkswagen dealership.

Book a test drive

The ID.Buzz is based on the ID.3 / ID.4 / ID.5. You’ll be seeing a lot of the platform which lies beneath these vehicles because Volkswagen will use it for various future models. So yes, the ID.Buzz is a 5-seat car, but the big advantage is that because of the shape, you have acres of space and the boot is absolutely enormous. In other words, it’s a retro take on the SUV.

If you like the idea of the ID3 hatch or ID.4 crossover or ID.5 coupé but would like a lot more room, then the ID Buzz is for you. And of course nothing else looks like it.

The ID.Buzz in SUV guise is currently available in just one version (you can also get a van) but more are in the pipeline.

And here’s the good news…..the ID.Buzz is wonderful to drive. The battery which is slung under the cabin, gives all of the ID range a very low centre of gravity. This helps with general road manners. The Buzz is one of the most refined cars we’ve driven.

Of course, there is always one nagging thought with any electric car……how far will it travel before the battery gives up the ghost?

Being realistic, the ID.Buzz with a decent load on board will be looking at something in the region of 210-230 miles. So, if you’re a family heading off on holiday, you’ll all probably need a break at some point so head for a service area…plug in the ID.Buzz…find the loos… and go for a coffee.

​Power (201bhp) goes to the rear wheels. You can expect a 0-60 time of around 10 seconds…top speed is 90mph. If you use a rapid charger, a 30 minute charge will add around 140 miles to your journey. You can expect Volkswagen to offer the option of a bigger battery in future models.

The interior is funky but not over-the-top. In terms of kit, there are currently two models available…Buzz Life and Buzz Style…and they’re both well-equipped. The fascia is much the same as the other ID models with a 5.3-inch screen in front of the driver and a 10-inch infotainment screen in the centre which controls just about everything including the satellite navigation. There’s a lot of glass around the cabin so no surprise that it’s quite heavily tinted (65%). Both trims get parking sensors all-round, LED headlights, climate control, DAB radio, voice activation, 7 USB ports, rear-view camera, heated front seats, heated windscreen, heated multi-function steering wheel and wireless charging for your phone. You get all of the essentials.

Buzz Style adds kit like bigger alloy wheels and a powered tailgate.

You can place an order for the ID.Buzz now with Pulman Volkswagen.

You’ll be the talk of the neighbourhood. The school run has never been such good fun.

Was the Volkswagen ID.Buzz worth the wait?

You bet.

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