The 2025 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year has been named at the Detroit Auto Show, and it’s the Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric van, which is heavily inspired by the classic Microbus. It beat out the Chevy Equinox EV for the accolade.
In addition to the Chevy Equinox EV and Volkswagen ID. Buzz, the third finalist for the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award was the Hyundai Santa Fe. The finalists were voted on by 50 automotive journalists across the U.S. and Canada.
“No vehicle in the last ten years has captured the imagination while also bringing the past into the future better than the Volkswagen ID. Buzz,” MotorWeek host John Davis said. “It is an inspired Volkswagen design for the ages…again.”
“If you have to drive a minivan, why not drive the one everybody waves to and just wants to hug? Seriously, the ID. Buzz has a decent 230+-mile range, beaucoup space inside, lots of useful features and it’s fun to drive,” automotive journalist Ken Gross said.
Although Gross describes the Volkswagen’s 234-mile max range rating as “decent,” it pales in comparison to the 319-mile max range of the Chevy Equinox EV. Granted, the VW ID. Buzz is a larger vehicle with more seats, but its 83 combined MPGe rating is also unimpressive compared to the much more efficient Equinox EV, which gets up to 109 MPGe.
The Chevy Equinox EV is also considerably cheaper than the Volkswagen ID. Buzz. With a starting price of just $34,995, before any incentives kick in, the Equinox EV has both the price tag and the range to knock down two often cited barriers to entry into EV ownership. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz starts at $61,545 and has higher fuel costs.
Judging by the quotes from the panelists, the cute, retro design was the main reason the ID. Buzz earned the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award. While the fashionable VW might turn more heads, the more affordable, more efficient, and longer-range Chevy Equinox EV is simply a more practical vehicle, assuming you don’t need 3-row seating.
Comments
One cartoonish looking vehicle.
Hope the dealers like them…because, IMHO, they’ll be sitting on their lots for a while.
I find it cool looking. Definitely better looking than that stainless water trough Tesla has. But not at $60k cool. If nothing, they will sit on the lots for that reason. So yes, I agree with you there. Maybe if it had an Audi badge on it but $60k for a VW just because battery pack? Yeah no thank you.
They are advertising the living scheiße out of it by me. So I guess they have some hope of it selling.
Other than the white paint pouring over the hood (and even that looks different), I see very little that is actually remincient to the original. If anything it looks weird and childish as if a 5 year old drew it.
I actually like the look of the new bus. My biggest pet peeve with EV’s are front ends contoured with grill areas with no grill. Make EV’s fun looking to drive buyers to them
I think it would make a great camping vehicle because you can get an AWD version and the battery can keep your rig quietly cool/warm through the night. But I have serious reservations regarding how many units they will sell at a starting price of $60k and a typical out the door price of $75k. The price point seems too high for the family demographic they are targeting.
Seriously…the front end looks like a smiling “Sheen Estevez” from Cartoon Network’s “Jimmy Neutron” series.
A brilliant present day version of the iconic VW bus from the last century.
That said, it will sell but not enough to attract lots of buyers who will open up their wallets for it. The best thing it will do is to further open up more people’s minds to the notion of owning an EV.
Get real..
Like most VW vehicles, nothing to look at. It’s an old style van. Doesn’t even compare to the sleek styling of the Equinox SUV. What have you been smoking?
Nice looking vehicle, only let down is the 65k price. Don’t think many will sell at that price. Loving my 35k equinox ev, it was a bargain.
This is getting laughable..60 plus grand 230 mile range..these EVs are dead on arrival..only fools that don’t travel far from their home would even consider buying EVs…wake up America…