

And now the ID. Buzz and I are at the start of a six-month relationship, which began at the Citygate Volkswagen Van Centre in Woobu Green, Buckinghamshire.Van Centre? Yes, the ID. Buzz comes out of Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle team and is also available as a van – the ID. Buzz Cargo, wier of our Best Electric Van Award last year. In fact, the ID. Buzz’s van links are one of the things that I love most about the car, but more of that in a bit.
Advertisement - Article continues belowIf you were expecting a different experience at a van centre than your usual car showroom, you’d be wrong. The Citygate Van Centre was as slick, smart and professional as any other place you’d take delivery of a car.
Similarly, sales executive Tom Lodge was brilliant in showing me around my car, introducing me to some of the surprise- and-delight features of the ID. Buzz and, importantly, helping me set up the Volkswagen app and understand the touchscreen infotainment system.
A bit of theatre always helps when you pick up a new car and having my sizeable Buzz covered by a silk when I arrived – complete with personal welcome board alongside – was a lovely touch. And it was clear that there was nothing Tom didn’t know about the car, although he was as surprised as I was that my car came without a reversing camera, which is apparently a delete option. Let’s hope the parking sensors do their job.
Early impressions are that the Kona Electric is an easy car to drive, set up for comfort rather than performance. It doesn’t feel heavy like some EVs, though, and it’s quite agile, without being sporty. Plus it’s quick enough about town – and refined.There is an exhaustive list of safety tech fitted, and I’ll explore that more in a future report, but Hyundai allows the driver to actually drive; the tech is supportive and doesn’t impose itself with as many alerts and beeps as in some cars. Plus there’s always the option to further fine tune which alerts are required among the settings.
I have no issues with practicality either. With 466 litres of boot space, plus decent underfloor storage, it’s more than enough for my family. There’s plenty of room in the rear for three adults or two large child seats.
An interesting final point is people’s perceptions of brands. A couple of family members have mentioned that it must bea comedown to switch from a Lexus to Hyundai. “Far from it”, is my reply.
I’m much more comfortable in the Kona, which is more my level: a fair bit cheaper, less ostentatious and still with most of the bells and whistles (but without the beeps). Once those same family members have had a lift, they might see how far Hyundai has come since the days of that Accent.
Model:Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh UltimateOn fleet since:December 2023Price new:£43,095Powertrain:65.4kWh battery, 215bhp motorOptions:Lux pack (£1,600), metallic paint (£650)Insurance*:Group: 33/Quote
Our car may face a tougher test on practicality, mind, because it’ll be used as family transport for my wife and me, plus our fast-growing son, Henry. He says he’s happy enough with the amount of space on offer, but then, he’s only been in the back seats for short trips so far; there could be a fresh verdict after he – and maybe some adults – have been on longer joueys while perched there.Summit spec brings a fair kit list – as it should, with a starting price approaching £40k. You get 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, LED headlights and tail-lights, a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel, heated front seats, a heat pump (useful to keep this EV’s range realistic in colder weather), 11kW three-phase AC charging (less useful, unless your office or business has the right wiring), and another 10.25-inch screen for the Avenger's infotainment system, complete with wireless smartphone hook-ups.
Our car has a couple of Jeep-specced extras that nudge it to just over £42k, although the jury’s out on how worthy they’ll be. Leather upholstery (£900) seems luxurious in such a small vehicle (although it might shake off child-induced scuffs and stains more easily than fabric), while I certainly wouldn’t pay the extra £500 to add navigation to the infotainment system. Charging £25 for a puncture repair kit seems a little rich, too.
The Sun yellow paint and contrast roof option is well worth the £1,100 price, though, because it sets off the Avenger’s chiselled looks beautifully. We’ve already had

