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Caddys have become indispensable to the CAR team, which is why another joins the fleet
HAVING recently said goodbye to the seven-seater Caddy Alltrack that was used largely by the film and camera crews of CAR, our new long-term range topping Alltrack arrived in five-seater guise. This time round, it will have more of a dual-purpose role: still the go-to vehicle for our camera crew, but now also doing service as a family car.
This Caddy arrived with handy optional extras, including a removable towbar and front-rear park-distance control. Having previously spent a year driving a Passat mated with a DSG gearbox, I’ve been pleased to note that this sixspeed DSG matches the smoothness and refinement of the Passat’s transmission.
The Alltrack is offered only as a short-wheelbase model and, whereas that does mean less interior space, it gives the vehicle a more purposeful appearance and should attract buyers looking for all-round family practicality and good looks seldom found in van-based commercial vehicles.
Space is obviously a key requirement for this target market and this Caddy has plenty of it, with a large, deep boot offering 1 095 litres of packing space behind the second row of seats (1 781 litres with these seats removed). To add to its practicality, that second row can be folded all the way forward if removal is too much of a hassle. The cabin is refined and the clever use of chrome inserts give it a feel of sophistication that matches a number of compact SUVS and crossovers. There are also many convenient storage areas, including a large shelf above the front passengers and sliding drawers under the front seats. The sliding doors are standard and have proved extremely useful when doing the school run in congested and tight spaces, as has the standard hillhold control.
The punchy 2,0-litre TDI delivers 103 kw and 320 N.m of torque, and is proving relatively frugal; to date, we have managed an urban consumption of 8,01 L/100km against the manufacturer’s claim of 7,5 L/100km. The Alltrack comes standard with cruise control, which will definitely help lower consumption on the open road, enabling the Caddy to nudge close to the claimed extra-urban figure of 5,4.
To date, most of the driving has been round town and I look forward to spending more time behind the wheel of the Caddy on the open road, fully laden to appreciate the refinement and versatility it promises.