Volkswagen’s effort to recapture the magic of the original VW microbus with a modern, all-electric reinterpretation of that iconic camping/surfing/music festival going /family hauling/cargo carrying minivan hasn’t been a big hit, but the ID.Buzz has just captured the top U.S. safety rating, which could help boost sales a bit.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded the 2025 ID.Buzz its 5-start overall rating this week, signifying that it meets or exceeds all federal safety standards for front, rear and side crashes and for rollovers.
As do most modern cars and vans, the 2025 ID. Buzz offer advanced active and passive safety systems as well as driver assistance features.
Standard equipment includes six airbags, automatic post-collision Braking, and VW’s IQ.Drive suite with technologies such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, front collision mitigation with emergency braking, side collision avoidance assistance, active blind spot monitoring with evasive steering assist, rear traffic alert, and “Emergency Assist” system that can identify a distressed driver, brake to a full stop and alert emergency services.
Parking assistance with memory is also standard. It is an automated parking system that controls steering, braking and acceleration for both parallel and perpendicular parking. It also can help exit a parking spot and has a memory function that can store and recall parking maneuvers for up to five locations.
This isn’t intended to be an ad for the Buzz, btw, but we do like to tip a hat when an automaker makes a lot of helpful stuff standard.
Of course, baking all that in to the vehicle doesn’t help keep prices low – which didn’t help the ID. Buzz in the marketplace. Only 1,162 were sold in its 6 months in the U.S. market in 2024 and sales in 2025 have barely topped the 5,000 mark. VW actually halted production of the ID. Buzz for a few days in late October to help keep a lid on unsold inventory.
2025 models start at a not-insignificant $61,545 (including VW’s mandatory $1,550 destination charge) and can easily top $70K with options and add-ons.
Dealers saddled with unsold models are discounting them, but prices still typically top the $55,000 mark.
The original microbus started at $2,200 in 1964 – which would equate to about $22,000 today. So the Buzz, thanks to battery costs, tariffs and way more standard equipment than VW ever dreamed possible in 1964, is about three times more than inflation alone would account for. That’s understandable, but certainly didn’t help VW realize its hopes of the ID. Buzz becoming a runaway success in the EV segment.
A 5-star safety rating from NHTSA certainly won’t turn the tide, but coupled with the discounts dealers are offering to move unsold stock, it it could help VW realize a few more sales than the ID.Buzz has been garnering lately.
2025 VW ID.Buzz on the streets of San Francisco/thegreencaerguy.com