The VW van is back, lauded as new EV

Modern retro-designed vehicles could share a large number of traits but they inevitably have at least two commonalities Manufacturers debuting vehicles with styling legacies sometimes from years ago take a jeopardy The new-old car could be a calamity The retro newbies will also assuredly be polarizing from old-time favorites Up-to-date examples include the Chrysler PT Cruiser Ford Bronco and Volkswagen s Electric ID Buzz The PT Cruiser - celebrated Chrysler Airflow models from the mid- s The current Ford Bronco was reintroduced in after a -year absence from the end of its fruitful -year run After a multitude of years of discussion the Volkswagen ID Buzz arrived in North America in June but began its return in earnest in Its presence from the carmaker s marketing undertaking to original owners memories is a reminder of the lightweight vehicles heydays beginning in The vans various of which had as a large number of as windows and now sell for more than became the truck of the counterculture The greater part notably the Type micro-vans were the transportation choice for the masses en passage to the Woodstock music festival in New York in The more vivid the tapestry of flowers included in the exterior paint design the better As various occupants per wagon as practicable It was the van s calling Available in five trims the reviewed Volkswagen ID Buzz Pro S Plus is a three-row six or seven-passenger van with seats in a - - configuration or six in a - - arrangement Rear-wheel-drive RWD models have a single rear-mounted motor all-wheel-drive AWD models get electric motors front and rear The ID Buzz s third-row seats are on rollers and easily removable Second-row captain chairs are stationary With rear-wheel drive the electric s range is miles The all-wheel drive Buzz range is miles The Kia EV and the Hyundai Ioniq are the Electric ID Buzz competitors making the segment a trio of worthy choices But only the VW has its legacy as a purchasing consideration The Electric ID Buzz has horsepower a -kWh battery and is electronically limited to a top speed of miles per hour Acceleration from zero to miles per hour in the reviewed top-level Pro S Plus trim is touted in seconds Despite its modern exterior design the Buzz retains several signatures of yesteryear s vehicles The big VW emblem above the front grille and in the center of the small hood honors its long-ago brethren The difference The new version illuminates adding a solid degree of coolness When not multi-colored with bespoke rainbows or other artists visions two-tone exterior color patterns were also acceptable decades ago They remain in current models with eight options Cubana Blue Metallic and Candy White to Cherry Red and Metro Silver Metallic Like the Type ID Buzz occupants sit high resulting in perch-like views Front seat occupants are offered a vast overview of the immediate horizon Front seat passengers also sit about a city block away from the front of the wagon In decades past models front seats were nearly directly above the wheels Volkswagen has also retained vintage VW vans spaciousness While the carmaker s specs detail the ID Buzz it is about the same size as a VW Atlas Sport Cross its roofline is about five inches higher Combined with the wagon s large windows the ID Buzz has an open-air feel All rows offer superior headroom and legroom Rear windows have privacy tinting Modern standard features likely sci-fi visions for older VW van fanciers include Android Auto and Apple CarPlay heated rear seats and a removable center console Storage includes a drawer in the console and countless cupholders A head-up display and an overhead -degree monitor are standard on the top trim level The ID Buzz s dash features a -inch digital driver information display behind the steering wheel and a -inch central information panel on the center stack The Buzz is also standard with colors of ambient LED lighting and a strip below the windshield It pulses when the car is ready to drive With its modern interior and exterior appearances VW has again taken the iconic automobile outside of the automotive van box There was nothing like it when it debuted more than years ago and nothing like it now with one exception The original vans were marketed as economic haulers for family and friends The top-line Electric ID Buzz is not it exceeds It s great fun but it no longer qualifies as a truck of any counterculture James Raia a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento also contributes business lifestyle and sports content to several print and online publications E-mail james jamesraia com