Volkswagen Caddy long-term test

Volkswagen Caddy long-term test - Final Report

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

2nd Report

Our Caddy is equipped with an optional Winter Pack for £485 excluding VAT.

Now, it includes heated windscreen washer jets, which aren’t quite what the name conjures up, namely jets of warm water fizzing upwards to defrost your windscreen on miserable January mornings. No, the heating only defrosts frozen washer jets – it does not heat the hoses that the water flows through. Shame, as I quite liked the idea of what I’d imagined.

Incidentally, did you know that, according to the VW manual, you’re to never use the windscreen washer system at winter temperatures before the windscreen has been heated by the ventilation system because “the anti-freeze mixture may otherwise freeze on the windscreen and restrict vision”?

No, neither did I.

Next up are the headlight washers, which, hopefully, are self-explanatory. Interestingly, though, while the headlights will be washed the first time the windscreen washer system is used, they then work on every 10th occasion thereafter.

A washer fluid level indicator light that warns when the fluid is low and appears on the instrument cluster display forms part of the pack too.

Finally, in terms of providing additional features to aid interior warmth over and above the standard aircon/heating controls, the Winter Pack also includes heated driver’s and front passenger seats and, if you have the diesel engine, which we don’t, an electric auxiliary air heater.

The seats have three temperature choices with the ‘Mummy Bear’ setting of ‘2’ being, in my opinion, just right.

Report Card: Options list

Nice cold-climate extras to go with the standard aircon and heated windscreen and door mirrors, although you’ll probably survive without them.

Score: 3/5

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

Mileage   1,943
Official combined consumption    48.7mpg
Our average consumption   35.4mpg
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

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