Documentary & Review: How the 2025 ID.Buzz Fits Into Volkswagen History — Jason Cammisa on the ICONS

This is the definitive review of the brand-new, U.S.A.-spec 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz, with a full review, drag race, AND a very important discussion of where the New Bus fits into VW's long history. Volkswagen is in financial trouble, and the ID.Buzz might signal whether the company survives. History tells us why it matters so much to VW's success here in America. === Join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS === After 23 years of teasers, VW's new electric Bus is finally for sale in America. And this documentary-style review will teach you everything you need to know about the Buzz — and why it's a bellwether for VW's continued existence. Volkswagen's history is easily divided into three chapters: the Aircooled VWs; the Watercooled VWs; and now, the Electric VWs. To understand why the ID.Buzz is so important, we need to look back through VW's three chapters to see how the presence of a high-emotion, style-first vehicle seems to be something without which Volkswagen can't be successful in America. To that end, award-winning automotive journalist Jason Cammisa takes us on a journey from the original Type 1 Volkswagen (which we call "the Beetle") and its platform-mates Bus, Karmann-Ghia, Squareback, Thing, and Porsche 356; through to the second-ever Volkswagens, the Mk1 Golf (i.e. Rabbit), GTI, Cabriolet, Scirocco, Jetta, and Caddy Pickup — plus the Concept One (New Beetle); and then onto today's lineup of electric, MEB-platform VWs, including the ID.4, the only one sold in America so far. Cammisa is joined by SCCA Hall-of-Fame race-car driver Randy Pobst in period costume, pretending to smoke some Mary Jane (Pobst has never consumed marijuana), for flower-power comic relief. Always the best, most comprehensive big-picture review in the automotive industry, ICONS is edutainment with an emphasis on journalism. This comprehensive Road Test includes instrumented acceleration testing. This 2025 VW ID. Buzz 1st Edition with 4MOTION accelerated to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, earning a 1/4-mile run of 14.2 @ 96 mph. Also in the drag race: an original Bus; the fastest car in the world when the Bus was in its heyday (a Lamborghini Miura;) a bicyclist; and the Minimotors Dualtron X Limited electric scooter. More information about the MiniMotors X Limited: https://minimotorsusa.com/products/dualtron-limited === "Jason Cammisa on the ICONS" is a 3-time-in-a-row winner in the Best Journalism Film category of the International Motor Films Awards, the most prestigious award for automotive content — as well as the recipient of more than a dozen Telly Awards and a Webby. === CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction to the 2025 ID.Buzz 3:42 Quick Review of the ID.Buzz w/ Cheat Sheet 4:28 23-year Gestation of the Buzz 5:03 Drag Race! ID.Buzz vs VW Bus vs Miura vs Bicycle vs Scooter 7:53 Thoroughly Modern Car Underneath 9:02 The 3 Chapters of VW's History 9:20 Chapter 1: The Air-Cooled Volkswagen: the Beetle 11:36 Porsche's VW Platform-Sharing Genius 13:22 The Original VW Bus as a Cultural Icon in America 14:35 Chapter 2: VW's Clean-Sheet Water-Cooled Cars 16:07 The Legendary Mk1 VW GTI 17:18 The Rabbit Didn't Sell in America 18:33 Volkswagen's Second Brush with Bankruptcy 19:39 The New Beetle Saves Volkswagen of America 21:25 Chapter 3: The Disastrous Electric VWs 23:36 The ID.Buzz is different from the ID.4 — functional review 25:28 VW has an Emotional Car For America Again === Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications! http://bit.ly/HagertyYouTube Visit our website for an insurance quote, to join Hagerty Drivers Club, and for daily automotive news, cars stories, reviews, and opinion: https://www.hagerty.com Stay up to date by signing up for our email newsletters here: https://www.hagerty.com/media/newsletter/ Follow us on social media: Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Hagerty Instagram | https://instagram.com/Hagerty Twitter | https://twitter.com/Hagerty If you love cars, you belong with us. Hagerty Drivers Club is the world’s largest community for automotive enthusiasts. Members enjoy valuable automotive discounts, exclusive events and experiences, roadside service created specifically for collector vehicles, and a subscription to the bimonthly Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join Hagerty Drivers Club here: https://www.hagerty.com/drivers-club Jason Cammisa on the Icons | The definitive car review https://bit.ly/JasonCammisaICONS Revelations | Untold Stories About Automotive Legends with Jason Cammisa https://bit.ly/JasonCammisaRevelations Contact us: Suggestions and feedback - videoquestions@hagerty.com Press inquiries - press@hagerty.com Partnership requests - partnerships@hagerty.com