Best Midsize Vans

Volkswagen brings nostalgia to the new world of electric cars with the 2025 ID. Buzz, a reimagining of the German automaker's VW Bus of the 1950s through early '70s.

The new ID. Buzz is bigger and better in every way. It's a three-row, seven-seat minivan, although VW insists that it isn't a minivan, at least not like a Honda Odyssey. Its lines evoke those of its ancestor, but it offers more room, more power, infinitely more technology, and more creature comforts.

The original Microbus wasn't an instant hit. But despite shortcomings that included bare-bones content, horrible driving characteristics, and a woeful lack of oomph, it was quickly adopted by campers, merchants, and, of course, surfers. There was plenty of room inside for bedrolls, backpacks, and surfboards.

With a base price of $61,545, the ID. Buzz won't be the top pick of starving students, but it should appeal to the higher earners in all of those same groups, as well as to nostalgic boomers.

We'll agree with VW's adamant insistence that the three-row Buzz doesn't have any direct competitors in North America. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, actually a plug-in hybrid, is the only other electrified minivan; the rest are gas-only. For those seeking maximum space with no or little gasoline usage, there are several large all-electric crossovers with conventional SUV styling, and three rows of seating, including the Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, and the upcoming Volvo EX90, Cadillac Escalade IQ, and Kia EV9. The Audi Q8 e-tron could be in the mix for some, but it only offers two rows of seating. None of them provide as much interior space as the ID. Buzz, though, and the VW's entry price is lower than that for all but the Pacifica Hybrid.