Can a commercial vehicle be stylish and design-led? The new generation of the Volkswagen Caddy proves that it can
From our car reviews, you're used to us testing mainly passenger cars that are designed for everyday use. Often these are premium cars, but often more affordable, because buying any car is not exactly the cheapest thing to do. However, even among our readers there are many businessmen who need a practical car over a "flashy stylish car". So what if a car can combine the aforementioned style and practicality together? Then it's one heck of a deal!
As a DJ myself, I know all too well how good it is to have a spacious car where I can fit all my equipment and then some. That's one of the reasons I wanted to try out the new Caddy. I have to say at the outset that I expected much less. Not in terms of space or equipment, but especially in terms of design. In the end, I was very pleasantly surprised, as the Volkswagen Caddy is definitely not a car that ranks among the unsightly practical cars.
The new generation
Last February, a new generation of this practical model was introduced, which arrived on the Czech market in January this year. It must be said that it brings with it a lot of positive changes, but at the same time it retains almost all the advantages for which many customers have already liked this model. The model is available in long and short versions, as a classic small utility vehicle, but also as a passenger van that could be an alternative to family MPVs. Either way, this model is classified as a utility vehicle. It came under my hands in a five-seater passenger car version with a generous Style trim level.
News that will surprise
Although the basic shapes of the car are the same, there have been modifications that will be appreciated by all those who are at least a little interested in style and design. From this perspective, I was very pleasantly surprised by the Volkswagen Caddy. I would perhaps only add the sentence that it is possible to work in style. The front grille looks very nice, dominated by LED headlights connected by a chrome line. There is also an interesting perforated bumper. The rear also impresses me with similar elegance, where you'll find narrow vertical LED lights, a chrome line and a huge trunk lid.
A flexible and versatile vehicle that can perform any functionPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Juana Calderóna
Positive growth
I understand that most people might be allergic to this phrase given the last year, but here I'm referring to the VW Caddy's dimensions. The change from the previous generation Caddy is definitely a positive one. It measures 4500mm in length (up 92mm), 1855mm wide (up 62mm), the wheelbase has stretched to 2755mm (up 73mm) and the only thing that has shrunk a little is the height, which is currently 1798mm (or -24mm).
Thanks to the larger dimensions, all the workers can also look forward to an increase in boot space. In the five-seat configuration I tested this week, it's 1,213 litres from floor to ceiling and 760 litres to the top of the backrest. But if that's not enough space, you can take out the second row of seats, a three-seat bench, or fold down the passenger seat even further. In this case, you won't have to exert superhuman strength, both are very easy to do. You can even flip the bench in the second row, for example, to give you a large lie-flat area. That's in case a work trip gets long.
All in all, this car really offers a lot of space, whether for luggage or any other cargo. You can also look forward to various useful gadgets in the form of bag hooks to keep things from flying from side to side in the boot. The access to the suitcase itself is also very good.
Plenty of space for passengers
The new version of the Volkswagen Caddy also deserves high praise when it comes to interior and passenger space. There aren't many cars that feel so spacious. The raised bodywork alone gives you a huge feeling of airiness, but Volkswagen has gone one step further and added a glass roof to the Caddy. The seating position is higher, very comfortable and the view of the surroundings from the cabin is beautiful. All around you'll find useful compartments in which you can stow all your essentials. Here I would single out, for example, the handy compartment under the centre stack where you can stash your phone and, if you add wireless charging to your equipment, you can charge it at the same time.
Within the interior, again, I'm getting at the fact that this is no scruffy work car. On the contrary, you can look forward to a nice style and a nice design. As is the case with new cars, especially those from the Volkswagen Group, most of the classic controls have disappeared and been replaced by touchscreens and surfaces. All versions of the Volkswagen Caddy have an infotainment touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard, and depending on which trim you choose, only the size of the screen changes. The base display is 6.5 inches, the middle one is 8.25 inches and the largest, which was also in the Style trim car I tested, offers a respectable 10 inches. The infotainment is tablet-like in its design and works really briskly, is clear and very nicely graphicised.
Stylish interior you might not expect in a commercial vehiclePhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Juana Calderóna
Below the main infotainment screen, there is a touch bar for adjusting the air conditioning temperature or music volume. Other touchpads that work as shortcuts to set the climate control or parking assistant, for example, are between the air conditioning outlets. The headlamps, whose panel is located on the left side of the dashboard, are also controlled by touch. I have to say that after a few days of driving, I had no problem finding the individual touchpads blindly. Although a lot of my fellow journalists complain about these new features in cars, I think it's just a matter of habit and if you really use the car every day and not just for weekly testing like us journalists, you get used to it and after a few drives you control everything like a pro.
The next display was right in front of me. In fact, my car was equipped with a digital dashboard that even offers options to customize the graphics and the way it is displayed. If you're not a fan of this modern technology, you'll find traditional alarm clocks on the lower trim levels. The only thing that annoyed me a bit in the interior was the black glossy surfaces, which, while very nice to look at, get quite dingy after a while. But for the category of car it is, the interior does make a very good aesthetic impression.
Smart technology all around
The Volkswagen Caddy is, in short, a "classic smart car" that offers plenty of assistants to make your ride more comfortable and safer. Worth mentioning are the new safety assistance systems, such as Level 2 autonomous driving, reversing assist with a trailer, and an assistant that signals moving vehicles when exiting a parking space.
Driving that doesn't offend
You can probably tell that we're looking at this car primarily from a practicality perspective. It's certainly not a racer you'll be trying to cut every corner with. There are a few engine options available, however, the most powerful diesel version that came to me was the 2.0 TDI with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The unit offers 90kW of power and 320Nm of maximum torque. You can get from zero to 60 in 11.4 seconds and you can go up to 186 km/h. For everyday travel and the things this car is designed to do, that's perfectly adequate. You don't even have to worry about overtaking a bigger truck, unless you're going uphill and fully loaded. The engine works very well and cooperates with the automatic transmission, and all is topped off with a pleasant consumption, which is around 7 liters per 100 km.
The 5th generation Volkswagen Caddy is built on the new MQB chassis platform, where, among other things, the existing leaf springs have been replaced by coil springs. If this doesn't ring a bell, the main point is that the new platform makes the ride more comfortable and stable. I won't lie about all the major bumps you'll hear about in the cabin, but considering what I've come to expect from a car in this category, I rate the ride comfort as above average.
VW Caddy 5th generation is a successPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Juana Calderóna
A stylish worker
Whether you run a restaurant, bistro, bar, are a DJ, designer, or any other job where you regularly haul a larger volume of stuff and simply need a car that can fit a lot in but doesn't look like some awful, unsightly van, the Volkswagen Caddy is definitely a good choice. In short, it's a stylish car for all kinds of tradesmen.
The fifth generation of this car was launched in the Czech market in January this year, and along with that, the long-term special prices were announced, which are valid until the end of the year. For example, the VW Caddy Style 2.0 TDI (75 kW) version with a six-speed manual transmission can be purchased for CZK 749,000. The more powerful 2.0 TDI diesel engine (90 kW) with seven-speed automatic transmission can be had for CZK 806,561, while the equivalent 1.5 TSI petrol engine (84 kW) with seven-speed automatic transmission can be had for CZK 727,672. The showrooms are open again, so if you're looking for a larger car that's suitable for work, but also for trips with friends and family, you can finally see it in person.
