The What Van? Road Test: Volkswagen Caddy Cargo (2021)

Date: Monday, October 25, 2021

Rear 3:4

Operating

The Caddy is warranted for three years and a generous 100,000 miles, with roadside assistance plus a paintwork warranty lasting for the duration.

The van is also covered against rusting through from the inside for 12 years. The servicing regime is flexible depending on the nature of the work the vehicle is on, with intervals capped at 18,600 miles or two years; whichever comes first.

The average official diesel consumption is 57.6mpg. We achieved marginally less at around 55mpg, with a start/stop system helping to keep fuel usage under control.

The regenerative braking system clearly helps too, recovering energy that would otherwise be wasted.

However, no spare wheel is provided, which is a negative so far as we are concerned even though it saves a bit of weight. You get an inflation kit and sealer instead, an arrangement that is well-nigh useless if you end up with a major gash in a tyre’s sidewall. Perhaps an oversight on the part of the designers. No side-rubbing strips are provided either, which means the metallic paint finish is vulnerable to damage; so do your best not to scratch it. It may seem an odd point to make, but Caddy has the most stylish-looking rear light clusters we have ever seen on a van. The rear light clusters look for all the world as though they were hand-designed by Scottish architect and design icon Charles Rennie Mackintosh – unlikely given that he died over 90 years ago.

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo Commerce Plus SWB 2.0 TDI 122hp 6sp manual

Price (ex VAT) £21,650

Price range (ex VAT) £18,365,-£27,545

Gross payload 648kg

Load length 1,797mm

Load width (min/max) 1,230/1,614mm

Load bay height 1,272mm

Load volume 3.1m³

Loading height 586mm

Rear door aperture 1,234mm x 1,122mm

Side door aperture 703mm x 1,096mm

Gross vehicle weight 2,220kg

Braked trailer towing weight 1,500kg

Residual value 33.36%

Cost per mile 39.51p

Engine size/power 1,968cc, 122hp @ 2,750-4,250rpm

Torque 320Nm @ 1,600-2,500rpm

Gearbox 6sp

Fuel economy 57.6mpg

Fuel tank 50l

CO2 127g/km

Warranty 3yrs/100,000 mls

Service intervals 2yrs/18,600 mls

Insurance group 33E

Price as tested £23,285

Options

Discover Media DAB+ sat nav system with 10ins colour touch-screen £1,120

Metallic paint £515

Rivals

Ford Transit Connect

Price (ex VAT) £16,730-£25,020

Load volume 2.9-3.6m³

Gross payload 679-959kg

Engines 100hp 1.0 petrol, 75hp, 100hp, 120hp 1.5 diesel

Verdict: Upgraded with an increased payload capacity, Connect still offers top-notch handling and performance. The manual box delivers a slick,
smooth gear-change, but don’t forget to check out the eight-speed automatic transmission. If you have to venture off-road then take a look at the Active variant, with higher ground clearance and an optional mechanical limited slip diff.

Peugeot Partner

Price (ex VAT) £17,855-£30,260

Load volume 3.3-3.8m³

Gross payload 721-1,009kg

Engines 102hp, 131hp 1.5 diesel, 100kW electric

Verdict: A dependable, well-put-together working tool, which is unlikely to disappoint, and the zero-emission electric model looks well worth investigating. Bear in mind that the same model is also marketed by Citroen as the Berlingo, by Vauxhall as the Combo and by Toyota as the Proace City.

Renault Kangoo/Kangoo Maxi

Price (ex VAT) £17,650-£29,400

Load volume 3.0-4.0m³

Gross payload 605-794kg

Engines 80hp, 95hp, 115hp 1.5 diesel, 44kW electric

Verdict: A new Kangoo has been announced and is scheduled to arrive on these shores in 2022. In the meantime we are concentrating on the existing model, whose virtues includie fuel-efficient diesel engines and a user-friendly gearbox. The electric Kangoo ETech looks set to play an increasingly-important role in the line-up. Hopefully we will see the version with the fuel cell range-extender go on sale too.

The Final Verdict

Design 8/10 – Safety is baked into this vehicle, an approach which can only be applauded

Cabin 8/10 – Comfortable working environment with plenty of storage space and connectivity

Ride 8/10 – Firm but not unpleasant. The MTM platform, axle and suspension have benefits

Refinement 7/10 – Quality standards were high apart from a dodgy rear door stay

Load area 6/10 – Smaller than on the previous model and payload capacity is below average

Handling/performance 8/10 – Both are to a high standard, with Caddy clinging on well through bends

Engine/transmission 8/10 – Well-matched, with ample power on tap and a slick gear change

Standard equipment 9/10 – As we observed above, the emphasis on safety wins Caddy high marks

Operating costs 8/10 – A solid approach to service intervals, fuel consumption should keep costs down

What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – Some drawbacks, but all-in-all an impressive package

Overall Rating = 79/100

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