Volkswagen ID. Buzz review - Electric motor, drive and performance

All versions of the ID. Buzz come with a 201bhp electric motor that's mounted on the rear axle and drives the back wheels. A 77kWh battery is also standard, but that does mean the ID. Buzz has a hefty kerbweight of 2,500kg. However, the weight of the battery is kept low in the chassis to help stability.

The big battery helps to settle the car's ride, and overall the ID. Buzz is a comfortable machine. Lumps and bumps are brushed aside quite easily, even on cars fitted with the largest diameter 21-inch alloy wheels that are available, and it's only really big bumps that cause any upset. Hit a pothole, and you'll feel a shudder through the car's body, although it's not as harsh as the thump you'd feel in any other van-based MPV.

There's good grip in the corners, and while there's some body lean to be felt, it's not so drastic that it makes the ID. Buzz feel unstable. Again, the location of the battery low in the floor helps with this, so while there's a tall driving position, the car doesn't feel like it's cornering on stilts.

But it’s on the motorway where the ID. Buzz shines. We found the ride quality actually improves at higher speeds, and although strong crosswinds will tug at the car’s slab sides, the VW still feels stable and reassuring. With no engine noise to draw your ears, wind and road noise is more audible here than any petrol or diesel-powered MPV, however it’s not intrusive by any means.

Light steering boosts low-speed manoeuvrability, as does the 11.1-metre turning circle, which is brilliant for a car of this size. The high driving position provides a commanding and clear view of the road ahead. It all means the ID. Buzz is great around town, and its size doesn't become a hindrance when you're parking.

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0-62mph acceleration and top speed

The electric motor can deliver 310Nm of torque as soon as you press the accelerator, so the ID. Buzz is never left wanting for power. The 0-62mph time for this 2.5-tonne EV is a respectable 10.2 seconds, but the way the ID. Buzz sprints off the line and accelerates at lower speeds will likely catch other road users by surprise away from the traffic lights.

Combine this with the car's quiet cabin and tall driving position, and the ID. Buzz is deceptively rapid. It runs out of steam at higher speeds, and it's limited to a maximum of 90mph, but this isn't anything that will spoil the way the ID. Buzz behaves on the road.