By Khulekani Dumisa

Recently we had the pleasure of hosting the top of the range VW Caravelle Highline 2.0 BiTDI 4Motion DSG. It’s amazing that (large) families no longer consider MPVs as their first option as 7-seater SUVs tend to dominate. Vehicles like the Carevelle provide a real alternative though. They offer ample space and are practical.

Interior

In the Caravelle you can comfortably fit seven passengers in the car and access the last two rows using electronically operated sliding doors. You can also have the rear seats face each other and enjoy meals on the table between those rows.

The driver doesn’t have to alight the vehicle to access the back. Something to consider with our crime situation. The legroom for front passengers and passengers in middle and last row is decent. There’s good shoulder and headroom. Way more than you could have in any 7 seater SUV actually.

The driver doesn’t have to alight the vehicle to access the back. Something to consider with our crime situation. The legroom for front passengers and passengers in middle and last row is decent. There’s good shoulder and headroom. Way more than you could have in any 7 seater SUV actually.

The boot is decent and all the seats can be removed to make the Caravelle a big panel van should the need to transport goods arise. You must ensure you cover goods being transported though to avoid damaging the plush interior. Another consideration is that the space gets eaten up when you select the optional fridge.

The Caravelle also has modern amenities like the ′Discover Media′ navigation system with touchscreen and Apple Carplay, Park Distance Control (front and rear) with rear view camera and LED headlamps with separate LED daytime running lights and LED taillight assembly. This makes the large MPV appealing.

Exterior

Another wow factor for the Caravelle Highline is the ′Heritage′ dual-colour paint but it’s an over R33,000 option and one that we would tick. It makes the car look so much better. We appreciated the Electric sunroof (an option that comes at R11,248) but feel a panoramic roof would suit the car better. The absence may boil down to functionality. It wouldn’t work if you mounted roof racks and wanted to use the roof for carrying additional items for a trip or weekend away.

Engine and drive

Under the hood of our test Highline 2.0 BiTDI 4Motion DSG is a 2.0-litre bi-turbodiesel engine that produces 132 kW and 400 Nm of torque. It’s paired with a 7-speed DSG transmission. This is a combination that works well together and the ride is comfortable. The transmission accurately delivers power well and you never feel the need of overruling it and shifting for yourself at any given moment. This is also true for hilly and twisty roads. The Caravelle is also comfortable to drive and be driven in. We experienced the MPV as both drivers and passengers over an 800 km round trip. Not once did we feel completely exhausted from the trip and this speaks to comfort levels of the vehicle. The other advantage is the high ride position which drivers seem to appreciate these days as it allows one to see quite far ahead and take the necessary action. The fuel consumption at 9,8l/100 km was higher than the claimed combined consumption of 8,8l/100km but completely understandable due to the size of the vehicle.

The Caravelle range retails from R962,800.