New VOLKSWAGEN CARAVELLE review at a glance:
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Advantages: Bags of room, makes more sense than a Mercedes Viano, resounding 2.5 TDI engine successes, generous spread of kit, good safety features, damn near luxurious interior, robustly built

Disadvantages: Ride is a bit iffy, a relatively expensive van-based MPV, not the most fuel or CO2-savvy MPV out there, bit on the gargantuan side of multi person carriage

Summary: Forget about the third, fourth or fifth summer of love, the un-hip VW Caravelle isn’t going to cut it amongst the ever-shifting free spirited community like its ancestor, but if you’re looking for a resolute, dependable, troupe-transporting MPV that’ll keep the kids occupied and your partner in the luxury to which they’ve become accustomed, then you’d have to venture a long way to better the new-age Caravelle.



New VOLKSWAGEN CARAVELLE Review:
Surfboard? Check. Oversized garish coloured shorts? Check. Sex wax? Check. Map of Cornish beaches? Check. Guitar? Check. Impromptu BBQ materials? Check. VW microbus? Er…check, but not.

Back when love was free and everyone was your friend Volkswagen cashed in on this new found fellowship and went and invented the Microbus. This camper van grew up to be everyone’s (mainly weekend and holiday) friend, from surfers to media types, farmers to lawyers…and everyone lived happily ever after.

Not quite, the Microbus slid off its mortal coil in 1979 – although Mexico still knocks a watered down version of the swansong T2 model – yet still lingers in the public’s subconscious. Hence VW revisiting it in more contemporary guises such as the Transporter, CombiVan, California and the subject of today’s sermon, the Volkswagen Caravelle.

More civilised than a van-transient-MPV often has the right to be, the VW Caravelle envelops the three diesel engines; a 109bhp 1.9-litre TDI PD and a brace of either 130bhp or 174bhp 2.5-litre TDI PD’s. forget the former if you’re planning on ever arriving at your destination, and instead plug for the 174bhp 2.5-litre TDI PD which accomplishes 62mph in 12.2 seconds and is good for a stately 117mph. there’s also a sole petrol derivative that musters a 62mph fanfare in 10.5 seconds from the nether regions of its 3.2-litre V6 furnace, and roars away all the way up to 127mph.

Sadly the suspension is too much camper van retrospective, in as much as bruises and scrapes are occupants unavoidable hazards such is the uncompromisingly harsh ride quality. Put it this way, you’ll feel nearly every bump in the road. That said, given its lumbering, ungainly looks you might think the steering would loose a certain something in translation. On the contrary, it feels precise and engaging and makes handling far easier. Apart from when it comes to the small matter of folding your large Caravelle into a challenging space at the supermarket, or simply avoiding making contact with other road users when passing down a narrow street.

Naturally enough, where the VW Caravelle really takes centre stage is in the practicality department, as it really is the go anywhere, do anything long weekender that takes on all comers. Seven adults in fact. All the seats are removable, collapsible and can be arranged in a plethora of differing formats to suit every occasion. Or passenger’s awkward dimensions. If you really wanted to you could even hold a meeting in the Caravelle if you swivel the chairs to face your opposite number across a circular table (complete with integrated cup holders). What’s more, the rear bench can be Rubik’s Magic Snaked into a double bed if things get all too much for you. And of course, the long sliding door offers the perfect entry and exit policy.

Being geared up for away days the VW Caravelle is like a children’s mini adventure playground, with storage nooks and crannies popping up in the least likely of interior locations, so maps (does anyone still use them in the age of the sat-nav – Ed?), CD’s, Wet-Wipes, et al can go missing in action for months on end. Unfortunately the luggage compartment is only really bordering on impressive whence the rear bench has been relocated.

In terms of equipment, Volkswagen has really gone to town to appease the weekend country set, cramming the Caravelle with such binary finery as a ASR, traction control, ESP, brake assist, six-disc CD auto-changer/eight-speaker stereo, Climatronic auto air-con, electric side sliding doors, trip computer and rain and light sensory appenditure higher up the trim range. Which incidentally runs from standard Caravelle to SE and Executive.

Across the range such marvels as ABS, driver and front passenger front airbags, side and curtain airbags, height adjustment for driver with lumbar support, rear sun blinds, front electric windows, front fogs, lowered suspension, rear privacy glazing, leather and cruise put in selected public appearances. As they say at times like these, refer to the manufacturers’ brochure for further details.

The driver is afforded a great cockpit vista, but the rear visibility is sometimes challenged by excessive luggage. Or very tall people’s heads. But then the large wing mirrors on the Caravelle make this issue easier to live with. All the core controls and key instrumentation are within the driver’s reach and the therapeutic backlit blue dials that are commonplace in Volkswagens ensure that night driving doesn’t mess with your chakras too much.

After being put out to graze by the growing-up family, private hire firms snaffle the VW Caravelle up as an ideal airport shuttle, so resale and fetching a good price shouldn’t be a problem, plus there’s the exclusivity card to play as well, with few examples on the market. The diesels clamber back more than 30mpg on the average cycle, however the 3.2-litre V6 is a thirsty bus and suffers at the hands of the spectre-like petrol forecourt on a regular basis.