Volkswagen Caddy Review & Buyers Guide

Volkswagen Caddy Review & Buyers' Guide

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£12,100 – £17,050

Available as	Engine options	Volume (m³)	Payload (kg)	MPG
Van, Maxi, Eco, 4x4	1.6TD 75hp, 1.6TD 102hp, 2.0TD 140hp, 2.0P/CNG 109hp	3.2	681 – 766	TBA

Our Verdict

Volkswagen takes the Caddy to the next level with Euro 5 diesels and evolutionary redesign. A must for the light van shopping list.

Volkswagen’s Caddy reached its fourth generation landmark in November 2010. The design isn’t that different from the previous models, but don’t be fooled; it’s a big step forwards.

The front-end and cab interior have been redesigned and it gets a new line-up of 1.6-/2.0-litre Euro 5 four-cylinder diesels — all with particulate filters — as well as the continued availability of a 2.0-litre bi-fuel petrol/CNG unit. More on these in a moment.

Load area dimensions remain unchanged with a maximum length of 1,781mm, width between the wheelarches of 1,172mm and height of 1,129mm. Rear loading height is 576mm, load volume is 3.2m³ and payloads range from 681kg to 766kg.

Access to the load area is via twin asymmetrically split side-hinged rear doors and there’s a sliding nearside door as standard with an offside one on the options list. Six load tie-down rings are supplied, as well as a full solid steel bulkhead.

If more load length is required it’s time to consider the long-wheelbase Caddy Maxi. This provides a maximum of 2,250mm, taking the load volume to 4.2m³, the payload span to 646kg to 750kg and you get twin side doors as standard. Maxi can also be had as a five-seater Window Van (full side glazing), a five-seater VAT-friendly Kombi (partial side glazing) and there’s a four-wheel drive 4MOTION variant.

Drivetrain

Opt for the 1.6TDI engine and there’s the choice of 75hp or 102hp versions with the former developing peak torque of 225Nm while the latter ups this to 250Nm. If that’s not sufficient the 2-litre offers 140hp and 320Nm.

As might be expected Caddy remains front-wheel drive and all the engines, bar the 2.0TDI, come with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard. The additional torque of the 2.0 demands a six-speeder.

Those after an automatic ’box need look no further than the two-pedal, seven-speed DSG available as a cost-option with the 102hp 1.6TDI.

BlueMotion eco models with low rolling resistance tyres, revised gear ratios, Stop/Start, battery regeneration, cruise control and improved aerodynamics can be ordered with either of the 1.6TDI powerplants.

All Caddys are fitted with electro-mechanical power steering, disc brakes all-round and full ESP. This last item brings with it ABS, electronic front diff-lock, traction control and engine braking control. Other safety measures include front daytime running lights.

Cab Life

Just about anyone should be able to find just the right driving position thanks to the combination of steering wheel rake and reach adjustment, and a seat height lever. The seats themselves are Germanically supportive, and all the better for it.

The redesigned dash is uncluttered and the controls are laid-out logically. The instrument binnacle is worthy of note; information is provided by very easy-to-read dials, similar to those found in the latest Transporters.

There’s plenty of storage space with cup-holders, an unlidded glovebox in front of the passenger and both doors have deep bins that can take a 1.5-litre bottle of drink. There’s also a full-width overhead shelf.

All Caddys are covered by a three-year/100,000 mile mechanical warranty with no mileage restriction for the first two years. Service intervals are usage-dependent with a minimum of 9,000 miles and a maximum of 18,000 miles; or a max of two years.