Keep in mind the road from “Titanic” when Rose is an outdated girl and she or he asks, “It has been 84 years?” With the debut of the united statesspec Volkswagen ID.Buzz that second feels oddly acquainted.

Why did it take so lengthy for the VW Bus to return regardless of ideas teasing us since 2001? Why did manufacturing of the two-row ID.Buzz begin in Europe a 12 months in the past, and the three-row model of the ID.Buzz was simply unveiled on Friday? Why will not three-row ID.Buzz even arrive within the U.S. for one more 12 months?

We requested Volkswagen executives these very questions. Briefly, timing is every part and lots of ready was wanted to get issues proper, each for packaging and America. However to some degree, when you’re upset by the dearth of an easier, smaller ID.Buzz, you possibly can blame focus teams.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

Volkswagen ID.Buzz packaging

President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Pablo Di Si informed Inexperienced Automobile Studies the corporate wished to convey again the bus for a very long time, however the distinctive design compelled lots of wants. The quick overhangs and mandatory packaging to make these occur meant the bus could not come again as a gas-powered van, reasonably it wanted to be electrical. The automaker has been ready for the second to be proper.

Focus teams in America informed VW they don’t seem to be within the shorter two-row mannequin the remainder of the world has had for a 12 months, in line with Di Si. The lengthy wheelbase three-row mannequin is it. The group wanted time to stretch the wheelbase almost 10 inches, add in a 3rd row, and match a bigger 91-kwh battery pack (vs. the two-row’s 82-kwh pack). Three-row fashions additionally obtain a extra highly effective rear motor with 282 hp and dual-motor fashions could have about 330 hp.

The regulatory market variations additionally took time. The lighting on the U.S.-spec three-row mannequin is completely different and there are actually eight USB-C ports contained in the ID.Buzz (for America), famous Kai Grunitz, head of R&D for the VW passenger automotive model.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

Volkswagen ID.Buzz electrical structure

However VW did not want a full two years to make the ID.Buzz longer and add a 3rd row. Revising lighting does not take that lengthy both. Shopper suggestions concerning the ID.4 ended up dictating what VW needed to do earlier than the ID.Buzz even arrived.

Di Si informed GCR the largest criticism of the ID.4 crossover SUV from clients is the infotainment system.

Though the ID.Buzz carries over its MEB platform from the ID.4, albeit with completely different dimensions, it options extra reminiscence and new CPUs powering their interface vs. the ID.4. The interface is new, the voice assistant is reprogrammed, and the infotainment system’s working on some new {hardware} versus the present Euro-spec mannequin’s system. Grunitz mentioned it will take seconds from startup to start out navigation within the ID.Buzz.

Grunitz famous that when the ID.Buzz launches the system must be excellent. There isn’t any quantity knob, however the touch-based quantity and local weather management sliders are actually backlit for the ID.Buzz not like the ID.4.

These options, together with expanded over-the-air replace capabilities, are all making their debut within the ID.7 hatchback forward of the ID.Buzz.

2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz

Di Si admitted some errors have been made with the ID.4. Whereas the automaker works to appropriate these by means of updates they don’t seem to be seeking to make those self same fumbles with the ID.7, and particularly not with the ID.Buzz. The ID.7 will function the launch level to make sure any points are utterly resolved with the brand new software program and {hardware} earlier than the ID.Buzz arrives within the third quarter of 2024.