Volkswagen Caddy long-term test - Final Report

Date: Wednesday, September 12, 2018   |   Author: Tony Rock

 

Caddy4

4th Report

The critical loading space dimensions for our long-term Volkswagen Caddy C20 Highline model read like this: load bay – 3.2m3, payload – 645kg, load length – 1,779mm, load height – 1,244mm, load width between arches – 1,170mm, and maximum load width – 1,556mm.

That equates to being the perfect size for our old, worn, bulky sofa bed that needed transporting to the tip (once I’d sought online permission from the local council for taking a commercial vehicle to a domestic recycling centre), but not long enough for the longest part (2,070mm) of the replacement sleeker, second-hand corner sofa you see in the picture below, when it was in its constituent parts.

That, unfortunately, meant another 30-minute round-trip, but this time in the family Nissan Qashqai seven-seater car, to pick-up the biggest piece.

It’s the first challenge the Caddy has failed, having previously swallowed a bulky, battered leather armchair plus an assortment of garden junk, while I expect it to succeed in its next test: carrying an old wooden fence, gate, and posts to a friend so they can make firewood of them, although the posts look like they’ll need to be positioned at an angle.

All the items mentioned so far have made their way into the back via twin, glazed, asymmetric rear doors, with the sliding passenger-side door largely being used for school drop-offs/collections when one of the kids has more bags than space in the cabin will allow.

The rear door can be swung through almost 180° if the stays are released, although I haven’t needed to.

The doors are defended against scratches to half their height with hardboard and the load bay’s sides are partially protected in the same way.

A driver’s side sliding door can be added for £295 (all prices quoted here excluding VAT), and a tailgate instead of the rear doors can be specified for no extra cost, although
if you want windows in it you will incur a £55 charge.  

Our light commercial vehicle also came with a rubber load compartment floor covering (£105), six load tie-down points and a full, solid bulkhead, while to get a 12V socket in the load compartment (and dashboard tray) costs £55.

Rear privacy glass isn’t on offer for the panel van, but is for the Maxi kombi.

Finally, if the dimensions outlined at the beginning aren’t enough for your needs, Volkswagen also does a Caddy Maxi derivative.

Report Card: Load bay

Accomplished almost all that’s been asked of it so far.

Score: 4/5

Highline C20 Eu6 1.4 TSI 125hp BMT 6-speed manual

Mileage    5,997
Official combined consumption     48.7mpg
Our average consumption    36.9mpg
Price range (ex VAT)    £14,625-£22,205
Price (ex VAT)    £17,735
Warranty    3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals    1yr/10,000mls
Load length        1,779mm
Load width (min/max)    1,170/1,556mm
Load bay height    1,244mm
Load volume    3.2m3
Gross payload 645kg
Engine size/power    1,395cc/125hp
CO2    133g/km

Click below to see previous report

Caddy 4in

All this almost, but not quite, fitted into the back of the Volkswagen Caddy



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