Interior trims – the two-colour styling mirrors the exterior
Through opening the doors what is made accessible in the ID. Buzz is not only a very big and typically Bulli-like interior with high seat positions, comfortable armrests, lots of space and countless storage trays, but also a high-tech interior and an enthrallingly mixed interplay of colours and materials. In combination with the optional ‘Style’ interior packages, the colours here correspond systematically with the exterior paintwork finishes. Four of the designs deliberately reflect the respective exterior colour in the seat inner panels, the central area of the instrument panel and the door inserts. The interior colour ‘X-Blue’ goes particularly well with the exterior colour ‘Starlight Blue’, ‘Saffron Orange’ with ‘Energetic Orange’, ‘Jade Green’ with ‘Bay Leaf Green’ and ‘Lime Yellow’ with the identically named exterior paintwork finish. The effect corresponding with the exterior is reinforced by the fact that the contrasting colour of the paintwork - "Candy White" - is also reflected in the interior. The matching interior colour is called "Electric White" and is used for the steering wheel, the instrument panel, the door panels around the inserts and the outer and back surfaces of the seats, among other things.
Digitalised and online – redesigned and yet a typical Bulli
Matching the elevated seat position of the driver and front-seat passenger, the instrument panel in the ID. Buzz also sits very high up. And that is typical of the Bulli. All indicators are digital and are on an ergonomically ideal line of sight. The ‘Digital Cockpit’ in front of the driver consists of a large display (5.3 inches across diagonally). Positioned centrally in the middle of the dashboard is the infotainment system with a large touchscreen. The ‘Ready 2 Discover’ system that is fitted as standard has a 10-inch screen, while the optional ‘Discover Pro’ navigation system has a 12-inch one. Already included in the base version of the infotainment system of the five-seater MPV are the services of ‘We Connect’ and ‘We Connect Plus’, ‘App-Connect’ including ‘App-Connect Wireless’) for smartphone integration and DAB+ (digital radio reception). For the ID. Buzz Cargo ‘App Connect’ and DAB+ will be available as options. Both the ‘Digital Cockpit’ and infotainment system are connected with the instrument panel only at the bottom. As a result the infotainment system's display has the optical feel of a tablet in landscape format floating freely in the air.
Beneath the infotainment system, ergonomically very accessible, is a control bar with digital buttons and touch sliders. The touch sliders are used to regulate the interior temperature and the volume of the infotainment sound. The buttons, meanwhile, provide direct access to menus for the settings of the air conditioning, the assist systems, the driving profiles and the parking functions. The operation of the automatic transmission is via a steering column switch: turn it forwards from the neutral position ‘N’ to ‘D’ and the vehicle moves forwards, turn it back from ‘N’ to ‘R’ and it moves backwards. To the left of the multifunction steering wheel and its touch controls there is an island of digital controls for activating the light functions, the windscreen and rear window heating, and maximum ventilation of the windscreen. The MPV version is fitted out with up to eight USB-C ports: to the right of the steering wheel are two USB-C ports and a tray for a smartphone with an inductive charging function. There is a further USB-C port in the front seat passenger door and, dependent on specification, in the rear-view mirror mount. In the back of the ID. Buzz there are USB-C ports in the two sliding doors and on the left and right of the load space. The ID. Buzz Cargo has up to five USB-C ports: one on the left on the instrument panel, two above the smartphone tray, one in the front passenger door and another in combination with the rain sensor in the rear-view mirror mount. In the area under the infotainment system both vehicle variants also have a flip-lid compartment with two cup holders. In the ID. Buzz Cargo, as in the T6.1 Transporter and the large Crafter, there are two further cup holders placed in front of the A-pillars.
Interactive ‘ID. Light’ – intuitive cognition provides for safety
As is the case for all models of the ID. family, the new ID. Buzz as an MPV also comes with the interactive ‘ID. Light’. The narrow illuminated strip stretches across in front of the windscreen in the driver's field of vision above the instrument panel. By means of ‘ID. Light’ the driver receives intuitively understandable information. This intuitive recognition and evaluation of the information is made easier by the position and colour of the signal. Two examples: A signal in the right-hand area of the strip advises, depending on colour, of obstructions in this area or corresponds with the navigation instruction to change lane. The ‘ID. Light’ lighting up completely in red, meanwhile, signals: Beware! Brake!
Ambient light – 10 colours as standard, 30 optional
The ID. Buzz in the MPV version is fitted as standard with 10-colour ambient lighting. As an option, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will also be offering a 30-colour version. The areas lit up in the individually selected shade of the 30-colour variant are a light strip in the instrument panel, the decorative strips in the four doors, and the storage bins in the doors. The footwell is bathed in white light. The ‘Digital Cockpit’ and the infotainment system also take on the chosen base shade. In addition to the individual colours – two can be combined in each case for the different zones – it is possible via a ‘Mood Menu’ to activate preconfigured lighting profiles with just one touch via the infotainment system.
Seating – comfortable, safe and practical
In the MPV, driver and front-seat passenger sit on comfortable individual seats. As you get into the vehicle, you can already sense that the seats have an elevated position and that a typical Bulli feeling is thus created. Even the base version of the front seats has an armrest on the inside. In the higher specification versions the front seats have armrests on the outside too. Integrated into the backrests of the front seats is in each case a side airbag (thorax airbag), which thus adapts itself automatically to the respective seat position. In the driver's seat there is also a centre airbag, which in the event of a crash protects the driver and front-seat passenger from hitting each other. The top versions of the seats will be completely electrically adjustable and have both a memory function and massage function. The front seats can be adjusted by up to 245 mm lengthways and 61.5 mm in height. Used on the second row is a comfortable three-person bench seat with a 1/3 to 2/3 split. It can be moved lengthways a total of 150 mm. A love for detail is reflected in the stylised vehicle silhouette that is embossed in the lower side seat trim. Wholly practical, by contrast, is the fact that the two backrests of the rear bench seat can have their tilt separately adjusted and be separately folded down. Thanks to the optional height-adjustable luggage room floor this creates a level load space surface.
‘Buzz Box’ – the versatile multi-function tool
As a special feature for the new model line, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has developed the removable ‘Buzz Box’. In its top part it provides a large storage compartment. Integrated in there, always close at hand, are an ice scraper and a bottle opener. At the front, meanwhile, there is flip-open compartment with a capacity of 1.4 litres (e.g., for a water bottle), and at the back a 5-litre drawer for implements of every kind. Another example of the attention to detail in the new ID. Buzz is seen when the drawer is pulled out: embossed on its sides is a map of the world. The van’s ‘Buzz Box’, meanwhile, is specifically tailored to use at work. In its top section in provides a large compartment for a laptop or clipboard, and a further cup holder. On the front it also has a 1.4-litre flip-open compartment. In the two-seat Cargo and five-seat MPV the box is latched in place between the driver’s seat and front passenger seat. It can also be easily and quickly taken out and fitted back in.