First Drive: Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz gets even more practical with long wheelbase version

But what if you need a little extra roominess? That’s where this model – the ID.Buzz Long wheelbase, or LWB for short – comes in. It’s got space for a seven and just a little more space than the already-spacious regular van. We’ve been trying it out.

It’s also a flexible platform, so it can be used on different-sized vehicles, from the ID.3 right the way through to this large, practical van. Or, if you need some extra space, it can be extended to provide room for seven seats – as is the case with this long-wheelbase version.

In terms of range, the ID.Buzz’s 86kWh battery should, according to Volkswagen, deliver up to 286 miles from a single charge. A maximum charge rate of 200kW also means that you could get from five to 80 per cent in 30 minutes when you’re hooked up to a suitably rapid charging unit.

The ride quality is good, too, and when you’re cruising along the Buzz remains quiet, with only a small amount of wind noise coming from the upright windscreen and large wing mirrors. The only issue is that because of the Buzz’s square shape and large size, it can’t deliver the best efficiency, with its miles per kWh – an EV equivalent of miles per gallon – far behind rivals, though few are as large and as spacious as this model.

It’s not easy to distinguish this long-wheelbase version from the rest of the range, either, despite a wheelbase increase of 250mm. It’s only when you park it against other ‘normal’ cars that you realise just how long of a vehicle it is overall – though it’s still easy to park thanks to its boxy design.

The Buzz is dotted with loads of other great features, too. There are USB-C charging points practically everywhere – so there should be no arguments about who gets to charge their devices – and you can even remove the central storage cubby between the front seats to make getting to the middle of the vehicle a bit easier when you’re parked up.

But on base ID.Buzz seven-seaters you still get more than enough equipment as standard, including 19-inch alloy wheels, a 12.9-inch colour touchscreen and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems. So unless you’re desperate for more toys – like upgraded headlights and 20-inch alloy wheels – the standard specification should provide more than enough equipment while helping to keep the price down.

Having a seven-seater version of the ID.Buzz with more space and practicality can only be a good thing. The good news is that it’s just as easy to drive as the regular model and while its electric efficiency isn’t the best, it delivers in pretty much every other area. It’s good looking and, providing you go easy with the specifications, brings quite a lot of vehicle for the money.

It was always odd that the Buzz wasn’t launched with a seven-seater option but now, given the tiny increase over the standard model, opting for this version seems like a no-brainer.