CAR magazine UK drives the VW Caddy Cargo van with pictures, specs and details
Thinking of a small van and want a bit of premium-ness to go with it? Volkswagen’s Caddy van has arguably filled that need over its several-decade-long life so far. This latest one, which VW calls the fifth-generation Caddy, has been transformed into something a lot more car-ish than ever before. But is that a good thing? We’ve driven the latest Caddy Cargo model in the UK.
Every Caddy Cargo features a basic central touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control and some USB-C ports inside. Commerce Plus adds air-con, rear parking sensors, better seat adjustment and armrests as well as body-coloured bumpers. Top-spec Commerce Pro includes nav, power folding and heated door mirrors, an alarm and heated windscreen. Options include some jazzy paint colours, a more sophisticated infotainment system as well as aforementioned safety and assistance technologies.
VW says the Caddy’s new McPherson struts at the front mean an increased steering ratio than the previous generation, with the steering itself feeling fluid and accurate enough. The setup isn’t as sharp as, say, Ford’s older-generations of Transit and Tourneo Connect models but it’s very sweetly judged.
The only thing that pierces the quietness of the driving experience is the grumbly diesel engine . Naturally, we have to remember that this is a van and not an S-Class and, in fairness, the TDI engine used here is quieter than in older generations. But there’s still a gruff and gravelly din as the revs rise.