This is what I love most about Harry, he owns and drives some of the most expensive and exotic cars in the world yet the clever design of a console splitter / bottle opener excites him! True enthusiasm on every level
As the owner of an immaculate classic Toyota Previa GX from 1996 with 77,000 miles, this video gave me a wry smile. From the much applauded A pillar to the exterior profile; plus the interior layout - it is all deja vu. Difference is, the Previa was designed well over thirty years ago - and, mine is now over 26 years old. Mine is mid engined, has 4 wheel independent suspension and all disc brakes, air con and two sun roofs... need I go on.... Oh, and mine is less common plus, there is the price differential - the VW at £65k
Not being able to remove the rear seats is a bit of a deal breaker. The whole reason I bought a transporter kombi is so I can also use it as a van on occasion..
I agree and i think Kombi vans are the sweet spot for a multifunctional vehicle. I was waiting to see VW produce a real electric Transporter but apparently Ford will make the new electric Transporter based on their new E Transit Custom. I'd be more tempted to buy a Transit Kombi if VW can't make their own.
Why is the interior so shit compared to the T6 multivan. I simply don’t get it rear seats mean it loses all of its practicality. A totally ruined interior and I’m devastated as I love the exterior style so much.
So glad you mention how good sliding doors are, we have a disabled son and have had a Sharan for the last 10 years trying to replace it now is a nightmare. No sliding doors anywhere and boots are too styled to get his wheel chair in the back. When are these car companies going to realise a family car needs 5 proper seats and a square boot!!! Great vid as usual Harry❤
Harry is the nicest guy of all YT car reviewers (though there are a lot of great car channels like the Car Guys or JeyEmm on Cars). He is so calm and enthusiastic at the same time without being silly or overexcited.
Fantastic as usual Harry - but - the fundamental issue of range remains unanswered (and where that electricity is coming from). I've just driven 3 hours to Stanstead, left the car for 10 days in damp and cold, and then come back 9 o'clock at night with a three hour drive to get home - my trusty old Merc E Class diesel is unbeatable at that, and I have no range anxiety of size / comfort issues. It's those conceptual questions that remains unanswered by the Industry.
Harry’s sending shoppers jumping out of the way! I seem to recall twenty grand being a decent amount for a car but now £65k for a minivan seems a lot. Maybe I am missing the point and the people who can afford these have huge houses with plenty of overnight charging options. Be interesting to see a road trip review with it fully loaded with a family and luggage and all the other stuff we take away.
Yep, utterly ridiculous. But then all evs seem twice the price of an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle. If this is well over 50k can you imagine the price of the long wheel base version and then again the camper version. You would be looking at £100,000. Utter madness. And with zero resale value as the battery has a very finite life and would cost more than the second hand value of the vehicle to replace. I cannot warm to any ev. Twice the price, much less practical and convenient and disposable after 10 or 15 years when the battery has degraded. Madness.
Honestly, I never thought I would be watching Harry review this thing but I love it now that I see it. It’s not going to be as fast as most things, but hey, it’s an icon of his generation… Way to go Harry!!!
I love it. More interesting than the growing range of SUV EVs. Shame it doesn’t have round headlights but then I assume it’s using ID 3 and 4 parts wherever possible.
Great, honest review as always. I personally hate the 'washing machine' interior and the touch screen. But hey, I couldn't afford one anyway. £61,000....reasonable? Has the world gone mad?
That's the problem. Timing. Not long ago there were people who would pay 65k for this. I suspect those days are rapidly declining.... BMW M1, Aston Lagonda, now this. The excess income required for this niche just isn't going to be there.
Unfortunately it has gone mad… there’s a bigger and bigger difference between the wealthy who can afford this nostalgia trip and the average working person who can’t 😢
Thanks for this clip - it's a bit of fresh air to watch a review of a "mundane" car like this rather than a feature of the upteenth superduperwhatnotohmygawd performance car.
Regarding the camping issue. In the US, most developed campsites already have tons of plug-ins for RVs and trailers. No fast chargers, but if you are parked overnight, it will work out perfectly. Regarding one comment about loading it up affecting range, electric cars are minimally affected by load weight, it is aerodynamic drag that damages the range the most. So load it up all you want, but try to avoid a roof rack or trailer.
Yeah, but developed campsites are not “wild” are they. The camper should be able to get you there, power what you need when you are there and get you home (or at least to a charger). Issue would be weight…
The UK has electric hook-up at campsites but these are definitely not suitable for charging an EV (or even using a typical kettle and toaster at the same time!). Campsites would need to massively upgrade their infrastructure to allow for multiple EV charging.
What Harry didn't test is the Travel Assist, a system that seems to do its name justice. It is impressive what VW has done with its software, the trip planning is actually really good (in stark contrast to the otherwise excellent system from Kia/Hyundai) and seems to cater the needs of especially the EV newbie, without needing additional apps or otherwise from 3rd party services. That and the Travel Assist which, although an option, seems to be better than Tesla's.
I test drove a van version yesterday. Drives well and feels very solid. Van has black interior and is more work like inside but identical mechanically.would like one but hard to justify the price as not as big as transporter and can only tow 1000kg.
have to say; if someone does a good camper conversion of this (not the long wheelbase) I'd defo be interested. The big selling point of the original T2 (apart from its looks and relative cheapness) was/is its small size. In Britain at least. I remember family holidays down small Devon country lanes which would be impossible/difficult in most campers
Love the light interior. Never understood why folk want black interiors to hide the dirt, I want to see the dirt so I can clean it off ! Couldn't help noticing no soft close doors. Our 1997 Elgrand even has those. C'mon VW
How many online and tv based car reviews do we now have? Too many to mention, yet Harry's is without doubt one of if not the most authoritive and interesting guys to offer opinion on both new and historic cars. I love the T2 Splittie. It's a sufer icon bus and is on more merchanise today than it ever has been. This new VW interpretation, which has been so long coming, hits all the buttons. The front end particularly is kind to the original. Harry's comprehensive account of the interior, exterior, handing etc. is so engaging to listen to and watch. Parking such a large vehicle in a mutli storey car park could potentially be a night mare, and few reviews cover such practical events. Harry's as ever was informative to the full. I'll look forward to seeing this new electric bus on the road. I hope it will bring a smile to my face and indeed so many other peoples as the Splittie always does.
I really love this design, it also appeals to me on so many levels - campervan, family wagon, flexible van capacity. Always been happy with VWs I have owned so this looks like a fab EV. Only problem is the price!
@@allwheeldrive I don’t really agree. The vast majority of journeys are short and if I were to do a road trip, it’s super easy to arrange to charge on the way if needed. I really don’t think range is such a problem, it’s more a perception of a problem.
@@allwheeldrive The only People i notice caring so much about Range are Americans, which makes Sense, the USA is huge so Range for an EV is #1 Priority. In Europe, especially here in Germany Range isn't as important as long as it can do 400km + (about 250 Miles +) Charging is everywhere in Germany and Range Anxiety is not really a thing you think about here at all. This is also why you see more and more non-Tesla EVs everyday here. I just came back from a Drive to Frankfurt and i've seen a ton of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cupra, VW, Skoda, KIA etc. EVs. None of them have huge Range, but they all sell very well, showing that Range is not as important as it is for Americans
Looks great. Now that is out of the way: price - £60k. So the lwb 7 seater with 4wd will be what? £77k? £75? Battery is good for how many cycles/years? 10yrs? 15? I just think it is a lot of money for what they're offering. The commercial van could pay for itself (£38k and loadsa miles) but a leisure vehicle? And if it's not that but just going to be the school-bus then wouldn't any SUV electric do that job? I'm struggling to see it's purpose, particularly from a pricepoint POV...
Love the look, It's great seeing vehicles like this, the mini, etc that do really give a styling nod to their heritage, agree it seems a tad bland for what was a cult vehicle, loved the Eau Rouge nod too :)
I dunno...I don't see much heritage styling with this - it's a van with two-tone paint and a big VW badge. Ni was looking for more, especially at the price. And, the US market only gets the gigantic version. No thanks.
@@robdc4829 I see what you mean Rob although I think if you removed the badge it's unmistakable where it's origins lie. I haven't seen the gigantic version and I'd be hoping it would be more suited to camping, this short version seems like just a big car really, and you can get a lot of car for 60k so yeah, a bit pricey.
this is fun due to all the colorway possibilities. so much flavor that is lacking in today cars. can already see everyone pointing out all the different styles and color pallets
For me it is like the future with DAB radio's that came out looking like a bit Art Deco which shows the designers were really at a loss at how to style a new type of tech. Very much like this imo.
10 secs to 60 is all that's needed for a family car along with 100mph top speed and 250+ mile range no matter what the temperature or weather. If that was focussed on rather than "hey, we can do 60 in less than 3" then prices of EVs might drop and more people might be able to afford them. This is an interesting vehicle but the diesel T5 is the better package at the moment.
£65K!!! 😮I can't help feeling that 'rediscovering the magic' of a classic design from the 60s and 70s might work a lot better if VW went back to their roots and produced something simpler and more affordable.
As always, Harry, a superb test but what I worry about with all the electric vehicles is that you have to take your eyes off the road to cool your feet or do any climate controls etc. There will be many accidents in the future through this sort of problem. It's illegal to use a phone to call someone but you can use these giant iPads to "control" a car. Very strange & potentially very dangerous. But it is certainly a looker, I must say.
I agree. It’s a problem with all new cars. Some are worse than others, especially the ones that require you to go somewhat deep in the IPad to do common and frequent operations such as controlling the cabin climate or audio. Leave knobs for these functions intact.
It’s a weird modern dichotomy. There was a parliamentary committee a couple of years ago that recommended that it should be law that mobile devices should be locked in the glovebox because they caused distractions. I was thinking “Have you ever sat in a Tesla?”
Fully agree, I still find it mind-boggling that smartphones are prohibited, yet modern cars are even more distracting, there's literally nothing you can do without taking your eyes off the road and trying to get an accurate touchscreen button to work....
We've come a long way since you had to pull up a lever next to the handbrake to get some heat in from the engine to warm your feet. Hats off to VW for making an interesting vehicle. For me, it's a bit expensive for what it is, but very keen to see where they take it. I hope it does well!
One thing i tend to notice with "skateboard" BEVs ie ones with the battery under the floor and therefore a low CofG but relatively high H point (the centre of gravity of the people sat in the seats, pretty much where ones hips sit) is that they tend to have quite high head toss motions. They have very good control of their mass transfer as the low CofG means lower moments, but there occupants are sat up and away from that CofG so the occupants move further as the chassis rolls and pitches. This slight disconnect in the feeling can i think lead to car sickness in passengers, especially with clumsy drivers who are not smooth on the thottle and can introduce unwanted accelerations! What this translates into is a car that is keen and fun to get into the bends, but passengers that are less keen 🙂
Fantastic, I love this new vehicle from VW. I tried to watch a previous video about it but it was just Becky Evans and her mate gooning about in it. You, Harry have done it proud. It's lovely.
Harry. Can't wait to see the camper van version. Great practical review. Oh how VWs have changed. My daughter had an old Beatle. We used to give her a hot water bottle to drive home with. Still it had a lot of character. I think this design works well. A lot better than what they did with the new Beatle. Cheers again
It's odd though, as he pointed out, the limited range nature of EVs doesn't suit the fundamental get-out-and-about and away from civilisation nature of a camper. And VW seem to know that by not making the interior as configurable or accessorised as they might for a camper base. Seems the "read" of the Buzz was more about what the Bus used to be not what it is now.
I love this thing - and I haven't even driven it yet (allthough that will change quite soon, at the E-Car Expo in Gothenburg, first weekend of December). I ask myself why anyone would get a typical crossover/suv EV (not actuall off-roader) as a familycar, when this is such a better option in every important way. Will the ID4 be redundant now? It should be - what is the point of it, really? I totally agree on there being more cars where the engine was not the party-trick, like the DS and the Rolls Royce, that need to come back as EVs - As a Renault-nerd, I want to see a new Renault Espace EV to go head-to-head with this, inspired by the style of the very first one. Renault used to be best in the world on this type of car (MPVs), before they lost them-selves in copying what others were doing (those damn crossover/SUVs). A new EV Avantime would be great as well (but that will never happen...) - that car was all about everything else than the engine.
Great review, Harry. I don't think VW have gone brain-dead on what this rig could be. What I think is they have NOT been given the funding to make it happen - typical VW beancounter approach to product development. Shame, really. But, the aftermarket is already abuzz and no doubt working on some very cool accessories and iterations to satisfy what VW is so tight-a**ed to provide! With a longer range and more aggressive pricing (if only because there WILL be competition), they could have a high-volume winner.
£60k plus !!!. I've owned a T5 LWB 102 bhp for 12 years. 550 miles on a tank full, weighs well over 2 tons. The range of this thing, at that weight, at night, cold and raining, I doubt could manage 125 miles tops. Well, that's progress folks!!! What a joke if you are a white van man, and I am. BTW, it would be a scrapper after 10 years max, because the battery would be phooked.
The whole world has turned into some kind of a joke Philip. You are right on all counts. Plus, not to mention, did you see how cheap and flimsy the armrests and console was on that thing? The whole interior in fact. Of course no leather even at this price, as the enviro-whackos this thing is aimed at would have a freakout. At 60k pounds, that translates roughly to $71k and with any additional options and the idiotic dealer markups here it would be pushing $80k+ USD. That's pure insanity.
@@otm646 Errrmmm?! "Weight doesn't really matter" - maybe if you live on the great plains, or have 100% recovery on regenerative braking... but I live in a place with hills, and weight does matter.
Great review as always Harry, thank you. I like the look of this but can’t help but think they missed a trick not having circular lights at the front for full homage to the early ones we all adore.
What we need to know is if we load the van up with tools and equipment does it hammer the capacity of the battery , most vans are useless on mileage fully loaded..
Of course Harry gets it re: 0-60 times. Seems like a lot of EV fans are rather new to the car world and they treat these things like a smartphone spec sheet: bigger, faster is better. It's not like that here. You can guarantee the first thing someone will say about a new EV is that the 6 second 0-60 is slow. Therefore the car is no good. Could VW make a family hatch do 60 in 3 seconds? I'm sure they could. But that isn't what most customers want or need. 60 in 9-10 has been the standard for typical family cars for ages. Because it's a pleasant level of performance for people who just want to get places.
They cite these things as a cope, in response to people citing the poor tech, poor infrastructure, the tech not being as green as it it's portrayed as and the price. Another of their favourites is to claim lower running costs, whilst ignoring the massive premium you pay upfront and that their electric will only be cheap until mass adoption drives prices up (especially on night tarrifs) and the governments start trying to recoup lost taxes on fuel.
Looks a lot like the first gen Espace with the split A pillar, and that’s no bad thing. Great but with the compromises that impact all fully electric cars at the moment. Truth is the UK government need to do a lot more for rural connectivity (5G, Fibre and charging networks)…
Would be interesting to see a comparison in price to the T1/T2, when they arrived. Around 60K pounds for a family car isn't that unusual now, but it still seems like a lot of money... edit: a very crude approximation makes this car about three times as expensive as the original, unless I've missed something.
Yeah inflation is a real thing but,cars are getting better and safer nowadays.you expect newer version of a car to be better.which it is.also safety and emission regulations make car more expensive.
It should've been a hybrid. Even with a smaller engine, just for going to those out of way places, as a top up for the batteries. Until larger capacity batteries that are quicker to charge come along, EVs are still going to be hampered by range issues.
Are we going to celebrate more vans on the road with the added insult of costing £65K for the privilege. Cracking review Harry as per usual.. just a shame on the subject.
I love it when very wealthy people tell me that 60k + for a "car" is a reasonable price? twice the cost of my Town centre house when purchased, and, if I now sold that same house, I could buy one and a half of these VW"s...my last car was a VW golf 1.4 petrol (12 months MOT) 450 quid!, the one before, a Kia ceed 250 quid...get the picture? This EV is a different car for me every year for the next 60 years.
This is about the first EV I've seen that I wouldn't mind owning! I just can't get past the weight of the things though. 2 and a half tonnes is bonkers.
Agreed 👍it looks Spot On 👌 Shame about the weight 🙈 and that price 🤣 Just think of what those poor 20" tyres have to put up with and the allarming rate they will wear out at. This is one of the EV issues not many people either know or want to talk about.
@@DiscoFang I just bought my Missus a new Discovery sport, which is (I think) 1900 kilos. The difference in weight is huge. The Disco could have 5 people of my size in it and it'd still weigh less than an empty ID Buzz!
Thanks for the video, Harry. This is the best real-world video I have seen about this van. I like it has real wheel drive. Front-wheel drive vans are a problem when going uphill on a gravel road.
Thank you, Harry, for the review. Interesting as always. On a wider issue, no road fund for electric use, no fuel duty either. So where is the vehicle duty for electric car use coming from? If everybody went electric there would be a £35 billion shortfall per annum in government revenue. Just saying.
Saw another video of this and the rear seats are all on a rail and can slide up and down anywhere including taking out completely or adding in more seats.
Harry, if you think £65k is reasonable either your judgement of vehicle value has been skewed by being continually exposed to top end supercars and classic cars and their price tags, or you have a secret weed field on the farm and you've been getting high on your own supply. Vehicle prices today are over priced and out of proportion and out of control.
Saw BUZZ in local Canadian Tire car park. Driver said it is the only one in Canada/ USA. Being tested for compliance. Data plate missing weight details an odd VIN number. Once testing done will be crushed! Ian Kershaw. Uxbridge, Ontario.Canada Have image but no means to share it with you. Love your reviews. Many Thanks
I know, I’d love to see these things driving around. I haven’t been up to date in car news in a LONG time but I guess that still holds true?? If Mexico gets them, Doug DeMuro will review it I am sure, he gets all the cool cars from down there
@@oambrosia It is? I hope they up the top speed a bit, places in the country have speed limits close to it’s top speed and I am sure most people do more than 90 in those places…
@@SilentRacer911 "The US reveal is coming in 2023" That said, hard to predict what the US spec models will offer. And really, does anyone really NEED to drive over 90?
I’d love to have a VW but they’re ridiculously overpriced and can’t afford one. I’ll be converting a Previa into a day camper for under 4k instead. Great video Harry, keep,up the good work 🍷
I'd love to get a Delica and do the same. Buying brand new seems like a dumb move if your primary use case is for a usable van that can also camp and maybe do some off-road stuff. Love the look of this van but the pricetag is silly given the sub par acceleration (for an ev) vs the price. Oh, and utter weirdness like drum brakes... on a fairly pricey ev in 2022/2023. What the fuck, Volkswagen?
@@VisionAssoc Is it daft because you either don't understand or can't answer? You suggested it's overpriced. That's not the same as saying it's expensive. Overpriced suggests you believe the asking price is incorrect. What should it be then?
I remember when family cars where not the same price as supercars, here have a electric earth friendly family car we made it so expensive that nobody can afford it, and if you could afford that kind of money you’d buy a land rover evoke.
I agree that VW have nailed it with the clean looks. I don't know why but my first thought on seeing it was that it reminded me of The Mystery Machine in the Scooby Doo cartoons!😂 £61k is a lot of wedge for what is really a rather basic EV.
Drum brakes in the rear have advantages believe it or not. Electric cars use their brakes much less than ICE vehicles and there can be a problem with surface corrosion build up on discs. Google advantages of drum brakes and you'll come up with a few other points.
57k is just way too much for something that originally, was supposed to allow families who couldn't afford much, to go on holiday. Once again a car manufacturer has catered to upper middle class families who are likely to buy this as a luxury item.
They absolutely nailed the exterior styling👍 And the ambient lighting on the door turning red as Harry opened the door in the multi storey car park is a nice touch. I agree with Harry,given the gestation time of the buzz,it should have a phone book (is that still a thing) thick list of options and lifestyle gadgets, to help remove another £8'000 from a well heeled buyer.
Sunday evenings are not complete without an episode of Harry's Garage
... or Harry's Farm.
And one of John Rogers’ walks.
He's the new London's Burning.
Yes, he is the Ultimate Car reviewbrah
Sunday evening, 5pm. Preparing dinner whilst watching Harry’s Garage. One of life’s pleasures for me at least.
This is what I love most about Harry, he owns and drives some of the most expensive and exotic cars in the world yet the clever design of a console splitter / bottle opener excites him! True enthusiasm on every level
13:18 Harry reminiscing about the old days - just as he passes an old Beetle. Lovely stuff.
I rewatched that to see, nicely spotted sir, and magical timing for Harry's topic of conversation at the time.
As the owner of an immaculate classic Toyota Previa GX from 1996 with 77,000 miles, this video gave me a wry smile. From the much applauded A pillar to the exterior profile; plus the interior layout - it is all deja vu. Difference is, the Previa was designed well over thirty years ago - and, mine is now over 26 years old. Mine is mid engined, has 4 wheel independent suspension and all disc brakes, air con and two sun roofs... need I go on.... Oh, and mine is less common plus, there is the price differential - the VW at £65k
Woah disc brakes all round, cutting edge stuff
Lovely. Vehicle …what would you replace it with ?
Great review. For a minute I thought Harry said it cost £65,000 ....for VW minibus!
The depreciation will be epic...but here in the UK you can lease one for£350 month.
Concept & presentation = good
Price = a long way from reality for a "family" car.
Its another " locked into PCP payments syndrome " machine , for the average family .
Can there be a better car review channel? I don’t think so…. Great job Harry keep the content flowing
Not being able to remove the rear seats is a bit of a deal breaker. The whole reason I bought a transporter kombi is so I can also use it as a van on occasion..
I agree and i think Kombi vans are the sweet spot for a multifunctional vehicle.
I was waiting to see VW produce a real electric Transporter but apparently Ford will make the new electric Transporter based on their new E Transit Custom.
I'd be more tempted to buy a Transit Kombi if VW can't make their own.
@@marks-0-0 I’ll stick to my diesel one. I need the 4wd and the difflock on occasions as I use it for fishing too.
Why is the interior so shit compared to the T6 multivan. I simply don’t get it rear seats mean it loses all of its practicality. A totally ruined interior and I’m devastated as I love the exterior style so much.
@@brettsta72 i think the idea is they are pitching the Buzz as a car not a multipurpose vehicle like the Multivan
So glad you mention how good sliding doors are, we have a disabled son and have had a Sharan for the last 10 years trying to replace it now is a nightmare.
No sliding doors anywhere and boots are too styled to get his wheel chair in the back.
When are these car companies going to realise a family car needs 5 proper seats and a square boot!!!
Great vid as usual Harry❤
I absolutely love sliding doors as well! I can’t understand why they aren’t “cool.”
Harry is the nicest guy of all YT car reviewers (though there are a lot of great car channels like the Car Guys or JeyEmm on Cars). He is so calm and enthusiastic at the same time without being silly or overexcited.
Fantastic as usual Harry - but - the fundamental issue of range remains unanswered (and where that electricity is coming from). I've just driven 3 hours to Stanstead, left the car for 10 days in damp and cold, and then come back 9 o'clock at night with a three hour drive to get home - my trusty old Merc E Class diesel is unbeatable at that, and I have no range anxiety of size / comfort issues. It's those conceptual questions that remains unanswered by the Industry.
I’m a simple man. I see a video by Harry’s Garage, I click. Another great review of another car I’ll never be able to afford.
Harry’s sending shoppers jumping out of the way! I seem to recall twenty grand being a decent amount for a car but now £65k for a minivan seems a lot. Maybe I am missing the point and the people who can afford these have huge houses with plenty of overnight charging options. Be interesting to see a road trip review with it fully loaded with a family and luggage and all the other stuff we take away.
Yep, utterly ridiculous. But then all evs seem twice the price of an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle. If this is well over 50k can you imagine the price of the long wheel base version and then again the camper version. You would be looking at £100,000. Utter madness. And with zero resale value as the battery has a very finite life and would cost more than the second hand value of the vehicle to replace. I cannot warm to any ev. Twice the price, much less practical and convenient and disposable after 10 or 15 years when the battery has degraded. Madness.
The VW T series has always been expensive.
@@VolkerHett this isn't as big as a t series though the t series is a proper van.
@@foxxster3565 But a fancy T series is pushing 90k and you don’t get the savings in running costs.
@@foxxster3565 Prefer the E-Transit IF I was ever tempted to go there.
Honestly, I never thought I would be watching Harry review this thing but I love it now that I see it. It’s not going to be as fast as most things, but hey, it’s an icon of his generation… Way to go Harry!!!
I feel like it should be slow as a homage to the old van, those things are slooooow 😂
Not really slow though is it to be honest
See it ? I could HEAR it that's for sure!!
The original was an icon of its generation, whereas this will be probably be forgotten about.
I love it. More interesting than the growing range of SUV EVs. Shame it doesn’t have round headlights but then I assume it’s using ID 3 and 4 parts wherever possible.
well the bulb or whatever it is looks round.
Great, honest review as always. I personally hate the 'washing machine' interior and the touch screen. But hey, I couldn't afford one anyway. £61,000....reasonable? Has the world gone mad?
That's the problem. Timing. Not long ago there were people who would pay 65k for this. I suspect those days are rapidly declining....
BMW M1, Aston Lagonda, now this.
The excess income required for this niche just isn't going to be there.
Unfortunately it has gone mad… there’s a bigger and bigger difference between the wealthy who can afford this nostalgia trip and the average working person who can’t 😢
@@cmmartti I agree with you. It would’ve been at least 10k cheaper if it’s petrol-fueled.
@@cmmartti And don't forget the most important part, paying INTEREST/finance charges on that fuel! Insanity.
Welcome to capitalism
Thanks for this clip - it's a bit of fresh air to watch a review of a "mundane" car like this rather than a feature of the upteenth superduperwhatnotohmygawd performance car.
Great video, Harry. £60K for a simple car? Cant be justified!! That "grille" will be fun to keep clean, leaves, mud, animals...
Love your inside parking info. Thanks Harry
Yes -- my first thought was about how to park it in a multi storey car park and Harry read my mind!
Thanks Harry! Between you, and Michael Waller, my Sundays are most enjoyable!
17:50 The adventure IS being stuck in the wilderness with no charge and having to find ways to get back to civilization.
Looks fantastic but £70k for a well specced one is very very strong money. The camper version will be close to £100k I reckon.
Regarding the camping issue. In the US, most developed campsites already have tons of plug-ins for RVs and trailers. No fast chargers, but if you are parked overnight, it will work out perfectly. Regarding one comment about loading it up affecting range, electric cars are minimally affected by load weight, it is aerodynamic drag that damages the range the most. So load it up all you want, but try to avoid a roof rack or trailer.
I know some trade people that say the van loaded with heaters on ,say mileage is roughly half of what the book says
RV's are welcome and loved in the US, sadly it is very different in the UK.
Yeah, but developed campsites are not “wild” are they.
The camper should be able to get you there, power what you need when you are there and get you home (or at least to a charger). Issue would be weight…
Depends, if you are cruising at a constant speed load won't effect range much. If you are starting and stopping a lot, it will.
The UK has electric hook-up at campsites but these are definitely not suitable for charging an EV (or even using a typical kettle and toaster at the same time!). Campsites would need to massively upgrade their infrastructure to allow for multiple EV charging.
What Harry didn't test is the Travel Assist, a system that seems to do its name justice. It is impressive what VW has done with its software, the trip planning is actually really good (in stark contrast to the otherwise excellent system from Kia/Hyundai) and seems to cater the needs of especially the EV newbie, without needing additional apps or otherwise from 3rd party services. That and the Travel Assist which, although an option, seems to be better than Tesla's.
Excellent stuff as always Harry
I test drove a van version yesterday. Drives well and feels very solid. Van has black interior and is more work like inside but identical mechanically.would like one but hard to justify the price as not as big as transporter and can only tow 1000kg.
have to say; if someone does a good camper conversion of this (not the long wheelbase) I'd defo be interested.
The big selling point of the original T2 (apart from its looks and relative cheapness) was/is its small size. In Britain at least. I remember family holidays down small Devon country lanes which would be impossible/difficult in most campers
I know they have been in a few videos already, but my eyes still glued to the F40 and F50 duo in the background.
Love the light interior.
Never understood why folk want black interiors to hide the dirt, I want to see the dirt so I can clean it off !
Couldn't help noticing no soft close doors.
Our 1997 Elgrand even has those.
C'mon VW
How many online and tv based car reviews do we now have? Too many to mention, yet Harry's is without doubt one of if not the most authoritive and interesting guys to offer opinion on both new and historic cars. I love the T2 Splittie. It's a sufer icon bus and is on more merchanise today than it ever has been. This new VW interpretation, which has been so long coming, hits all the buttons. The front end particularly is kind to the original. Harry's comprehensive account of the interior, exterior, handing etc. is so engaging to listen to and watch. Parking such a large vehicle in a mutli storey car park could potentially be a night mare, and few reviews cover such practical events. Harry's as ever was informative to the full. I'll look forward to seeing this new electric bus on the road. I hope it will bring a smile to my face and indeed so many other peoples as the Splittie always does.
Thanks Harry. My daily driver is a T5 Kombi, so this is right up my alley. Once you've had a van, you can't go back to a car...
Sunday evening, 5pm. Preparing dinner whilst watching Harry’s Garage. One of life’s pleasures for me at least.
I really love this design, it also appeals to me on so many levels - campervan, family wagon, flexible van capacity. Always been happy with VWs I have owned so this looks like a fab EV. Only problem is the price!
And...current range. For what it can inherently do, it's significantly limited by range.
@@allwheeldrive I don’t really agree. The vast majority of journeys are short and if I were to do a road trip, it’s super easy to arrange to charge on the way if needed. I really don’t think range is such a problem, it’s more a perception of a problem.
@@allwheeldrive
The only People i notice caring so much about Range are Americans, which makes Sense, the USA is huge so Range for an EV is #1 Priority.
In Europe, especially here in Germany Range isn't as important as long as it can do 400km + (about 250 Miles +)
Charging is everywhere in Germany and Range Anxiety is not really a thing you think about here at all.
This is also why you see more and more non-Tesla EVs everyday here.
I just came back from a Drive to Frankfurt and i've seen a ton of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cupra, VW, Skoda, KIA etc. EVs.
None of them have huge Range, but they all sell very well, showing that Range is not as important as it is for Americans
@@chartreux1532 It is important for Australians as well.
Looks great. Now that is out of the way: price - £60k. So the lwb 7 seater with 4wd will be what? £77k? £75? Battery is good for how many cycles/years? 10yrs? 15?
I just think it is a lot of money for what they're offering. The commercial van could pay for itself (£38k and loadsa miles) but a leisure vehicle? And if it's not that but just going to be the school-bus then wouldn't any SUV electric do that job? I'm struggling to see it's purpose, particularly from a pricepoint POV...
Nothing much else says; “more money than sense” than paying £65k for a van with seats in the back.
Love your excited enthusiasm….very infectious….great review, thank you
Love the look, It's great seeing vehicles like this, the mini, etc that do really give a styling nod to their heritage, agree it seems a tad bland for what was a cult vehicle, loved the Eau Rouge nod too :)
I dunno...I don't see much heritage styling with this - it's a van with two-tone paint and a big VW badge. Ni was looking for more, especially at the price.
And, the US market only gets the gigantic version. No thanks.
@@robdc4829 I see what you mean Rob although I think if you removed the badge it's unmistakable where it's origins lie. I haven't seen the gigantic version and I'd be hoping it would be more suited to camping, this short version seems like just a big car really, and you can get a lot of car for 60k so yeah, a bit pricey.
Not bland in the SLIGHTEST, easily one of the most unique looking vehicles on the road today.
Ordered one, back in June. No build date yet. I have been watching and following this for a decade too. I’m really looking forward to it arriving.
this is fun due to all the colorway possibilities. so much flavor that is lacking in today cars. can already see everyone pointing out all the different styles and color pallets
For me it is like the future with DAB radio's that came out looking like a bit Art Deco which shows the designers were really at a loss at how to style a new type of tech. Very much like this imo.
OMG … what an idea! Electric Citroen DS. YES. YES. YES!
i switched when the price was mentioned. Crazy
Harry doing down-to-Earth cars is a win for the channel. Do more of these, please!
60k vans 🤣 not even converted to a camper.
down to last penny in bank to pay for it do you mean?
If I had a family, other than the wife, that'd be a really nice car to have. Thanks for the tour!
10 secs to 60 is all that's needed for a family car along with 100mph top speed and 250+ mile range no matter what the temperature or weather. If that was focussed on rather than "hey, we can do 60 in less than 3" then prices of EVs might drop and more people might be able to afford them. This is an interesting vehicle but the diesel T5 is the better package at the moment.
Breaking the speed limit and driving the wrong way around the car park. Classic Harry
I love the design. The first electric car that I really want :-DD
£65K!!! 😮I can't help feeling that 'rediscovering the magic' of a classic design from the 60s and 70s might work a lot better if VW went back to their roots and produced something simpler and more affordable.
As always, Harry, a superb test but what I worry about with all the electric vehicles is that you have to take your eyes off the road to cool your feet or do any climate controls etc. There will be many accidents in the future through this sort of problem. It's illegal to use a phone to call someone but you can use these giant iPads to "control" a car. Very strange & potentially very dangerous. But it is certainly a looker, I must say.
That's not an EV problem, see the Golf 8 touchscreens...
I agree. It’s a problem with all new cars. Some are worse than others, especially the ones that require you to go somewhat deep in the IPad to do common and frequent operations such as controlling the cabin climate or audio. Leave knobs for these functions intact.
It’s a weird modern dichotomy. There was a parliamentary committee a couple of years ago that recommended that it should be law that mobile devices should be locked in the glovebox because they caused distractions.
I was thinking “Have you ever sat in a Tesla?”
It’s what modern consumers want apparently - connectivity and screen size are more important than handling and ergonomics
Fully agree, I still find it mind-boggling that smartphones are prohibited, yet modern cars are even more distracting, there's literally nothing you can do without taking your eyes off the road and trying to get an accurate touchscreen button to work....
Interesting content. Keep up the good work on your channel. Regards, WR4K.
7:00 That white wheel and buttons are going to get dirt ugly. Anywho, 60K for a small van is still waaaay too much.
Can't wait for them to come to Canada! My 2000 VW Bug keeps going but is soon to be a collector's item! Thanks for your review
We've come a long way since you had to pull up a lever next to the handbrake to get some heat in from the engine to warm your feet. Hats off to VW for making an interesting vehicle. For me, it's a bit expensive for what it is, but very keen to see where they take it. I hope it does well!
the Kombi engine was in the rear, did they have a little duct blowing the engine air forward?
And now for something completely different....great review, Harry, very interesting!
One thing i tend to notice with "skateboard" BEVs ie ones with the battery under the floor and therefore a low CofG but relatively high H point (the centre of gravity of the people sat in the seats, pretty much where ones hips sit) is that they tend to have quite high head toss motions. They have very good control of their mass transfer as the low CofG means lower moments, but there occupants are sat up and away from that CofG so the occupants move further as the chassis rolls and pitches. This slight disconnect in the feeling can i think lead to car sickness in passengers, especially with clumsy drivers who are not smooth on the thottle and can introduce unwanted accelerations! What this translates into is a car that is keen and fun to get into the bends, but passengers that are less keen 🙂
Interesting observation, I agree
I concur, that's an interesting point.
Fantastic, I love this new vehicle from VW. I tried to watch a previous video about it but it was just Becky Evans and her mate gooning about in it. You, Harry have done it proud. It's lovely.
Harry. Can't wait to see the camper van version. Great practical review. Oh how VWs have changed. My daughter had an old Beatle. We used to give her a hot water bottle to drive home with. Still it had a lot of character. I think this design works well. A lot better than what they did with the new Beatle. Cheers again
It's odd though, as he pointed out, the limited range nature of EVs doesn't suit the fundamental get-out-and-about and away from civilisation nature of a camper. And VW seem to know that by not making the interior as configurable or accessorised as they might for a camper base. Seems the "read" of the Buzz was more about what the Bus used to be not what it is now.
@@DiscoFang we need to develop hydrogen for larger vehicles to tow etc and pure electric for smaller family cars.
@@lightningleaf23 or synthetic fuel.
First time watch and now a new sub. Nice and honest feeling review. Thx. Looking forward to more
I love this thing - and I haven't even driven it yet (allthough that will change quite soon, at the E-Car Expo in Gothenburg, first weekend of December). I ask myself why anyone would get a typical crossover/suv EV (not actuall off-roader) as a familycar, when this is such a better option in every important way. Will the ID4 be redundant now? It should be - what is the point of it, really? I totally agree on there being more cars where the engine was not the party-trick, like the DS and the Rolls Royce, that need to come back as EVs - As a Renault-nerd, I want to see a new Renault Espace EV to go head-to-head with this, inspired by the style of the very first one. Renault used to be best in the world on this type of car (MPVs), before they lost them-selves in copying what others were doing (those damn crossover/SUVs). A new EV Avantime would be great as well (but that will never happen...) - that car was all about everything else than the engine.
I'm in Canada and I am looking forward to seeing this vehicle. I like the false floor because you can fold the seats and sleep in the back!
Great review, Harry. I don't think VW have gone brain-dead on what this rig could be. What I think is they have NOT been given the funding to make it happen - typical VW beancounter approach to product development. Shame, really. But, the aftermarket is already abuzz and no doubt working on some very cool accessories and iterations to satisfy what VW is so tight-a**ed to provide! With a longer range and more aggressive pricing (if only because there WILL be competition), they could have a high-volume winner.
This will be a huge success. They can't build them fast enough.
£60k plus !!!. I've owned a T5 LWB 102 bhp for 12 years. 550 miles on a tank full, weighs well over 2 tons. The range of this thing, at that weight, at night, cold and raining, I doubt could manage 125 miles tops. Well, that's progress folks!!! What a joke if you are a white van man, and I am. BTW, it would be a scrapper after 10 years max, because the battery would be phooked.
The whole world has turned into some kind of a joke Philip. You are right on all counts. Plus, not to mention, did you see how cheap and flimsy the armrests and console was on that thing? The whole interior in fact. Of course no leather even at this price, as the enviro-whackos this thing is aimed at would have a freakout. At 60k pounds, that translates roughly to $71k and with any additional options and the idiotic dealer markups here it would be pushing $80k+ USD. That's pure insanity.
Looks good, but pretty expensive, and I bet the range drops off a LOT when loaded up or towing... But sure VW will sell plenty! Another great video :)
Weight really doesn't matter it's aerodynamic drag. That's why EVs have such a hard time towing, it's the aerodynamics.
@@otm646 Errrmmm?! "Weight doesn't really matter" - maybe if you live on the great plains, or have 100% recovery on regenerative braking... but I live in a place with hills, and weight does matter.
Sell plenty to who? The days of cheap abundant money are gone.
The market for this expensive niche is rapidly drying up....
@@otm646 More nonsense from EV activists; Weight affects performance.
Thanks Harry that was great, a nice interpretation of the T2 when they improve tbe range it will be something tbat bus buyers may consider.
Great review as always Harry, thank you. I like the look of this but can’t help but think they missed a trick not having circular lights at the front for full homage to the early ones we all adore.
What we need to know is if we load the van up with tools and equipment does it hammer the capacity of the battery , most vans are useless on mileage fully loaded..
Of course Harry gets it re: 0-60 times. Seems like a lot of EV fans are rather new to the car world and they treat these things like a smartphone spec sheet: bigger, faster is better. It's not like that here. You can guarantee the first thing someone will say about a new EV is that the 6 second 0-60 is slow. Therefore the car is no good. Could VW make a family hatch do 60 in 3 seconds? I'm sure they could. But that isn't what most customers want or need. 60 in 9-10 has been the standard for typical family cars for ages. Because it's a pleasant level of performance for people who just want to get places.
They cite these things as a cope, in response to people citing the poor tech, poor infrastructure, the tech not being as green as it it's portrayed as and the price.
Another of their favourites is to claim lower running costs, whilst ignoring the massive premium you pay upfront and that their electric will only be cheap until mass adoption drives prices up (especially on night tarrifs) and the governments start trying to recoup lost taxes on fuel.
It’s amazing that a vehicle with a shoebox shape looks so good. I think I want one if they are available in the US.
Its a lot of weight that electric motor is pulling around. Id like to see a realistic cost per mile...
Looks a lot like the first gen Espace with the split A pillar, and that’s no bad thing. Great but with the compromises that impact all fully electric cars at the moment.
Truth is the UK government need to do a lot more for rural connectivity (5G, Fibre and charging networks)…
Would be interesting to see a comparison in price to the T1/T2, when they arrived. Around 60K pounds for a family car isn't that unusual now, but it still seems like a lot of money...
edit: a very crude approximation makes this car about three times as expensive as the original, unless I've missed something.
Cars were Sooooo much cheaper back then probably because they also had no features etc
@@288gto7 and the nature of mass production means it doesnt even make sense financially for an OEM to make a vehicle with few features for cheap...
Yeah inflation is a real thing but,cars are getting better and safer nowadays.you expect newer version of a car to be better.which it is.also safety and emission regulations make car more expensive.
Next failure for vw... is out of the reality.
You haven't missed anything at all. Its target market is not the same as the original Type-2 air cooled classics.
It should've been a hybrid. Even with a smaller engine, just for going to those out of way places, as a top up for the batteries. Until larger capacity batteries that are quicker to charge come along, EVs are still going to be hampered by range issues.
Are we going to celebrate more vans on the road with the added insult of costing £65K for the privilege.
Cracking review Harry as per usual.. just a shame on the subject.
I love it when very wealthy people tell me that 60k + for a "car" is a reasonable price? twice the cost of my Town centre house when purchased, and, if I now sold that same house, I could buy one and a half of these VW"s...my last car was a VW golf 1.4 petrol (12 months MOT) 450 quid!, the one before, a Kia ceed 250 quid...get the picture?
This EV is a different car for me every year for the next 60 years.
This is about the first EV I've seen that I wouldn't mind owning! I just can't get past the weight of the things though. 2 and a half tonnes is bonkers.
Yikes! I almost choked when he said the weight.
I think you might be surprised at the weight of seemingly normal ICE cars too. It's a large vehicle. Many ICE family vehicles are over 2 tons.
Agreed 👍it looks Spot On 👌 Shame about the weight 🙈 and that price 🤣 Just think of what those poor 20" tyres have to put up with and the allarming rate they will wear out at. This is one of the EV issues not many people either know or want to talk about.
@@DiscoFang I just bought my Missus a new Discovery sport, which is (I think) 1900 kilos. The difference in weight is huge. The Disco could have 5 people of my size in it and it'd still weigh less than an empty ID Buzz!
@@marwood1969 A new BMW X5 weighs anywhere between 2.3-2.5tons.
Thanks for the video, Harry. This is the best real-world video I have seen about this van. I like it has real wheel drive. Front-wheel drive vans are a problem when going uphill on a gravel road.
Actually the perfect EV - kip in the back whilst charges. Or you wait for a charger.
You can tow a diesel generator behind 😉 winner!
Won’t hold my breath here in Australia but I’d have the commercial version. One of The Auto world’s, no brainer, designs.
Watching Harry's Garage instead of Top Gear 👍
Thank you, Harry, for the review. Interesting as always. On a wider issue, no road fund for electric use, no fuel duty either. So where is the vehicle duty for electric car use coming from? If everybody went electric there would be a £35 billion shortfall per annum in government revenue. Just saying.
2.5 tons, you frankly kinda wonder where all that weight is. Bad range, no equipment, no sound proofing, ...
+1. Thank you. Back in the day I owned a 1970 VW Campmobile. Huge range. Good times.
Love the looks, hate the price. And we are looking at 80k for a campervan, mad! I will stick to a second hand sportscar and nice hotels.
Saw another video of this and the rear seats are all on a rail and can slide up and down anywhere including taking out completely or adding in more seats.
Harry, if you think £65k is reasonable either your judgement of vehicle value has been skewed by being continually exposed to top end supercars and classic cars and their price tags, or you have a secret weed field on the farm and you've been getting high on your own supply.
Vehicle prices today are over priced and out of proportion and out of control.
As are prices of most things. Long gone are the days of a family buying a house from a single income, etc.
Well said! Testing the Range Rover Sport, Harry said it was a normal family, car… at 100k… I got a fair bit of “abuse” when I mentioned it
“It’s a big car.” ..As I slowly look around my Toyota Sequoia. Spot on then mate.
Undoubtedly Harry’s going to make space for this in his garage by doing a part exchange with the Testarossa 😅
It's clearly only meant for the likes of Harry and Jay Leno; not for the masses. Anyhow, it's electric so a total non starter for me.
Saw BUZZ in local Canadian Tire car park. Driver said it is the only one in Canada/ USA. Being tested for compliance. Data plate missing weight details an odd VIN number. Once testing done will be crushed!
Ian Kershaw.
Uxbridge, Ontario.Canada
Have image but no means to share it with you.
Love your reviews. Many Thanks
I really wish we had these vehicle offerings and models in North America.
I know, I’d love to see these things driving around. I haven’t been up to date in car news in a LONG time but I guess that still holds true?? If Mexico gets them, Doug DeMuro will review it I am sure, he gets all the cool cars from down there
It is coming. Just not yet!
@@oambrosia excited for it!
@@oambrosia It is? I hope they up the top speed a bit, places in the country have speed limits close to it’s top speed and I am sure most people do more than 90 in those places…
@@SilentRacer911 "The US reveal is coming in 2023" That said, hard to predict what the US spec models will offer. And really, does anyone really NEED to drive over 90?
Bless him for doing the multistory car park he is right it is important
I’d love to have a VW but they’re ridiculously overpriced and can’t afford one. I’ll be converting a Previa into a day camper for under 4k instead. Great video Harry, keep,up the good work 🍷
I'd love to get a Delica and do the same. Buying brand new seems like a dumb move if your primary use case is for a usable van that can also camp and maybe do some off-road stuff. Love the look of this van but the pricetag is silly given the sub par acceleration (for an ev) vs the price. Oh, and utter weirdness like drum brakes... on a fairly pricey ev in 2022/2023. What the fuck, Volkswagen?
Overpriced?
What should the price be then?
@@tastypymp1287 Bit of a daft question, it’s just my opinion. I’m sure there will be many who will be itching to part with north of 60K for it 🙄
@@VisionAssoc Is it daft because you either don't understand or can't answer?
You suggested it's overpriced. That's not the same as saying it's expensive.
Overpriced suggests you believe the asking price is incorrect. What should it be then?
@@tastypymp1287 You obviously don’t understand the concept of what an “opinion” is 🙄…Last reply from me, goodbye….
They've really done their homework, well, at Volkswagen, that is really apparent. Great testing work, and communication.
I remember when family cars where not the same price as supercars, here have a electric earth friendly family car we made it so expensive that nobody can afford it, and if you could afford that kind of money you’d buy a land rover evoke.
Harry, Europe gets its first North American style Mini-Van. Congratulations from Canada.
I agree that VW have nailed it with the clean looks. I don't know why but my first thought on seeing it was that it reminded me of The Mystery Machine in the Scooby Doo cartoons!😂 £61k is a lot of wedge for what is really a rather basic EV.
Drum brakes in the rear ?! Stylish and utility in the VW tradition, Harry always delivers the best reviews
Drum brakes in the rear have advantages believe it or not. Electric cars use their brakes much less than ICE vehicles and there can be a problem with surface corrosion build up on discs. Google advantages of drum brakes and you'll come up with a few other points.
57k is just way too much for something that originally, was supposed to allow families who couldn't afford much, to go on holiday. Once again a car manufacturer has catered to upper middle class families who are likely to buy this as a luxury item.
I have been waiting for this, thanks Harry!
They absolutely nailed the exterior styling👍
And the ambient lighting on the door turning red as Harry opened the door in the multi storey car park is a nice touch.
I agree with Harry,given the gestation time of the buzz,it should have a phone book (is that still a thing) thick list of options and lifestyle gadgets, to help remove another £8'000 from a well heeled buyer.