- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.4T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
92kW, 220Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 6.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2016 Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan TSI220 review: Long-term report four
This the fourth instalment in the 2016 Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan TSI220 long-term review, and this time we asked Glen Sullivan, producer, videographer and editor, to tell us what he thought of the van.
To keep it simple, we asked him the same questions. And that's not him in the pictures – it's his brother, Brett.
You’ve spent time driving, loading, unloading and parking the car. What have you thought about it in general?
The Caddy instantly felt like a nice and easy car to drive, but as soon as I jumped in it I realised the visibility was quite bad and that it had no rear-view camera.
What are the things you liked most about the Caddy?
I liked that it was car-like and comfortable to drive. The overhead and door pocket storage compartments were great for storing stuff on shoots and when driving around normally, too. And there was plenty of room in the boot.
What are the things you disliked most about the Caddy?
I didn't like that it didn’t have a rear-view camera. And while the boot was big, the light in the cargo area was not bright enough to see when rummaging through camera bags in low-light situations.
And the lack of windows in the rear sides of the cabin sides made the visibility from the driver’s seat pretty average.
What would you change about it?
Adding a brighter light in the boot; that way I could find what I am looking for in the back. I’d also add windows into the sides of the rear cabin (which you can get if you choose the passenger-focused Caddy people-mover range).
And I’d opt for a lifting tailgate instead of barn doors, which would mean I’d get that rear-view camera, too. But at $1090 for camera and $100 for the tailgate, it pushes the price a bit…
Was it fit for the purpose of being a production van during its time with us?
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The Caddy has filled the gap of having a car with plenty of room for all of our equipment. After the loan/use of these two vans (VW Caddy & Renault Trafic) I am leaning more towards a 4x4 as a suitable camera vehicle because we were limited in terms of where we could take the front-drive vans.
Compared to the Renault, what is the biggest advantage of the Caddy?
The extra three seats in the back and not having to seat three in the front.
Compared to the Renault, what is the biggest disadvantage of the Caddy?
The Trafic had much better visibility despite being bigger.
If you needed a van, or you knew someone who did, would you recommend a Caddy?
No…
How has the fuel use been?
From memory I was getting higher than 10 litres per 100 kilometres on the freeways and around town. I was expecting a little better.
Is the lack of a camera a deal breaker?
Yep, one hundred per cent.
Would you prefer the barn doors or a tailgate?
Lifting tailgate.
Did the five-seat layout make a big difference?
Having extra seats is always going to be good.
Is the load space usable?
Yes, there was plenty of space although the wheel arches in the boot made things difficult in the way things were packed from side to side.
Did you fold the second-row seats forward much?
There wasn't really any time that there was not enough room in the cargo area at the back to need to move the seats. But it was good to know that I could have done so in the event that I needed more room.
Will you miss it?
Lets just say there are other cars/vans I would put at the top of my list.
MORE: Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan TSI220: Long-term report 1
MORE: Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan TSI220: Long-term report 2
MORE: Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan TSI220: Long-term report 3
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