When you get a new car every week, one of the first items to think about is photographs. Some weeks we are supplied with official photographs of the cars, but if that doesn’t happen I always take a few pics on my iPhone. They are fairly basic pics, but I think they give readers an idea of what a car looks like in Ireland, rather than a professional photograph taken in Spain or Germany.
Last week I drove the VW Multivan and it reminded me of the days when I used to help manage U12 and U14 football teams. Managing the team was only part of the job; sometimes a bus was hired, but often we transported the players in our own cars. So I thought it would be appropriate to get some photos of the van in my local GAA club, as I wished I had access to a Multivan all those years ago.
The Multivan replaces VW’s T6 Caravelle. My test car came in silver, but I have seen pictures of very colourful versions of the Multivan. It’s naturally a little boxy looking, but when you open those sliding doors then you realise how spacious it is.
This versatile Multivan should appeal to both businesses and families that are in the market for a functional car. With tinted glass I think it would be ideal for a company in the taxi/limousine business who want to transport VIP guests.
VW has made the Multivan smaller than the Transporter in height by reducing it by around 80mm, which makes it so much easier to park. Now there is a lot more interior height thanks to the use of Volkswagen Group’s ‘MQB’ platform, which has a lower floor level. This clever design has also enabled VW Commercial to produce its first plug-in hybrid.
In the standard version, the Multivan offers 469 litres of luggage extending to 1,844 litres when you remove the rear seats. The full cargo capacity up to the front seats is 3,672 litres on the standard wheelbase model, extending to a maximum of 4,053 litres in the long-wheelbase model fitted with a panoramic glass roof.
The electronically-operated sliding rear doors provide easy access and are more convenient in tighter parking spaces than traditional van doors. Another clever design in the Multivan is the innovative multifunction table, which can be moved between any of the seating rows, and for the first time can be used as a centre console between the front seats.
The multi-function table is perfect for using a laptop or for keeping children occupied with their own devices on long journeys.
The seating arrangement is very flexible. With space for up to seven seats, the rear five seats can be moved or removed to suit your own requirements. With the optional six-seater package, the second row can be moved 180-degrees to create a conference-style seating plan.
It’s a massive motor, but so easy to handle. I really liked the high driving position and with that massive windscreen in front of you it’s so easy to everything in your line of vision.
This was a hybrid version, which meant if you have the patience to charge the battery every night you could drive in full electric mode for 50km every day.
As we hit September and look back at the summer gone by, many people are already looking ahead to holidays for 2024. I know what I would like, a week driving around our own country in a Multivan. The weather might not be great, but I know I would enjoy the views from this massive van.
Prices start at €59,720 for the basic five-seater model, but my test model will cost you over €77K. Road tax is €140.
