The Volkswagen ID.Buzz leans into nostalgia so much that the EV minivan was introduced without cupholders. You know, just like the OG Type 2 Microbus! I kid. The U.S.-market ID.Buzz actually came with three built-in drink cubbies… for eight people. But the fight for frappés ended this month when VW quietly added a cupholder accessory for the second row — for 100 bucks.
This is ridiculous.
In other parts of the world, the ID.Buzz is outfitted with fold-down trays integrated into the front seatbacks. They’re similar to what you’d find in an airplane cabin, except the VW ones have a convenient drink slot and don’t come with weeks-old crumbs.
In North America, however, not only was the EV van launched two years after the Europeans got it, but Wolfsburg’s superiors also decided to delete the tray from the U.S. build. Not even available as an accessory across the Atlantic, ID.Buzz 2nd-row passengers were shafted on the tray tables and, subsequently, the cupholders. This meant (EV) vanlife would include fewer PSLs (the van went on sale here last fall).
But VW apparently had a change of heart (or was deafened by the complaints), as part number 1T3061129 is now in the ID.Buzz catalog. The “Cup Holders for Second Row (Set of 2)” are exactly as described and more! (H/T to reader Richard Chen for the tip.)
Available in black to match the seat base, the cupholder pair appears to simply slide into a gap between the plastic seat base and the seat bottom cushion. And the VW cupholder accessory works with both the 2nd-row bench and the Captain’s chairs. There also looks to be a secondary pocket to use as a phone holder. Wow, such flexibility.
Downsides are that the part is $98 (plus shipping), and you can only fit two on the bench seat. But, if you’re thirsty or just want more storage options, the accessory fits on either side of the Captain’s chairs for a potential of four cupholders for the second row. But then it’s $196 plus shipping for something that should have been built into the car.
This is ridiculous.
Not because I like PSLs (I don’t; I’m a boba kind of girl), but because the base ID.Buzz Pro S starts at $61,545. Sixty grand for an EV that has about 230 miles of range (be gentle). Yes, its design is a headturner, and the vehicle is an overall conversation magnet, here and abroad. But it’s a van, so it’s supposed to be practical and utilitarian, not some elitist coffee table book on wheels. And if you opt for the premium ID.Buzz 1st Edition AWD, you pay another $10,000 for the same risk of spilling a hot drink on your lap.
Oh, wait, per the parts description: “Do not place hot beverages in the cup holders.” Not for your precious Stanley support tumbler either, because it’s not “suitable for large, insulated containers, glass or ceramic cups.” But you know what might fit that? The $440 removable ID.Buzz Box that fits between the Captain’s chairs, plus a $68 ID.Buzz Box Organizer, which sits on top of the Box and offers another possible drink spot.
Is this the price of convenience? Shouldn’t be. This is a lot of trouble and money for, again, an accessory that shouldn’t be an accessory in the first place. Volkswagen was contacted for comment, but was unavailable at the time. This story will be updated should they send a response.
Top graphic images: Volkswagen
Maybe you meant Wolfsburg and not Stuttgart?
Stuttgart? Why Stuttgart?
I took it as a nod to the attempted Porsche takeover back in… 09? that backfired, and ended up with VW rescuing and acquiring their poorer cousins. That could be too deep a read though.
There will probably be a version to 3D print on Thingiverse soon. Use ASA and acetone smooth it. Or PLA-HT along with annealing so the fumes don’t give immediate cancer.
Seriously. Why pay that much when you can make a purpose-made one
I think the problem is you misunderstand WV’s position in the market. They are Germany’s cheapest, worst car brand.
You wouldn’t expect anything other than disappointment from a Nissan or Vauxhall.
Occasionally they make a car that’s ok, but only when they overshoot the mediocre they were aiming for.
“I think the problem is you misunderstand WV’s position in the market. They are Germany’s cheapest, worst car brand”
I think you are confusing VW with West Virginia, America’s cheapest, worst state.
Sorry, sometimes I don’t words good.
No need to apologize. I saw a cheap shot and I took it :p
Ow. Why hurt us like that?
It’s Mississippi that’s worse off than us.
Ow. Why hurt us like that?”
That hurt? You must be the only person in the state who can still feel pain.
https://www.narcononus.org/articles/recent-news/how-did-west-virginia-become-the-state-hardest-hit-by-the-opioid-epidemic/
Once again, the rest of the world looks on in bemusement at the American obsession with cup holders.
Drink when you stop, it’s the European way.
Stop somewhere nice, enjoy your drink.
Or when in an EV with a tiny range: drink while it’s charging.
Exactly, Cup holders are ugly as fuck and ruin a car’s interior. And, at least to me, they are totally useless. Who in their right mind would pick up a cup while driving? Way too dangerous.
What’s dangerous about the passenger in the second row (or anywhere in the car) sipping a beverage in transit which is where the cup holders that this post is about are positioned?
You are right about the second-row ones, which were the primary focus. My comment was, like Nick’s and Captain Muppet’s, more about cup holders in general.
No one has ever taken a sip at a stop light before…
When its 90F outside for (looks at the weather forecast) the next 12 straigt days, that means the A/C will be on full blast to run daily errands. The A/C also de-humidifies the cabin, and I often get a dry throat in extended periods exposed to A/C. I can’t meet clients with a damp, sweaty shirt and smelling like i just came from the gym. And leaving the windows open often means bees, wasps, and other insects fly in at stop lights.
So the AC runs constantly, and I need my morning coffee with me in the car. Then later some hydrating beverages as well…all day….every day.
Also, let not pretend that German Rasthofs don’t exist, and sell beverages to road going travelers, because I lived there, and those were all over the Autobahns, as well as other EU national highway systems.
I just completed a lengthy road trip earlier this month (a little over 800 miles each way), and I can’t imagine only rehydrating when I’ve stopped. My mom used to dry doing that to cut down on restroom stops, and the resulting mild dehydration made long trips that much more uncomfortable – and I think also contributed to her feeling miserable the next day.
The drinking vessel makes all the difference too. A flimsy paper cup that’s been sitting there long enough to get a bit soggy? That’s a problem. Or a giant Stanley tumbler with the oversized handle and all sorts of decor on the straw – you’re definitely taking your eyes off the road to deal with that thing. But I see no problem with a simple tumbler that has a sliding or flip lid.
As Americans, it our God-given right to pay more and get less (see also, healthcare).
You should have a look at the gas prices everywhere else.
I would gleefully pay far more for gas if it somehow meant we had universal healthcare.
The NHS is worth every penny of tax.
Plus as it’s not run as a business there isn’t the enormous overhead of a evil medical insurance industry.
The moment after I posted that, my first thought was, “Well, except gas…”
While the NHS isn’t without it’s faults, I whole heartedly agree. In the late 90s, while I was working in the UK, I had a bit of an accident, and ended up having to spend a few days in St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. The care I received there, as well as after-care, was first rate.
This return to market of the Kombi/Microbus is being bungled, big time.
It should be simple, joyful, practical, cool-looking, versatile and reasonably priced.
I think VW is batting about oh-for-six.
I’d argue it’s 5 for 6. Pricing is way out of line but I don’t see how it’s not all those other things.
It’s aggressive on the front, stern looking in the rear, unfriendly and sterile inside, and we don’t get the short wheelbase version in the U.S. All interior controls are via the single touchscreen, there’s white soft touch plastic and fake leather everywhere, and the you have to integrate yourself into their software environment with your phone to get access to features that should be on the key fob. So that knocks out simple, joyful, and practical.
Not sure what „Stuttgart‘s superior“ would be, as that is for Porsche and Mercedes, whereas the VW Overlords would be found in the city of Wolfsburg
It will fail without a suitable number of cop holders capable of holding at least a 32 oz big gulp.
It should have just been the ID.Bust. Or the ID.DOA for that matter. VW keeps on proving they are the most tone-deaf company on the planet. I used to be a VW owner and a VW fan but I’m finding it very difficult to see any reason for them to continue in the U.S. market, what do they offer that nobody else does better?
People really, really, really love the Golf R. But other than that I got nothing.
As did I when a manual was still available. Yes I know the auto is faster, but it’s boring. Well, not boring, but not as enjoyable to drive.
It’s OK, you can say it’s boring.
I dunno, man. But around here you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an Atlas.
Yes, the Atlas, plenty around here as well, the car for people that should have gotten a Highlander but wanted to spend a little less but didn’t look into the retained value aspect. What about the Atlas is better than the Highlander or Pilot, or even the Telluride? Will the Atlas owners sign up for another one? I doubt it. Phoned-in “styling”, plasticky inside, and that famed VW service experience…
There is one around here that was wrapped to look like the old harlequin Golf. I have to admit it’s pretty cool.
A harlequin Atlas? That IS fun and a good way to distract from the rest of it! And has to be one of the cheaper wraps, you can use leftover scraps from other car wraps, one body panel at a time! At least it’ll preserve the metallic gray paint underneath for the next owner after the 3yr 36mo lease is up.
Well, it formerly had a VR6 and they do sound good. They are spacious and not overstyled. Those engines were pretty much fully sorted by the end. They have a Toyota transmission. I can see why they were considered before they were only 2.0t!
I have a 2018 Atlas. Bought used, but 3 years of ownership has me thinking it is probably VW’s best product planning for normies since the Jetta. Much bigger inside than a contemporary Highlander (especially in the 3rd row), that “plasticky” interior is easy to clean and lasts better than the Hondas I have owned, cupholders everywhere, a range of engines that you can service easily, and generally great crash test scores.
VW has its work cut out for it, and their fortunes won’t be turned by a $60k minivan, even one that looks this good. But dismissing all the people who buy their products as fools unworthy of selecting a “superior” product is just thoughtlessness
I’m glad to hear the Atlas is working out for you, buying one used is certainly a better value and even more so if you can make regular use of the third row. To be honest I was expecting more people to defend the Atlas or at least VW in general…There have just been too many VW horror stories over the last two decades for me to want to take the plunge again. They (VWs in general) used to be fun to drive and give you the German driving experience at a lower price. Now there aren’t many (any?) fun ones left and you generally end up with just the German ownership experience.
Yeah I get that take, I have owned 3 VWs (a Sportwagen TDI, a 2017 Passat, and an Atlas). Family has bought various generations of Audis and VWs, taking two Audis to 290k in the process. They have been reliable as sunrise for us, but I’m guessing it will take a decade or so of people having similar experiences (big if) to establish their reputation again. Maybe their collaboration with Rivian and Scout can help the fun factor in the meantime
Zee Germans still like to tell their customers what they want, because they are the experts. Now that flies in Europe where every country once had a king, queen, Tsar, Emporer, or Khan. But not so
much the US where we through off the shackles of imperialism.
Working for a German company I can confirm that attitude is prevalent sometimes and on a few occasions I’ve had to tell colleagues to stop drinking the Kool-Aid (actually Jim Jones used Flavor-Aid) and actually listen to what our customers have to say.
And yet you are the only country to keep measuring everything in imperial units.
They have been out for long now? I have seen exactly one in that time. And it’s not a vehicle you could miss spotting.
What a stupid design. Cost benefit analysis likely said it would be cheaper and then people will buy our accessories. Instead people don’t buy the van.
I didn’t need any more reasons to never ever buy a VW again but damn it they just keep coming. I feel like they could really streamline the ownership experience at this point. Just give customers an oversized tablet with a light up VW on the back and haptic buttons that breaks within six months. then shuttle them to the dealership in an ID Buzzzzzzzzzz without cup holders where a service advisor will kick them directly in the nuts a few times and send them home.
Danke sein may I have another. (one year of German in high school and that’s the best I can do)
Danke shein maybe but Danke is the more common venacular? I have 5 years of Hogans Heroes.
“Danke schön.” “Danke” is “thank you,” “schön” is “very.”
I find it perplexing so many industries who have had success in life relaunch their successful products with the same name but a product totally different from the original one. For a perfect example the Ford T-bird. Hot little 2 seater sporty convertible with a hardtop about the size of a Miata. By the 70s a 4 door land yacht over 10 feet long that did 0 to 60 in months. So how about everyone else. What is your favorite relaunch that has nothing but the name in common?
PSL?
Pakistan Super League, Party for Socialism and Liberation, or…?
Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Yes, it’s a pumpkin spice latte.
Yeah. TIL if you look it up on UrbanDictionary, you don’t hit the latte definition until after the racial slur and the sexual slang.
According to UrbanDictionary, everything is a racial slur and sexual slang.
Well…true enough. But I was hoping the meaning intended by the author might come first. *sigh*
“Ve vill get zee “Amis” right vhere it hurts! In die Schtanley Coops!”
The schnitzel coops?
Man, the vibe was righteous! We were grooving up slowly.
I’m giving this reboot ju-ju eyeball, ain’t no holy roller.
Buzzkill.
The dudes in Wolfsburg totally harshed our mellow.
Now they know how many (cup) holes it takes to fill the ID Buzz
Oversized mugs may cause a spinal cracker in case of collision.
Their first plan was to make cupholders a subscription service.
Never
Again
VW
I’d love to know how much the suits saved by deleting the tray in US models.
I bet it’s less than $98.
How does one say ‘cheap bastards’ in German?
My bet is that our safety regulations were/are the real reason.
I don’t see how but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong
Let’s say you’re right about the tray, but what about the damned cupholders?
Listen, I’m not saying cars need a million of them, but to charge extra for them is…schtupid.
My money is on overprotective lawyers. Or they know us Americans will settle for less.
Either way, you can buy any number of aftermarket trays that look decent and are probably sturdier too.
There is not a direct translation but close would be ‚Geizkragen‘ aka scrooge.
Geizige Bastarde.
Danke!
Business Opportunity:
Buy a set
3D Scan them.
Make minor change.
Use 3D scanner to print out using brightly-colored plastics.
Take great photos and market for $79 including shipping on Amazon.
Profit.
Said profit lasting 3 days before ArgleBbbbargll brand copies your design and undercuts your price
And if the product takes off, Amazon will source and market it under their own “Amazon Basics” branding, keeping the price $0.04 cheaper, because Amazon needs more money.
There’s always Venice.
I have lots of experience with reverse engineering, and between the “3D scanning” step and the “make a minor change” step you missed out the “model the entire thing yourself to get useable data” step.
Yep. 3D scans are useless most of the time. You have to do retopology for all of it anyway, so you might as well just start from the draft pages and copy all the dimensions written down before eyeballing the curves and such. 3D scans are my number one source of topology gore, and I despise when people hand me them and expect the work to be done in a day because “it’s already modelled.”
I’d rather start from a drawing of the interfaces and design my own thing. It’s no more actual work and if I’m good at this then the new thing will be an improvement (at least in the aspects of whatever it is that we care about, instead of the aspects the original designer cared about).
I’m just waiting for AI to advance enough to do a shitty version of this, so I can just be replaced and stop having to explain why it’s hard.
My 3 takes:
At least they aren’t built in, leaving holes on the carpet and trim when you get rid of them.
I’m sure the aftermarket will fill those gaps. Probably with custom shapes for whatever you want to stick there. Maybe it’s time to buy a 3D printer and sell crap on Etsy? Looks like good margins!
Speaking of gaps; wasn’t there something about a recall for too much room in the back seat? Why not fill that room with cup holders.
Seriously, not having the available space divided up into arbitrary cylindrical/ or cone shaped spaces is fine with me, that center cup holder in the Prius would be pretty useful if it were a 4×4 inch box , not a , well I’m not sure what fits there without a lot of slop.
Why can’t they figure out a place to put your phone where it won’t be launched into your brain by an air bag, but you can still see it and maybe charge it?
I’d Velcro it to the stupid infotainment/ map/backup screen except that about once a week I need to look at it.
I bet a creative type could design a collapsible backpack that hangs over the front seats that could be opened like a suitcase that would provide cupholders, trays and other cubbies for under $59.99
Most seat backs have airbags in them now.
The lack of non functional surfaces in cars is kind of a pain. You used to be able to bolt something to the dashboard, or better yet remove the ashtray and bolt something there,
It’s not a backpack you can wear but I saw some on Ebay for ~20 bucks that are very similar to what you’ve described.
VW can put the organizer, and cup holders in the buzz box and cram the lot up where the sun does not shine.
At an upcoming VW board meeting, “What isn’t our minivan selling?”
Mindboggling how they keep alienating people who really want to like/buy a modern take on the Minibus.
It still stuns me that they’ve been teasing retro bus concept cars for a full quarter century, finally built one and then held it back from the US market an extra two years for good measure just to make extra sure they missed the late Boomers’ kid hauling years.
70,000 mfing dollars for some style. Some nostalgia and 200 mile range? It they didn’t have Škoda and Seat they would be dead by now. But I’m keeping my Wolfsburg 1986 Cabriolet and may just go
Looking for an original Beetle. WRT the Buzz. Buzzkill would be a better name
I was at the lumber yard yesterday and a guy was playing Tetris loading up his Mazda5. It occurred to me this vehicle styled as an updated minibus and available as a hybrid is the homerun that VW should have aimed for.
Subscription pay-model incoming.
Put all of the cup holders and extra add-ons like that into a single package called “the All American Package” and watch people pay hundreds for it
I get the political/social implication I think you’re making, but more realistically, the real solution would be to include cupholders and drop the price by $10k, and actually move a few units.
Just offer 97 month financing. Americans are bad at math and will think it’s a deal.
Have Taylor Swift drive one and do a TV ad or a Tiktok video with an ID.Buzz, and all the young mothers will just HAVE to have one.
marketing is pretty easy.
Oh yeah, VW needs to figure out how to move units in the US