Volkswagen ID. Buzz vs BMW 8 Series

What's the difference?

VS
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Volkswagen ID. Buzz

$79,990 - $109,990

2025 price

BMW 8 Series
BMW 8 Series

2021 price

Summary

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz
2021 BMW 8 Series
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Not Applicable, 0.0L

Twin Turbo V8, 4.4L
Fuel Type
Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
0.0L/100km (combined)

10.4L/100km (combined)
Seating
7

4
Dislikes
  • Some wind noise
  • No spare wheel
  • So-so steering feel

  • Firm ride
  • Tight rear headroom
  • Mediocre warranty
2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Summary

You might call it six degrees of Kombi separation. Somewhere, somehow just about all of us have a VW bus lurking in our family and friends' back story. And this is the latest version of that familiar box on wheels to hit the Aussie market.

It’s the premium, sportier, AWD GTX version of the pure-electric Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

This one-box wonder hits the retro-futurist ball out of the park and we attended its local launch to explore whether what’s under the skin supports the promise of its stunning exterior.

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2021 BMW 8 Series Summary

The right lane on Aussie freeways is occasionally referred to as the ‘fast lane’, which is laughable because the highest legal speed in the entire country is 130km/h (81mph). And that’s only on a few stretches in the Top End. Other than that, 110km/h (68mph) is all you’re getting.

Sure, a 'buck thirty' isn’t hanging around, but the subject of this review is a 460kW (625hp) four-door missile, capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, and on to a maximum velocity somewhat in excess of our legal limit. 

Fact is, the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe is born and bred in Germany, where the autobahn’s left lane is serious territory, with open speed sections, and the car itself the only thing holding you back. In this case, to no less than 305km/h (190mph)!

Which begs the question, isn’t steering this machine onto an Aussie highway like cracking a walnut with a twin-turbo, V8-powered sledgehammer?

Well, yes, But by that logic a whole bunch of high-end, ultra high-performance cars would instantly become surplus to requirements here. Yet they continue to sell, in healthy numbers.  

So, there’s got to be more to it. Time to investigate.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz 2021 BMW 8 Series

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