Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo 2025 review: GVM test

Our test vehicle comes in one specification, with a single electric motor and a single-speed transmission, for a list price of $79,990 plus on-road costs. Yep, almost $80K, but that looks like a bargain when compared to the full-electric Mercedes-Benz eVito van at $98,951.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

Our example is fitted with numerous options including Mono Silver Metallic paint ($1890), IQ. Light LED matrix headlights ($2100), illuminated moulding ($490), electric open/close side-doors ($890) and 19-inch ‘Tilburg’ alloy wheels ($3500). These goodies add $8870 to the price, so not much change from $90K - and that’s all before on-roads.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

The ID.Buzz Cargo comes standard with 18-inch steel wheels fitted with 235/60R18 front tyres, wider 255/55R18 rears and full wheel-covers. However, given their different sizes and the full-electric drivetrain, there’s no full-size spare included, so owners must rely on a ‘tyre mobility set’ comprising tyre sealant and a 12-volt air compressor.

There’s also body-coloured bumpers, full LED lighting including daytime running lights, heated front door mirrors, a power tailgate and more.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

The cabin has seating for up to three occupants across a fabric-trimmed driver’s bucket seat and two-passenger bench seat, plus there’s a sealed bulkhead (with large window) to separate the cabin and cargo bay.

It includes four USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket, dual-zone climate control, 10-colour ambient lighting, a synthetic leather-rimmed wheel with multifunction controls, a driver’s instrument cluster mounted on the steering column (so it moves with height/reach adjustments), and a multimedia system controlled by a 10-inch colour touchscreen with Apple/Android connectivity, DAB+ digital radio and more.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

Cables for domestic and public charging are included, and Volkswagen offers numerous options in addition to those fitted to ours, including rear barn doors in preference to the standard swing-up tailgate.

With its 2376kg kerb weight and 3150kg GVM, our test vehicle has a 774kg payload rating that is modest compared to numerous turbo-diesel mid-sized van rivals with one-tonne-plus ratings. Up to 100kg can be carried on the roof.

It’s also rated to tow up to 1200kg of braked trailer, which is also relatively small compared to some turbo-diesel rivals that legally can tow up to 2500kg. Volkswagen does not publish a GCM (Gross Combination Mass) rating, so we can’t confirm how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

The cargo bay, which has a relatively small 3.9 cubic metres of load volume, is accessed through sliding doors on each side and a swing-up tailgate. Its rubber-coated wooden floor is 2208mm long (with an extra 450mm available using the small load-through hatch at the base of the cabin bulkhead) and 1732mm wide, with 1230mm between the rear-wheel housings.

Therefore, it can carry one standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallet or two Euro pallets, held in place by six load-anchorage points in the floor. There’s also load-anchorage hooks at the front and rear of the rear-wheel housings.

Given its 1257mm load height, adjustable tie-down rails are mounted on the walls and across the cabin bulkhead at mid-height for extra support of tall loads. The walls and doors are lined from floor to roof and there’s also bright LED lighting, a first-aid kit and 12-volt socket.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

A welcome feature is under-floor storage in the cargo bay, with removal of a cover plate on the driver’s side giving access to a cavity that provides convenient and secure storage of the vehicle’s charging cables.

With seating for up to three occupants, the least-favoured central position is accommodating for most heights, given I’m 186cm and have adequate headroom, knee clearance from the dash and foot-room thanks to a predominantly flat floor.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

Even so, the passenger bench seat offers no adjustment and hip/shoulder-room for three large people would test friendships over long distances, so best to restrict three-ups to short trips only.

Cabin storage includes a big bottle-holder and bin in the base of each front door, with a smaller shelf at mid-height. Storage has been optimised in the top of the dash, which extends a long way forward to the base of the windscreen, by incorporating multiple open bins and two small-bottle/cupholders.

There’s also a large open shelf and glovebox on the passenger side, but no overhead glasses-holder and no under-seat storage for the bench seat.

A single electric motor drives the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission. It can produce up to 210kW of power and 550Nm of torque, and there are four selectable drive modes comprising Comfort (default), Eco, Sport and Individual.

Volkswagen claims an official driving range of 431km (WLTP) and average energy consumption of 20.3kWh/100km from its 79kWh lithium-ion battery.

We covered 249km of city, suburban and highway driving, which included switching between the different drive modes and 50km carrying its maximum payload.

At the completion of our test week, during which no cable-charging took place, the instrument display was still showing 40 per cent of charge and 180km of driving range remaining.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo (Image: Mark Oastler)

It also showed average consumption was 17.8kWh/100km, which was significantly lower than the official figure and confirmation that its impressive claimed real-world driving range of more than 400km is credible. And that's more than ample daily range for most tradie/delivery vans in urban use.

Volkswagen claims 185kW DC fast-charging from 10 to 80 per cent battery charge in 26 minutes. With an 11kW AC wall-box, 0 to 100 per cent takes 7 hrs 30 mins, while a domestic AC wall socket takes 22 hrs 45 mins.

There’s no rating from ANCAP, but its Euro NCAP affiliate awarded the ID.Buzz range a full five-star rating when tested in 2022.

Standard safety menu includes front/side/curtain airbags, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, adaptive cruise control with auto stop-and-go for heavy traffic situations, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping, front/rear parking sensors, reversing camera, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more.