2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX review

Volkswagen’s ‘electric Kombi’ breaks the mould in delightful fashion, but does its asking price break the bank?

Remember the Kombi? That iconic surf bus with its forward cab, boxy silhouette and laidback vibe? Volkswagen’s latest all-electric reboot pays homage to that legacy – and it gives it a serious jolt of electric power and tech. Meet the ID. Buzz GTX – a seven-seat, all-wheel-drive, red-stitched tribute to van life with enough grunt to leave a hot hatch in its wake. It’s part retro throwback, part high-tech family shuttle, and 100 per cent head-turner. But at just over $100,000, can it live up to the hype?

How much does the ID. Buzz GTX cost?

Volkswagen’s all-electric reboot of its most iconic van has never looked or driven like this before. The ID. Buzz GTX is pitched as the flagship of the range – and commands a premium to suit. With a list price of $109,990 before on-road costs, it’s firmly in the upper echelon of EV people movers. But when you unpack what’s included, the price starts to look more reasonable.

Make no mistake, this is no VW ID. Buzz Pro with extra badges thrown on. Compared to the long wheelbase Pro variant, you’d have to option more than $13,000 worth of extras to match the GTX on features. And even then, you wouldn’t have the all-wheel drive system, uprated 250kW powertrain, or faster sprint time. For $5330 more than a fully-specced Pro (before on-roads), Volkswagen throws in all of that plus the GTX-exclusive styling inside and out.

What is the ID. Buzz GTX like inside?

Step inside the ID. Buzz GTX and it begins telling its story before you even touch the start button. From the driver’s seat, the sporty vibe is immediate. The red gloss accents on the steering wheel and dash hint at its performance character, while the retro shelf above the glovebox and pebble-molding on the doors are a nod to the original Kombi’s form-follows-function ethos.

While that form harks back 50 years, the materials it’s made from look to a sustainable future. The seats use Seaqual yarn made from recycled marine plastics, while the ArtVelours seat trim incorporates over 70 per cent recycled content. The headliner and carpets are made entirely from recycled polyester. Even the chrome-look accents are finished in a bio-based liquid paint instead of traditional plating. It’s not something you’ll necessarily notice at first glance, but it adds to the Buzz’s appeal as a more sustainable way to move a family or group of mates.

Nor has comfort taken a back seat to style and sustainability. The front seats feature massage functionality and firm yet supportive bolstering. Middle-row passengers benefit from fold-and-slide seating, and while the third row is best for kids or smaller adults, it’s far from tokenistic. The third-row seats fold flat with a tug of the rear-mounted straps, revealing a capacious boot made still more usable by a retractable parcel shelf. Put the middle row forward and you’ve got max boot space of 2469 litres – more than enough room to throw in a mattress.

Meanwhile, storage is thoughtful and practical. The Buzz Box centre console offers two cupholders and a storage bin but can also be removed to clear the front row for movement or larger items. Door pockets are smaller up front, but there are little ledges for phones or keys. Climate controls are easily accessible from all rows, and the big screen interface is more intuitive than earlier ID models.

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What equipment does the ID. Buzz GTX come with?

Volkswagen hasn’t held back on kit for the GTX. Standard features include a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a head-up display, and a Harman Kardon audio system with 13 speakers and a subwoofer. The vehicle’s acoustics are mediocre, so the upgraded audio is a welcome inclusion.

Also standard is a panoramic smart-glass roof you can dim with a swipe or a voice command. Seats are trimmed in GTX-specific ArtVelours Eco microfleece with contrasting red stitching, while the ambient lighting offers 30 customisable colours to set the tone for whatever journey lies ahead.

Exterior highlights include 21-inch diamond-cut Townsville alloy wheels (the Pro gets 19-inch Tilburgs), Matrix LED headlights with dynamic light assistance, and a unique GTX front bumper with a honeycomb grille. All doors and the tailgate are power-operated and feature easy-open kick sensors. You even get a luggage board in the rear to keep your boot contents flat when the seats are folded.

The only factory options are paint colours (including the exclusive red, candy white, and two-tone red) and a set of fully blacked-out Caracas alloys.

How safe is the ID. Buzz GTX?

Safety definitely hasn’t been left off the spec sheet. The GTX packs Volkswagen’s full driver assistance suite, with lane keeping, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, front and rear AEB, ‘Travel Assist’ (a combination of adaptive cruise and lane centring), and fatigue detection.

It hasn’t been independently rated by ANCAP yet, but Euro NCAP testing of related ID models bodes well (plus, the Cargo version already has a Platinum safety rating from ANCAP.)

Also standard is an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty with annual health checks, and 6-, 8- or 10-year service plans are available with coverage every 24 months or 30,000km. Charging cables for both home (Mode 2) and public (Mode 3) use are included, removing the need for add-on accessories.

What powers the ID. Buzz GTX?

Under the floor sits a large 86kWh battery that feeds two electric motors, one on each axle, delivering a combined 250kW and 590Nm. That’s more than enough to shuffle this sizeable family mover from 0 to 100km/h in a spritely 6.4 seconds. Compared to the Pro, which is rear-drive only and takes 7.9 seconds to hit triple digits, it’s a meaningful step up.

Real-world energy consumption sat between 23 and 27kWh per 100km on our highway drive. The GTX is rated for 21.1kWh, and around town the claimed 450km WLTP range seems realistic if you’re careful with your right foot. DC fast charging at up to 200kW means you can recharge from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 26 minutes, provided you can find a fast enough charger.

The Buzz GTX can tow up to 1600kg braked, making it a viable option for those looking to pull a small caravan, trailer or jetski. It’s not a heavy hauler, but it’s a lot more capable than the average EV wagon.

What is the ID. Buzz GTX like to drive?

Driving the GTX is something of a revelation. It turns all your assumptions about how a van should handle on their head. Taking to the open road, I found it hard to accept that I didn’t need to pootle along at 60km/h.

On the contrary, the 3.4-tonne ID. Buzz calmly accelerates to 100km/h, with light steering and near-silent cruising. Passengers in a passing Maserati (after I’d overtaken a B-double AusPost truck with the ease of an eagle on the wind) did a second take to check what they’d just witnessed.

The massive windscreen and upright seating posture deliver a panoramic view that makes long drives strangely relaxing – and invite you to start planning an electric road trip adventure.

On the twisty stuff, the GTX really surprises. Throw it into Sport mode and it firms up nicely. The suspension is tighter, the steering more direct, and the throttle response sharper. Volkswagen’s decision to fine-tune the GTX suspension (which consists of an independent MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs, gas-filled dampers and 340mm ventilated discs, paired with a semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension with coil springs, an anti-roll bar and 294mm ventilated discs) pays off, with far less body roll than you’d expect from a seven-seat van.

The regenerative braking in B mode means you can largely drive with one pedal, especially on winding coastal roads where lifting the foot off the accelerator is enough to slow you into corners, as long as you take them at a reasonable speed. The all-wheel drive traction is especially noticeable when pulling out of bends or overtaking. It feels planted and predictable.

Even on narrow country roads and regional highways it never feels cumbersome. Lane assistance and adaptive cruise control help manage longer trips, and the tech doesn’t nag or interfere the way some systems do. Sound insulation is good, although road noise from the large wheels can sneak in on coarse chip surfaces.

It’s fun, strangely emotional, and definitely different. Drivers of old-school Kombis would be astonished at how composed and eager this thing feels.

Open Road’s take on the ID. Buzz GTX

The ID. Buzz GTX is more than just a fast electric van; it’s a modern reinterpretation of a cultural icon, retooled for drivers who want character with their kilowatts. It’s quirky, confident, and surprisingly capable.

There’s genuine warmth in the way it’s been thought through. From the red trim stitching to the panoramic roof and the performance, it speaks to those who want more than just another SUV-shaped EV. Yes, it’s expensive, but the Buzz GTX gives you something no other vehicle really can: seven-seat versatility with hot hatch spirit and nostalgic charm.

If you’re the type of person who lights up at the thought of open roads, day trips to the beach and being the most interesting car at the charger, the Buzz GTX should be on your shortlist. It doesn’t tick every box for every buyer, but it doesn’t need to. It knows what it is and it’s bloody good at it. The only real shame is that in the era of electric camping, there’s no V2L.

Call it the rebirth of the Kombi for the electric era. Only now, it comes with massage seats and 250 kilowatts of grin-inducing power.