In these uncertain times, we need to cling to happy days.
So how not to remember the sixties, the carelessness and the feeling of freedom that accompanied them, without thinking that it was good.
Not hesitating to dive into the neo-retro current, Volkswagen is one of the first manufacturers to have understood it.
After the New Beetle, hear the new Beetle, here is a reissue of the famous Combi, or rather the ID.
buzz.
Some will only see it as a good marketing stunt;
others will probably be seduced by the evocation of a time when everything seemed easier.
The Combi was dreams of distant travels, outings with friends, even a traveling house for itinerant surfers.
With its radius of action of barely 400 km, not sure however that the ID Buzz traces the road like its ancestor.
As it should, it has indeed gone all-electric.
With all the constraints that this implies in terms of autonomy and recharging time.
BRANDONLAJOIE/Volkswagen AG
So, let's forget about long-distance travel and take the ID.
Buzz for what it is: a family van endowed, it is true, with a strong power of seduction.
We were able to judge from the number of happy faces greeting our passage throughout our test route between Denmark and Sweden.
Reinterpreting the codes and the silhouette of the ancestor through a modern and dynamic line, the ID.
Buzz definitely has an effect.
On condition, however, of not fearing to increase an already salty invoice.
With the two-tone paint and interior, essential but offered as an option for €1,790 and €1,100 respectively, it comes close to 60,000 euros.
And even exceeds them easily if you pick from the list of options: €1,939 to take advantage of a tailgate and electric sliding side doors, €1,420 for the Assistance Pack (adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, etc.) or even €2,170 to benefit from semi-autonomous driving.
And don't rely too much on the bonus to make the pill go down;
it will be reduced from €2,000 to €1,000 on 1 January.
Kathmandu, it's going to be far!
volkswagen
With a length of 4.71 m, the ID.
Buzz is barely larger than a Peugeot 5008. Thanks to a generous wheelbase and its electric motor placed on the rear axle, it nevertheless offers, and this is one of its main qualities, a particularly spacious passenger compartment.
Five adults can travel comfortably there, carrying up to 1,121 liters of luggage.
Sliding over about fifteen centimeters, the split rear bench seat can also be folded down to double the loading capacity or, thanks to the absence of a transmission tunnel, to provide a perfectly flat floor 2.23 m long.
Enough to install a good mattress for wild camping.
If Volkswagen is talking about an extended version to come, offered in a 6 or 7-seater configuration, there are indeed no plans, at this stage, for a motorhome version.
From marketing,
next October, a panel van version ID.
Buzz Cargo will, however, be available for professionals, starting at €47,990.
volkswagen
At the wheel, the driving position has nothing to do with utility.
With a vertical steering wheel adjustable both in height and in depth, and a clear dominant view, it is even more pleasant.
Taking advantage of a front overhang and a reduced turning radius, we therefore move around town serenely, enjoying the silence and smoothness of the electric motor.
On the road, its 204 hp must be used to effectively move the 2.5 tonnes.
But, we do not appreciate their docility any less, which contributes to a general impression of comfort and well-being.
Despite the optional 20-inch wheels (€460) of our test model (19-inch original), the suspensions remain considerate and effectively control body movements.
A central 10-inch screen manages most functions.
It can be increased to 12 inches against a slightly petty supplement of €130.
The instrumentation is grouped together in a small digital panel placed behind the steering wheel.
As with any electric vehicle, the remaining range is carefully monitored.
On undemanding Scandinavian roads, our average consumption came out at 19.6 kWh/100 km, which theoretically would have allowed us to travel 390 km with a full battery.
In practice, this does not give hope of traveling more than 350 km before looking for a charging station.
If we are lucky enough to find one that accepts a fast charge of 170 kWh in direct current, we can hope to recover 80% in just half an hour.
On a classic 11 kWh terminal,
on the other hand, it takes no less than 7.5 hours to recover a full charge.
Suffice to say that we have not arrived in Kathmandu.
Our opinion
andrew trahan photography llc/Volkswagen AG
Marketing product scientist, the ID.
Buzz, with his retro face, will certainly be able to win over more than one ex-baba who, now a bobo, will not hesitate to write a check for 60,000 euros for a small dose of well-felt nostalgia.
The fact remains that, limited in practice by the reduced autonomy of its electric motorization which prohibits long trips, it is presented above all as a family vehicle, roomy and comfortable.
In short, he reinvents, without saying so, the concept of the minivan.
Technical sheet
Motor: electric
Power: 204 hp
Torque: 310Nm
Transmission: Propulsion, 1-speed gearbox with reducer
Dimensions (L/W/H): 4712/1985/1927mm
Boot: 1,121 (5 pl.) to 2,205 (2 pl.) liters
Weight: 2,471 kg
Performance (0-100 km/h): 10.2 seconds
Speed: 145 km/h
Consumption (Mixed EU): 20.8 kWh/100 km
Autonomy: 419 km
Price: €56,990
