26-Year-Old Learns Why You Sign Your Traffic Tickets
Discover everything you need to know about 26-Year-Old Learns Why You Sign Your Traffic Tickets. This comprehensive guide covers all the essential details.
The Ultimate 2025 Family EV Showdown: Volkswagen ID. Buzz Takes on the Kia EV9
In the rapidly expanding landscape of electric vehicles, discerning families in 2025 face an exciting, yet complex, choice when seeking their next three-row transporter. The market has matured significantly, offering compelling options that blend sustainability with practicality. Standing at the forefront of this evolution are two distinct, yet similarly priced, challengers: the much-anticipated 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz and the established 2024 Kia EV9. While one evokes nostalgic charm with a futuristic twist, the other defines contemporary electric SUV sophistication. As an expert who has navigated the automotive industry for over a decade, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformation of family transport, and these two vehicles represent pivotal moments. This deep dive will dissect every crucial aspect, guiding you through the nuanced decision of which premium electric SUV or electric family van truly reigns supreme for your dynamic household.
The Contenders: A 2025 Overview
The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz arrives as a breath of fresh air, reimagining the iconic VW Bus for the electric age. Our focus is on the AWD Pro S Plus trim, which, with an EPA-estimated 231 miles of range and a potent 335-horsepower dual-motor powertrain fed by a 91-kWh battery, carries an as-tested price of $70,540. Its DC fast-charging capability of up to 200 kilowatts is competitive, positioning it as a serious contender for families seeking a blend of unique style and modern EV performance.
Meanwhile, the Kia EV9, specifically our long-term Land AWD model, has quickly cemented its status since its 2024 debut. Now a familiar sight on the roads in 2025, it commands a slightly higher as-tested price of $74,305 (though current 2025 models might see slight adjustments in options or pricing). Powered by a larger 99.8-kWh battery, it delivers a robust 379 horsepower and an impressive EPA-estimated 280 miles of range. Its faster DC fast-charging at up to 210 kW gives it an edge in the crucial aspect of minimizing downtime during travel.
Despite their divergent aesthetics – the retro-futuristic van versus the sharply chiseled SUV – both are fundamentally designed to move people and their gear efficiently and sustainably. Their proximity in price demands a meticulous comparison, not just on paper, but through real-world scenarios that define family life in 2025.
Interior Space and Unrivaled Comfort: Prioritizing Your Passengers
For many families, the internal environment of a vehicle is paramount. In this arena, the ID. Buzz interior volume immediately stands out. From my extensive experience, few vehicles, regardless of powertrain, can rival the sheer sense of spaciousness the ID. Buzz offers. Climbing into the driver’s seat of the VW, you’re greeted by an elevated command position, reminiscent of a classic bus or delivery van, granting an expansive view of the road ahead. While its upright windshield and extended roofline can occasionally obscure overhead stoplights, requiring a slight head tilt, the overall feeling is one of open freedom. The seats, though perhaps not as plush as the EV9’s front and second rows, provide ample support for long journeys, crucial for a spacious electric family car.
The true revelation in the ID. Buzz comes in the second and third rows. The VW’s longer wheelbase translates directly into a cavernous second row that feels genuinely expansive, easily accommodating adults with stretch-out legroom. But it’s the third row where the ID. Buzz truly shines, offering adult-friendly accommodations that can rival some second rows in terms of actual usability. Taller passengers will find it surprisingly comfortable, a stark contrast to many three-row configurations where the back row is often an afterthought. This makes the ID. Buzz a compelling choice for large families or those who frequently transport adult groups, solidifying its position as a top-tier three-row electric vehicle comfort benchmark.
The Kia EV9, by comparison, offers excellent comfort, particularly in its front and second rows. The front seats are notably well-cushioned and supportive, making long drives pleasant. The EV9 captain’s chairs in the second row are a highlight, featuring ventilation, integrated window sunshades, and a dual moonroof that creates an open, airy cabin feel. For many, these amenities enhance the journey. However, when it comes to the third row, the EV9, while functional, is best reserved for children or smaller adults on shorter trips. While it offers convenient one-touch folding and sliding for access, adults will find it significantly tighter than the ID. Buzz’s expansive rearmost seating. In essence, if maximum occupant comfort across all three rows is your non-negotiable priority, especially for adult passengers, the ID. Buzz pulls ahead.
In-Cabin Storage: Practicality for the Modern Family
In the day-to-day grind of family life, well-thought-out storage solutions can make all the difference. Here, the Kia EV9 demonstrates a more conventional, yet undeniably practical, approach that resonates with the needs of a modern family. Its front center console is a masterclass in functional design, featuring generous bins and cupholders, alongside a voluminous open lower storage area perfect for larger bags or electronics. This design philosophy extends throughout the cabin, offering intuitive and accessible spots for all the odds and ends that accompany family travel. The slide-out bin and tray for second-row passengers further enhance its utility, making it a strong contender for practical electric car features.
The ID. Buzz, while outwardly spacious, adopts a somewhat different philosophy for small-item storage. Its open and airy cabin aesthetic sacrifices some of the dedicated cubby space found in the EV9. The central console between the front seats is notably smaller, and its storage areas are less expansive. While it features a clever, small bin that opens from the backside, it simply doesn’t match the EV9’s capacity for stashing everyday items like phones, wallets, and children’s toys. Fun, quirky touches like integrated bottle openers and ice scrapers in console dividers are charming but lean more towards novelty than everyday utility. From an expert perspective, while the ID. Buzz offers vast overall space to simply place a backpack on the floor, the EV9’s dedicated, organized storage is ultimately more useful for keeping a family’s belongings secure and accessible. For those prioritizing EV interior storage solutions that are both plentiful and thoughtfully designed, the EV9 maintains an edge.
User Interface & Integrated Technology: Navigating the Digital Dash
The user interface (UI) in modern EVs is more than just an infotainment screen; it’s the gateway to the vehicle’s soul, dictating interaction and overall driving experience. In the 2025 market, the battle between physical controls and touch-sensitive surfaces continues, and this comparison highlights the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. The Kia EV9, in my professional opinion, offers a more harmonious blend, making its intuitive electric vehicle controls a significant advantage. Its touchscreen infotainment system is highly intuitive with logical menus, but crucially, Kia retains an array of physical buttons for frequently accessed functions like climate control temperature, heated/ventilated seats, and audio adjustments. This tactile feedback is invaluable, reducing driver distraction and allowing for quick adjustments without eyes leaving the road. While the small climate panel on the dashboard can be partially obscured by the steering wheel, and the combined drive mode selector/start-stop button can feel less intuitive initially, the overall experience is one of straightforward functionality. The Kia EV9 user experience prioritizes ease of use and safety.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, while visually engaging with its richer display colors and reasonably intuitive tile menus, falls prey to a prevailing VW design trend: a heavy reliance on touch-sensitive controls beyond the main screen. The touch-sensitive steering-wheel controls, which can be prone to accidental inputs (such as inadvertently setting cruise control with a casual swipe), prove frustrating in real-world driving. Similarly, the slider controls for volume and temperature, while responsive, lack the precision and immediate feedback of physical buttons. This can lead to moments of over-adjustment or fumbling. While the infotainment screen itself boasts excellent graphics and responsiveness, unnecessary pauses when adjusting the climate system and occasional safety-induced screen locks detract from the fluidity. For a next-gen EV technology experience, VW still has some refinements to make in its control philosophy to fully leverage the potential of its VW ID. Buzz digital cockpit. For families, where quick and easy adjustments are often necessary, the EV9’s more traditional, yet still advanced, UI offers a less distracting and more satisfying interaction.
Interior Quality and Distinctive Design: The $70,000 Question
When investing upwards of $70,000 in a premium EV interior, expectations for material quality, craftsmanship, and overall design are understandably high. Both the ID. Buzz and EV9 deliver commendable interiors, yet they approach this segment from distinct aesthetic and material perspectives.
The Kia EV9 impresses with its excellent material quality, featuring soft-touch surfaces strategically placed where arms and hands naturally rest. The upholstery feels durable and refined, holding up remarkably well even after significant mileage in our long-term test. Despite its inherent quality, the EV9’s interior leans towards a more understated, perhaps even somber, all-gray color scheme. While this creates a sophisticated, minimalist environment, it can lack the visual flair and personality some buyers might seek. It’s a testament to solid construction and practical design, embodying a contemporary electric vehicle design language that prioritizes understated elegance and lasting appeal.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, on the other hand, embraces a more playful and visually dynamic approach. Its interior is a vibrant tapestry of colors and interesting textures, immediately evoking the retro-futuristic charm of its predecessors while embracing sustainable materials. While it uses more hard plastics in certain areas compared to the EV9, the overall construction feels solid, and the materials chosen are visually engaging. The ID. Buzz feels meticulously assembled, and its unique visual identity sets it apart. It’s an interior designed to spark joy and conversation, a crucial element for those drawn to a luxury electric van that doubles as a lifestyle statement.
Ultimately, while the EV9 might offer a slightly higher concentration of soft-touch materials at common touchpoints, neither vehicle presents an interior that screams “luxury” in the traditional sense of a high-end ICE vehicle at this price point. Both are meticulously built and thoughtfully designed for their target audiences. The choice here comes down to preference: the EV9 for modern, understated sophistication, or the ID. Buzz for unique, colorful character.
Cargo Space Versatility: Hauling What Matters
For any family vehicle, the ability to haul cargo effectively is non-negotiable. Both the ID. Buzz and EV9 offer substantial cargo solutions, but their approaches and ultimate capacities differ significantly. From an expert perspective, the ID. Buzz’s design inherently offers a level of electric SUV cargo capacity that is hard to match in its segment, especially when its unique modularity is fully utilized.
Behind its third row, the ID. Buzz provides a respectable cargo area. However, the game-changer is its innovative cargo shelf system. This shelf not only creates a flat load floor when the third-row backrests are folded down, but it also conceals soft-sided storage bins beneath, perfect for stashing smaller items. When the third row is folded, the ID. Buzz boasts a significant 30.8 cubic feet of space. The true marvel, however, lies in its ability to completely remove the third-row seats. This transforms the ID. Buzz into a cavernous hauler, unlocking an immense 48.9 cubic feet of cargo space – more than double the EV9’s comparable capacity. This makes the ID. Buzz an unparalleled family electric vehicle utility champion for those needing maximum hauling capability, whether for sports equipment, camping gear, or even small furniture. The trade-off, of course, is the individual 60-pound sections of the third row that need to be manually removed and stored elsewhere, along with the cargo shelf.
The Kia EV9 offers a more conventional, yet highly practical, cargo area. Behind its third row, the space is generous for daily groceries or school bags. With the third row folded flat, the EV9 provides 23.4 cubic feet of cargo room, which is competitive for its class and similar to many gas-powered three-row SUVs. It also benefits from underfloor storage and a small frunk (front trunk), a convenience the ID. Buzz lacks due to its design. For families who prefer a straightforward, integrated cargo solution without the need for seat removal, the EV9’s design is simpler to manage. However, for sheer volume and the ability to swallow exceptionally large items, the ID. Buzz cargo solutions provide unmatched flexibility. If your family frequently needs to transport bulky items, the VW’s transformative cargo bay makes it the clear winner in versatile EV interior space.
Driving Dynamics and Electrifying Performance: The Road Ahead
The driving experience is where an expert’s insights truly come into play, evaluating not just raw power, but the nuanced interplay of handling, ride comfort, and driver engagement. Both the 2025 ID. Buzz and 2024 EV9 offer a distinctly electric driving sensation, but they carve out different niches on the road.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz, despite its van-like stature and heavier curb weight, delivers a surprisingly refined and engaging drive. Even in its Comfort drive mode, the accelerator pedal is responsive, providing smooth, quiet, and predictable power delivery. The dual-motor AWD system, while offering less horsepower than the EV9, feels more than adequate for city driving and confident highway merging. What truly impressed me was the ID. Buzz’s suspension tuning. It feels more “buttoned up” than the Kia, absorbing road imperfections with a sophisticated dampening that translates to a quieter and more composed ride. The steering is light and precise, making the ID. Buzz feel remarkably nimble for its size. Its B-mode regenerative braking offers near one-pedal driving, requiring only a slight brake application to come to a complete stop, contributing to a seamless smooth EV driving experience. Visibility is generally good, though the unique windshield design presents a different perspective. The ID. Buzz handles corners with an unexpected agility, making it a pleasant cruiser that belies its dimensions. This makes it a strong contender for those seeking an agile electric SUV alternative in a van form factor.
The Kia EV9, in this direct comparison, takes on a slightly different character. While it delivers more overall horsepower (379 hp) and thus offers a more potent surge of acceleration at higher speeds, its ride and handling can feel less refined than the ID. Buzz. The suspension, though capable, allows more road imperfections and general “rattliness” to intrude into the cabin, particularly on broken pavement. Tire and wind noise are also more noticeable, detracting slightly from the premium EV experience. However, the EV9 offers a greater range of regenerative braking levels, including a true one-pedal driving mode that can bring the vehicle to a complete stop, which many drivers prefer. The different drive modes (Eco, Sport) also have a more pronounced effect on the Kia EV9 driving dynamics, allowing for a clearer distinction in driving feel. From a visibility standpoint, the EV9 offers a more conventional SUV perspective with excellent forward visibility and much better rear visibility, aided by a helpful camera mirror system that compensates for blocked views. Kia’s blind spot camera views also add a layer of confidence, a key safety feature for long-range electric SUV performance.
For a truly composed, quiet, and surprisingly nimble ride, the ID. Buzz takes the lead. For those who prioritize more outright power and a stronger distinction across driving modes, the EV9 will appeal, albeit with a slightly less refined ride quality in comparison.
Real-World Efficiency & Charging Speed: Mastering the Electric Journey
For any EV, especially a family hauler, real-world range and charging efficiency are critical factors, particularly as we navigate the evolving infrastructure of 2025. Our cold-weather efficiency testing provided invaluable insights into how these vehicles perform when temperatures plummet, a common concern for EV range anxiety.
The Kia EV9, with its larger 99.8-kWh battery, consistently delivers superior range. In our challenging cold-weather test, where temperatures hovered below freezing (17-21 degrees Fahrenheit), the EV9 averaged 2.1 miles per kWh. Starting with an estimated 249 miles of range (already a dip from its EPA 280-mile estimate due to cold), it consumed 135 miles of estimated range over a 113-mile drive, leaving a comfortable 114 miles remaining. This performance underscores its capability as an optimal electric vehicle efficiency leader in adverse conditions. Its quicker DC fast-charging rate of up to 210 kW also means less time tethered to a charger during longer trips, making it a stronger contender for seamless fast charging electric cars on cross-country journeys.
The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz, with its 91-kWh battery, is no slouch, but it trails the EV9 in both overall range and cold-weather efficiency. In the same test, the ID. Buzz averaged 1.8 miles per kWh. Starting with an estimated 198 miles of range (down from its EPA 231-mile estimate), it consumed a more significant 150 miles of estimated range over a 111-mile drive, leaving just 48 miles remaining. This performance, while understandable given the challenging conditions and smaller battery, highlights that the ID. Buzz would require more frequent charging stops on a cold-weather road trip. Its 200 kW fast-charging capability is strong, but the overall lower starting range makes the impact of cold weather more pronounced.
While neither vehicle would be my first choice for extensive cold-weather road-tripping without careful planning, the EV9’s greater EV range comparison advantage makes it undeniably more tolerable and versatile for year-round family adventures. For those prioritizing maximum range and faster charging to mitigate cold weather EV performance impacts, the EV9 clearly leads the pack.
Which Is Your 2025 Family EV Champion? An Expert’s Verdict
Choosing between the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz and the 2024 Kia EV9 in 2025 isn’t about finding a singular “better” vehicle; it’s about aligning the car with your family’s unique lifestyle and priorities. Both are exceptional, innovative electric vehicles poised to redefine family transport, but they cater to slightly different needs.
If your primary need is an uncompromised people-hauler, a vehicle where every passenger, especially adults in the third row, experiences genuine comfort and spaciousness, the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is your champion. Its cavernous interior, unique design, and surprisingly refined driving dynamics make it perfect for large families, carpooling, or those who simply adore its iconic, joyful aesthetic. It’s a statement vehicle, a conversation starter, and a fantastically practical van when you need to move maximum cargo by removing the third row. However, be mindful of its slightly lower range and its preference for a more modern, touch-centric user interface.
On the other hand, if you require a more versatile, well-rounded electric SUV that balances strong range, faster charging, a more conventional yet highly functional interior, and a slightly sportier on-road feel, the 2024 Kia EV9 is the compelling choice. It’s an ideal primary family vehicle, offering solid performance, a user-friendly interface with tactile controls, and commendable cold-weather efficiency. While its third row is better suited for children, its overall package of comfort, technology, and utility positions it as a practical and stylish family workhorse for the electric era. It represents the logical progression of the family SUV, reimagined for sustainable transport.
Ultimately, both of these electric titans offer a glimpse into the future of family mobility. Neither will leave you feeling short-changed, but your specific family dynamics will dictate which one truly earns the crown.
Discover Your Family’s Perfect Electric Future.
Ready to experience the next generation of family transportation firsthand? We invite you to explore these incredible electric vehicles further. Visit your nearest Volkswagen or Kia dealership today for a test drive and speak with a sales expert who can help you configure the perfect 2025 ID. Buzz or Kia EV9 to meet your family’s unique needs and embark on your electrified journey with confidence.
