Volkswagen’s car-like Caddy
The VW Caddy has a car-like ride and driving position, but swallows an awful lot of stuff, says Damien O’carroll.
For the 2016 model year Volkswagen has give the long-serving small van – the Caddy – a fairly comprehensive update, with a new engine, new interior and a new face to bring it in line with the rest of the range. The current Caddy has been with us for some time now – since 2004, in fact, with a previous facelift in 2010 – but the most remarkable thing about it is how VW hasmanaged to still make it feel so fresh. If you want car-like, well then vans don’t come more car-like than the Caddy. Sitting in the driver’s seat you would be hard pushed to even realise you are behind the wheel of a van, such are the dynamics and comfort up front. Of course, the large, empty space behind you gives things away pretty quickly, and I would just have to assume you were deaf if you really thought the Caddy was a car, because large, empty spaces do transmit quite a noticeable amount of road noise… The 92kw direct injection 1.4-litre petrol engine is brilliantly flexible and well suited to the seven-speed DSG transmission, again making the Caddy feel remarkably car-like. Powerful and surprisingly frugal (VW claims an average of 5.6L/100km), the 1.4-litre engine is a delightfully eager little unit that is happy to lug along low down the revs or give it a bit more when needed. Around town the Caddy is as easy to live with and manoeuvrable as a Golf (not surprising, considering it is based on the old Golf Mk 5 platform), save for the traditional van blind spot of, well, everything not visible in your mirrors. With a healthy 3.2 cu.m of cargo space in the rear, the Caddy can carry a wee bit more than your standard hatch, however, and that blend of ease of use and loadswallowing ability is exactly what makes the Caddy such a brilliant little city van. Along with the load space, the Caddy also packs a rear tailgate (barn doors are optional) and a left side sliding door for easy access. There are six tie-down points on the floor, which is 1,779mm long and a generous 1,556mm wide and also comes with a rubber covering. Also included as standard in the Caddy is a full-height partition (with a grille section in the top half). Up front, the Caddy comes standard with air conditioning, electric windows, rear parking sensors, a backing camera, a leather multi-function steering wheel and masses of storage pockets, including a full-width shelf above the windscreen. The inclusion of a reversing camera as standard is something that really is a must-have in this sort of van, so kudos to Volkswagen for this. While our test vehicle came on the rather smart optional 16-inch “Bendigo” alloy wheels, the Caddy comes standard on 16-inch steel wheels. The Caddy is a very pleasant, remarkably car-like small van that is easy to live with as, say, a Golf. The inclusion of the backing camera largely mitigates the traditional van visibility issues, making the Caddy even easier to live with than most.