2024 Volkswagen ID Buzz LWB revealed
The new Volkswagen ID Buzz LWB is a larger version of our reigning Car of the Year, offering seven seats and a range of around 300 miles...
On sale 2024 Price from £65,000 (est)
As the saying goes, “you can never have too much of a good thing,” and the Volkswagen ID Buzz LWB follows just that wisdom; it’s designed to be a bigger, more practical version of the existing ID Buzz – our 2023 Car of the Year.
The LWB (for long wheelbase) is 250mm longer than the ‘regular’ ID Buzz, allowing for a more spacious interior. Indeed, unlike the regular car (which is offered solely with five seats), the LWB can be had with five, six or seven seats, making it ideal if you regularly carry lots of people or luggage.
It’s not just the car itself that’s bigger, though. The ID Buzz LWB comes with a more powerful 282bhp electric motor and a larger 85kWh (usable) battery that should give an official range of around 300 miles – farther than the Mercedes EQB can take you.
The same 77kWh battery that’s found in the regular ID Buzz is also available, with both batteries capable of fast charging at speeds of up to 200kW. That means a 10-80% charge can take just 25 minutes for the 85kWh version.
Elsewhere, the central touchscreen has been upgraded to a 12.9in display (from 10.0in), with the infotainment system featuring the firm’s latest software. In current models the system can be glitchy, so this is welcome news.
As with the regular ID Buzz, there are few physical controls on the dashboard, meaning most of the car’s functions are controlled through the infotainment screen. We’d prefer more physical controls, because they’re easier to use when driving. But on the plus side, the addition of a head-up display should help to minimise distraction while driving.
A more powerful 335bhp, four-wheel drive version badged the ID GTX will be available in the future. Meanwhile, prices for lesser versions of the ID Buzz LWB are expected to cost from around £65,000. That’s more than the EQB, which starts from £55,310.
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