VW ID. Buzz Configurator Goes Live: $71,545 Top Trim Comes With Rear Drum Brakes

Volkswagen ID. Buzz configurator goes live in the U.S.

You’re not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to trim levels, either.

• U.S. customers can now configure their Volkswagen ID. Buzz.
• Five trims are available, two of which are of the 1st Edition variety.
• All ID. Buzz EVs come with rear drum brakes.

After what felt like an eternity, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric minivan can finally be ordered in the United States after the online configurator went live on VW’s website.

As a reminder, the ID. Buzz debuted as a concept vehicle back in 2017 and went on sale in Europe in the summer of 2022, so it would be an understatement to say that it took its sweet time getting here. In the U.S., the ID. Buzz is only available in the long-wheelbase version, with either single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive, while other parts of the world also get a standard-wheelbase version, which is also cheaper.

But here’s a nice bit of trivia that’s sure to get at least one of your uncles riled up this Thanksgiving: no matter how much money you spend on it, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has drum brakes for the rear wheels.

More ID. Buzzery

• Volkswagen Dealers Will Get ‘One Or Two’ ID. Buzz EVs At Launch
• The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Is Here, And Everyone Is Mad
• Volkswagen ID. Buzz Starts At $59,995 In America, Gets So-So Range
• Volkswagen’s First EV Came 50 Years Before The ID. Buzz, Battery Swapping Included

That’s not to say they’re bad–an EV hardly ever needs friction brakes anyway because it can slow down using its electric powertrain–but for a curb weight of around 6,000 pounds, one would expect more. By comparison, the Kia EV9, one of its closest competitors that weighs 1,000 lbs less, comes with disc brakes on all four wheels–it even has a brake cleaning function to remove rust and dirt from the rotors.

Getting back to the configurator, American customers have just five options to choose from, including two 1st Edition versions which will be the first to ship to the U.S. before the end of the year.

The base ID. Buzz Pro S starts at $61,545 and comes with a heated steering wheel, LED headlights, 12-way power heated and ventilated front seats with massage, three-zone automatic climate control, a hands-on semi-automated driving assistance system, wireless smartphone connectivity and parking assistance. It’s powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 282 horsepower.

Next in line is the ID. Buzz Pro S Plus, which costs $66,040 and adds a dual-tone paintwork, a Harman Kardon premium sound system with 13 speakers, a retractable trailer hitch rated for up to 2,600 pounds (braked), a heads-up display, a 360-degree camera system and an adjustable storage system with two collapsible containers.

Dual-motor all-wheel drive is available for an extra $4,500 but you also get a heated windshield and captain’s chairs for the second row if you go for the ID. Buzz Pro S Plus with 4Motion. That makes it a six-seater, whereas the cheaper trims come with seven seats, although you can opt for captain’s chairs for $695.

The 1st Edition models start from $67,045 and come with exclusive 20-inch wheels and a panoramic fixed-glass roof with electrochromic smart dimming on top of what’s offered on the Pro S Plus.

All Volkswagen ID. Buzz versions are powered by a 91-kilowatt-hour battery pack that enables an EPA-rated range of 234 miles for the rear-wheel drive models and 231 miles for all-wheel drive trims. The electric minibus is built in Germany, so it’s not eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit when purchasing, but it may be eligible when leasing.