VW’s cult classic is back. The 2022 VW I.D. Buzz (electric microbus) is a marvel of modern concepts that still keeps the class of its predecessors.

The new 2022 VW I.D. Buzz is a testament to its grandad from the 60’s. Sporting the classic two tone paint job and round lines of its grandfather. But it’s not the same bus. It has been made into a futuristic versatile van that pays homage to the past.

This blast from the past has been reimagined throughout the years from the 60’s to present day. The the years the microbus drastically changed from the classic round 60’s and 70’s styles, to the boxy, but bigger style of the 80’s. Then further on in the late 90’s, it morphed into more of a modern van style, taking on a rounder body style but still keeping some of its boxy features, its versatility, and receiving an engine upgrade. Those aren’t the vans of the future that the I.D Buzz promises to be though. The I.D. Buzz brings back the round smooth lines of the 60’s and 70’s, the two tone paint job finishes the job. Yet it has the size and modernity of the later models. 

It only gets better on the inside. The Classic bench style seating still exists, in some ways. VW tossed out the old static bolt on seats or camping interior of the past, in favor of a changeable layout. The seats in the back can be moved around on tracks that are embedded in the floor allowing bench seats and a limousine style seating of two facing forward and two facing back. The driver and passenger seats are captain style chairs and they can be rotated 360 degrees. This will help and be especially functional when their autonomous driver system debuts in the latter years of its 2022 release. The seats can also be folded down into a flat surface to form tables, and pushed together to form seamless flat surfaces. They can even be taken out to create a completely empty van, making it useful as a cargo van and carrier van.

Bottom line is the interior is really versatile and if you want to be able to do it, chances are you can.

Along with these interior updates, the engine has been upgraded to give it a little more giddy-up-and-go. They’ve swapped out the old 50 horsepower engines of the 60’s, 70’s, and more, and put in an electric motor that puts out around 369 horsepower. The engine is powered by the new I.D. electric platform which can be found on all future 2022 electric VW models. The batteries sit below the floor along the whole microbus meaning the floor is completely flat from bumper to bumper. The engine then puts power to all four wheels of the bus! Making it four wheel drive! It maximizes traction and the handling of the microbus meaning you don’t have to have a death wish anymore when driving in snowy or rough conditions.

Another plus of the bus is that it is going to be more reliable than past models. The new technology and electric engine promise to be a reliable replacement for the old, unreliable,  underpowered engines of the past. But former VW bus owner Christopher Gette, a history teacher at Triton high school who worked as an archaeologist at the time he owned his microbus, thinks that this may make it lose part of its charm. 

“Knowing the vehicle and taking care of it was part of the experience as opposed to just having a vehicle that took you to your experience.” This reporter personally agrees with this but for consumers, reliability is key which Gette also agrees with, 

“If there’s something I like in a vehicle, it’s flexibility. It can be something that’s for work, something that can be recreational, something that’s reliable.” Which is what the bus encapsulates. Being a base camp, piece of home, an office, a car is all what these microbuses have been about in the past and now future.

I personally love VW microbuses because its been my dream to own one. I’m more into the classics than modern ones but my first impression was “wow” when I saw the I.D Buzz. This car is beautiful and elegant. I was a little sad at first when I saw there wasn’t a camper model (hopefully I there will be) but I got over that pretty quick after seeing a special tour and drive of the Buzz in a video by the youtube channel fullychargedshow. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQut6ks3nSY ). The VW I.D. Buzz is a testament to time and a proper and satisfying rebirth to the cult classic.