Insurance Group: 31
MPG: 37.2
CO2: 199
0-62 Mph: 11.3 secs
BHP: 178 BHP
Range: 655 miles
PROS: It has a strong engine that copes well with the bulk of the car. The ride is reasonably refined considering it’s based on the Transporter van. Inside there is plenty of room for seven and the various seat adaptations offer numerous luggage carrying capacities.
CONS: It’s expensive to buy and not exactly cheap to run. The van-like looks aren’t to everyones taste and the equipment levels are rather low for the price. Removing the seats for greater load space is a chore.
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 gutsy.
A 0-62 mph time of 11.3 seconds and a top speed of 119 mph are hardly headline figures, but speed isn’t what the Caravelle is all about.
On the road, the Volkswagen Caravelle rides how you would expect; there is a fair amount of body roll on corners and bumpy surfaces make the whole car bounce, but on smoother roads it feels more settled. The 7 speed DSG automatic gearbox changes gear smoothly but there is a slight delay between pushing the throttle and the response. Steering feels a little on the light side too. There is some wind noise inside the cabin caused by the large door mirrors, however the engine isn’t as noisy as you might expect.
The driver’s seat has height adjustment and the steering adjusts for both rake and reach so most drivers should be able to find a suitable driving position. 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 Volkswagen Caravelle SE 2.0 BiTDI DSG 5dr is a huge, van-like MPV and it would be impossible to disguise this, but for all its size, it’s a tidy looking thing. Inside you get air-conditioning, electric front windows, electric door mirrors, leather/Alcantara seats and a CD as standard. It also comes with alloy wheels, front fog lights, remote central locking, immobiliser and alarm.
Among the available options are rear parking sensors at £420, cruise control for £215, metallic paint for £595, Satnav for £1,935 and climate control at £860.
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 folded, but to create the maximum loading area they all need to be removed, which is a task in itself as they are very heavy.
The Volkswagen Caravelle comes with basic safety features including six airbags, ABS, Isofix child seat mountings, traction control and stability control.
Volkswagens have above average reliability, however for peace of mind this car comes with a three year 100,000 mile warranty.
At £37,785, the Volkswagen Caravelle SE 2.0 Bi TDI 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 with the challenge of removing the seats out of the way, it’ll be a great companion when moving house. It drives reasonably well and has the benefit of a smooth DSG automatic box plus it feels well put together.
However, its 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 35.8 mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 208 g/km aren’t as good as most other MPVs and it means that taxes and running costs won’t be cheap.
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 ...
You might want to read reviews for other Large MPV cars that you can then compare to the Volkswagen Caravelle. Here are some popular Volkswagen Caravelle alternatives:
