Insurance Group: 32
MPG: 34.0
CO2: 219
0-62 Mph: 12.1 secs
BHP: 178 BHP
Range: 598 miles
PROS: A practical people carrier, there is plenty of room for seven and the various seat adaptations offer flexibility for storage. It has a strong engine that copes well with the size of the vehicle. The ride is reasonably refined too.
CONS: It’s expensive to buy and to run. The van-like appearance isn't to everyone’s taste and there is not much equipment on offer. Removing the seats for greater load space is a task.
On the road, the Volkswagen Caravelle has a fair amount of body roll in corners and bumpy surfaces make the whole car shake somewhat but on smoother roads it feels more settled. There is some wind noise inside the cabin caused by the large door mirrors, but the engine isn’t too noisy. The 7 speed DSG automatic gearbox changes gear smoothly, but there is a slight delay in pushing the throttle and the response. Steering is a little on the light side too.
The 2.0 litre 4 cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine produces maximum figures of 178 bhp at 4000 rpm and 295 lb-ft at 1500-2000 rpm, which is enough to make this Transporter-based people carrier reasonably powerful. A 0-62 mph time of 12.1 seconds and a top speed of 117 mph are hardly headline figures but speed isn’t a priority with the Caravelle.
The dashboard is well laid out with easy to read instruments and visibility through the large windscreen is excellent. The fit and finish of the cabin is generally very good.
The driver’s seat has height adjustment and the steering adjusts so most drivers should be able to find a suitable driving position.
The Volkswagen Caravelle Executive 2.0 BiTDI 4MOTION DSG 5dr is a huge MPV, but still manages to look quite neat. Inside, you get climate control, electric front windows and door mirrors, cruise control, leather/Alcantara seats and a CD as standard. It also comes with alloy wheels, front fog lights, remote central locking and immobiliser and alarm.
Among the available options are rear parking sensors at £420, metallic paint at £595 and Satnav for £1,935.
The Volkswagen Caravelle comes with basic safety features including six airbags, ABS, Isofix child seat mountings, traction control and stability control.
There is enough space in the cabin for seven adults to travel in relative comfort. The second row of seats can be swivelled around to face the third row and they can also be folded or slid forwards and backwards to create a variety of spaces. The third row can also be adjusted, but to create the maximum loading area the seats all need to be removed, which is a task in itself as they are very heavy.
Volkswagens have above average reliability and for a peace of mind this car comes with a three year 100,000 mile warranty.
At £43,410, the Volkswagen Caravelle Executive 2.0 BiTDI 4MOTION DSG 5dr is a lot of money for a large but pretty unsophisticated people carrier. It has bags of space and a no nonsense cabin and it’ll be a great companion when moving house.
It drives reasonably well and has the benefit of a smooth DSG automatic box and four-wheel-drive for added stability in poorer weather conditions.
Running costs will be high, it’ll probably depreciate badly and there are far more appealing and affordable rivals out there that will do the job just as well. A combined cycle of 32.1 mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 232 g/km aren’t as good as other MPVs and it means that taxes and running costs will be expensive.
If you are in the market for a large people carrier that has acres of space and an adaptable cabin with seating for up to seven people, but which can also be converted into a van, then the Volkswag...
The Volkswagen Caravelle is an enormous and very practical people carrier. It seats seven in comfort and with good flexibility of seating arrangements, including sliding and swivelling seats, fold-...
The Volkswagen Caravelle Executive 2.0 BiTDI 4MOTION DSG 5dr is a great option if you are looking for a large people carrier with loads of space and an adaptable cabin with seating for up to seven ...
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