What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

Final Report

I have now bid a fond farewell to my Multivan, which has been reluctantly returned to Volkswagen HQ in Milton Keynes following a five-month stint on the What Van? fleet during which it impressed its principal drivers, my wife Jenny and myself, as a consummately smooth and accommodating operator.

Jenny is not always thrilled to get behind the wheel of a hefty LCV but had no such qualms when it came to piloting the Multivan, in fact we frequently found ourselves squabbling over who should claim the keys.

In truth, the Multivan proved itself to be less like a big van to drive and more like a top-end MPV, the high-up driving position complemented by good all-round vision and a comfortable seat that offers the driver ample adjustability to find their ideal perch point. 

Despite its name and the fact it is sold through VW Van Centres, the Multivan is not strictly speaking a van at all as it is built on the MQB platform that produces the Volkswagen’s passenger cars as well as the Caddy Cargo compact van.

I quickly became aware this versatile and sophisticated vehicle was an advancement in technology and quality compared to the Transporter-based Caravelle it replaced and could be a sensible choice for businesses needing to transport executives in comfort and style. Its versatility means it can also serve as the family people carrier outside of working hours while converting into a capable load-lugger with the second and third row seats removed.

The Multivan boasts an airy, roomy interior. I opted for the version with six seats: two up front, two in the middle and two in the rear, but customers can specify seven with an extra one in the back row. Volkswagen’s decision to resist squeezing in more seats adds to the sense of luxuriant spaciousness. Leg and shoulder room is never likely to be an issue for even the largest passengers, although the rear passenger seats themselves are on the dinky side. The seats behind the cabin in the Multivan can be moved forwards and backwards on rails and also removed to free up storage space. Unlike in its predecessor, the Caravelle, however, the middle row seats cannot be swivelled around, so if you do want to turn them around to face the rear seats to create a meeting space, you have to physically remove them and place them back on their rails in the opposite direction. The second and third row of seatbacks recline and are equipped with Isofix for fitting child seats.

Accessing the rear pair of seats proved to be easy with the middle seats able to slide well forward. The centrepiece in the interior is the central console that slides from the front two seats to the rear and, at the push of a button, raises up and transforms into a full-height multifunction table that also provides cup holders and discreet stowage space for small items. 

With all seats in place there was a 763-litre up-to-the-roof load space in the boot of my long Multivan. Remove the middle and rear seats in the Long version and you get a generous cargo space of more than 4.0m³ and a loading length of 2,425mm.

On the occasion I removed the rear seats to free up space prior to visiting a recycling centre, however, I found they were heavy for an individual to lift out and, coupled to the fact the Multivan has no bulkhead to protect the front-row occupants from items that may hurtle forward under heavy braking, I would conclude it is better suited to carrying people than goods.

Handling and performance are both commendable for a big vehicle and the ADAS installed is also impressive. I was particularly enamoured with the adaptive cruise control that, apart from making long journeys far more relaxing and less energy sapping will slow the Multivan to a standstill in busy traffic and start the wheels moving again from 0mph.

End-of-term report

Performance = 4/5

Impresses in all driving environments, only let down by high urban fuel consumption.

Load carrying = 3/5

The Multivan is a useful cargo carrier but better suited to luxury passenger transport. 

Interior = 4/5

A well thought-out interior provides a versatile space for executive meetings or travelling in comfort.