A number of manufacturers offer LCVs with a second row of properly secured seats for workers with safety belts and headrests in the rear, and a load area right at the back.
Sometimes the load area is separated from the passenger compartment by a bulkhead.
Such vehicles are ideal for many self-employed trades people and owners of small businesses. They can be used as workhorses during the week and personal transport at the weekend.
With this in mind we got to grips with VW’s front-wheel-drive five-seater Transporter in Highline Edition trim. Highlighted by exterior decals, the special Edition specification gets you a variety of goodies – some cosmetic, some practical – over and above Highline, accompanied, of course, by a higher price tag. The standard Transporter spec walk is Startline, Trendline, Highline and Sportline.
Our van was powered by the 150hp version of the Transporter’s 2.0-litre TDI diesel. The same engine is also on offer at 84hp, 102hp and 204hp, and a 2.0-litre TSI petrol-powered model is listed with 150hp on tap.
The van is marketed with load volumes ranging from 5.8m3 to 9.3m3 with gross payload capacities running from 718kg to 1,274kg. You can order it in either short- or long-wheelbase five- or six-seater Kombi guise – the long wheelbase can be specified with a high roof – and as a chassis cab in either single- or double-cab guise.
Load bay
With a hanging strap making it easier to pull shut and supported by gas-filled struts, the Edition’s hatch-type rear door has a heated window plus a wash/wipe system.
The rear cargo area is not equipped with a bulkhead, which may raise some safety concerns.
However, there are four floor-mounted load tie-down points in the rear area plus two more closer to the three rear seats, which are demountable.
Access to the back seats, which offer a decent amount of legroom, is by means of a sliding nearside door complete with a power-operated latch, one of the perks of Edition trim.
The door has a sliding window and the window directly opposite it slides open too. The rearmost side windows have been replaced by steel infills.
The rear cargo area’s sides and tailgate are partially clad with hardboard protective panels to defend them against minor scratches and scrapes, but there is no such defence for the wheel boxes. However, a tailored rubber mat covers the load bed.
Take the seats out and you enjoy 5.8m3 of space; leave them be and it shrinks to closer to 3.0m3.
Interior and equipment
Our Transporter’s cosmetic embellishments could not disguise the fact that its external and internal styling hovers somewhere between unadventurous and dull.
Yet the quality of the materials used in the cab and the general fit and finish are to a remarkably high standard.
A grab-handle on each of the A-pillars aids access to the front seats. Oddment stowage facilities include a shelf on top of the dash, a lockable glove box with two shelves above it, a small shelf and a cubbyhole just below the heating and ventilation controls, and a cubbyhole and a cup-holder at either extremity of the fascia.
Another cubbyhole sits above the windscreen, and the sunglasses holder just above the driver’s door is a neat touch.
To all that can be added two bins in each of the front doors. The lower of the pair comes with a moulding that can clasp a 1.5-litre bottle of water or the small, removable rubbish bin that is thoughtfully provided for the driver’s door.
Two 12V power points are on the dash. Driver and front passenger airbags are fitted as are adaptive cruise control, remote controls for the radio on the steering column, electric front windows and electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors. The windscreen is heated too.
Edition trim means the outside mirrors can be folded back electrically. The mirror casings are finished in high-gloss black as is the roof.
Aux-in and USB sockets are fitted and you can lock all the doors by pressing a button on the driver’s door.
The steering wheel is height-adjustable. So are the driver’s seat and single front passenger seat, both of which boast armrests on each side and lumbar adjustment.
Edition spec gets you a Discover Media satnav package complete with a 6.3in touchscreen.
A DAB+ radio, Bluetooth connectivity and an MP3-compatible CD player are included as is an SD card slot. Edition also brings App-Connect, which allows you to download various VW apps to your smartphone or tablet. Among other things they can provide information about your driving behaviour with an eye to cutting fuel usage and minimising the risk of accidents.
Optional Media Control lets you use your smartphone or tablet as a remote control for the infotainment system and listen to music from an external audio source connected via Bluetooth.
The aircon helped on blazing-hot summer days, but took a while to kick in, almost as though it was thinking about it. The front fog lights were not required during some endlessly bright evenings but could prove a boon in winter.
Edition models come with headlights and daytime running lights that use LEDs. Headlights are only effective if kept clean so a washing system is fitted and the van’s heated washing system has a fluid level indicator. Edition gets you LED rear lights as well.
Engage reverse and the highly effective rear-view camera shows you how near you are to potential obstacles, with the sensors triggering warning beeps as you get closer. Front sensors provide an equally effective alert if you get too near to the vehicle in front when squeezing into a tight parking slot.
The Transporter comes with the usual electronic safety features, some of which are mandatory, including ABS, ESP, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist, Hill Hold Assist and Traction Control System. Additional protection is afforded by Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Driver Alert System.
If the vehicle collides with something then the former applies the brakes to prevent a secondary impact. The latter wakes up the driver using visual and audible alerts should he or she start to nod off and let the Transporter drift out of lane, and suggests a break is taken.
The Traction Control System includes an electronic differential lock to aid smooth starts on slippery or loose surfaces. Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System was fitted to our demonstrator as an option. It warns the driver if it detects a hazard ahead and applies the brakes if necessary.
Optional Side Scan warns of another vehicle’s presence if you fail to see it in the blind spot when changing lane, which is more of an issue with a van than a Kombi given the latter’s side glazing.
The front suspension relies on coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers while an independent suspension with coil springs and load-sensitive shockers is installed at the back.
Our van sat on black 17in alloy wheels shod with Bridgestone Turanza ER300 235/55 R17 tyres. No spare wheel is provided – you get one of those pesky inflation kits instead.
Power-assisted steering delivers a 11.9m wall-to-wall turning circle.
Engine and gearbox
Our demonstrator’s transversely mounted turbocharged four-cylinder 16-valve intercooled common-rail direct-injection diesel produces maximum power from 3,250-3,750rpm.
Top torque of 340Nm makes its presence felt across a broad 1,500-3,000rpm plateau.
A diesel particulate filter is fitted plus a 13.0-litre AdBlue tank, which will usually need topping up at around 4,500 miles.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on this model with the superb seven-speed semi-auto dual-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox an option.
Driving
With 150hp on tap performance is not an issue. The Edition accelerates strongly away from rest, surges happily through the gears and contentedly rolls along at the maximum legal motorway speed – even with a bit of weight on board. Life is made easier by the gearbox’s slick change, which allows you to get the best out of the engine.
The In-cab noise levels are comfortably low, and wind noise is only really noticeable at maximum motorway speeds.
Drawbacks? The steering is over-assisted, which means its handling is not as sharp as it could be. Furthermore, the ride is too firm to be able to cope with pock-marked road surfaces with equanimity. As a consequence you feel too many bumps for comfort.
We can forgive the VW Transporter most things, however, given its exemplary build quality. Giving the impression that it has been carefully sculpted out of a solid block of metal, it neither squeaks nor groans nor rattles. All in all, it feels built to last forever – which helps explain why residual values are invariably healthy.
Our model’s combined official fuel economy figure is 45.6mpg. We were achieving around 43.0mpg over a mixture of motorway, A-road and city centre routes.
Operating
There’s a three-year/100,000-mile warranty with breakdown assistance provided for the duration.
The body is warranted against rusting through from the inside for 12 years, and the paint is warranted for three.
Service intervals are flexible and depend on how hard the van has to work and the conditions it has to face.
Typically it will need to visit a workshop once every 15,000 miles.
Thieves will hopefully be frustrated by the Thatcham Category 1-approved alarm and immobiliser with tow-away, perimeter and interior cab protection.
Colour-keyed bumpers and door handles help improve the Edition’s looks, but it is a shame there are no side rubbing strips.
Volkswagen Transporter Kombi Highline Edition T30 SWB 2.0TDI 150hp
Price (ex VAT) £31,455
Price range (ex VAT) £20,010-£42,875
Gross payload 1,052kg
Load length 1,600-2,572mm
Load width (min/max) 1,244/1,627mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Load volume 3.0-5.8m3
Loading height 576mm
Rear door aperture 1,473 x 1,290mm
Side door aperture 1,017 x 1,264mm
Gross vehicle weight 3,080kg
Braked trailer towing weight 2,500kg
Residual value 28.2%*
Cost per mile 37.3p*
Engine size/power 1,968cc, 150hp @ 3,250-3,750rpm
Torque 340Nm @ 1,500-3,000rpm
Gearbox 6-spd
Fuel economy 45.6mpg (combined)
Fuel tank 70 litres
CO2 1,62g/km
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals Flexible/15,000mls
Insurance group 36E
Price as tested £32,410
* After 4yrs/80,000mls, source: KwikCarcost
Options fitted
Side Scan with cruise control £380
Adaptive Cruise Control incl. Front
Assist & City Emergency Braking £330
VW Media Control & App Connect £195
Seat trim covers in leatherette £50
Rivals
Ford Transit Custom
Price (ex VAT) £21,495-£33,150
Load volume 6.0-8.3m3
Gross payload 685-1,459kg
Engines 105hp, 130hp, 170hp 2.0 diesel
Verdict: The benchmark. Ride, handling and overall performance are all to a high standard, the appealing internal and external styling put the Transporter in the shade, and kit levels will not disappoint. A five-seater Double- Cab-in-Van is sold with either a 3.5m3 or 4.4m3 rear load area with a bulkhead.
Peugeot Expert
Price (ex VAT) £19,540-£32,085
Load volume 4.6-6.1m3
Gross payload 1,099-1,499kg
Engines 95hp, 115hp 1.6 diesel, 120hp, 150hp, 180hp 2.0 diesel
Verdict: Falls short of the standard set by the Transit Custom, but offers acceptable levels of on-the-road behaviour and mpg, sensible service intervals and a decent warranty. It’s also sold as a Citroen Dispatch and Toyota Proace. An Expert Crew Van is marketed with either a 3.2m3 or a 4.0m3 rear load bay with a bulkhead.
Vauxhall Vivaro
Price (ex VAT) £21,680-£27,180
Load volume 5.2-8.6m3
Gross payload 989-1,280kg
Engines 95hp, 120hp, 125hp, 145hp 1.6 diesel
Verdict: Vauxhall will soon be waving bye-bye to the existing Vivaro. Next year it will be replaced by a new model, which will use the Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot Expert platform. But the current model is by no means outdated and worth a look. The Double Cab gets a 3.2m3 or 4.0m3 load area with a bulkhead.
The Final Verdict
|
Design |
6/10 |
Versatile working tool but dull styling. |
|
Cabin |
8/10 |
Lots of storage and room. Interior quality’s among the best ever. |
|
Ride |
7/10 |
Overly firm and suspension at times finds pot-holes difficult. |
|
Refinement |
9/10 |
No groans or squeaks and in-cab noise levels are under control. |
|
Load area |
6/10 |
No bulkhead, but removing rear seats leaves lots of space. |
|
Handling/performance |
7/10 |
Steering is over-assisted but no quarrels with straight-line go. |
|
Engine/transmission |
8/10 |
Both are impressive and the gear-change is slick and quick. |
|
Standard equipment |
8/10 |
Highline means lots of goodies and we like the stress on safety. |
|
Operating costs |
8/10 |
Flexible intervals, generous warranty, and a respectable mpg. |
|
What Van? subjective rating |
8/10 |
Practical package that in effect gives you two vans in one. |
