TESTED: Volkswagen Caddy Cargo is a functional van that ticks all the boxes
Review: Volkswagen Caddy Cargo 1.6
Pretoria – They’re not exactly eye-catching or high on the “must-have” list, but they are an integral part of our economy. Loaded with goods for distribution, mobile workshops and a myriad other practical uses by many SMEs, the panel van has become the go to vehicle for many of them.
They’re also handy as mobile billboards for a business with their box-shape and large side panels.
There aren’t that many mid-size vans to choose from but the Volkswagen Caddy is certainly the most popular with consumers when it comes to no-nonsense, reliable every day transport.
My brother is one of those SMEs. He is in the liquor and coffee distribution business, and he swears by them. One of his previous generation models has chalked up nearly 400 000km and apart from services and replacing the usual consumables, it starts first thing every morning and does its thing all over Gauteng, six days a week.
I’ve seen a couple that converted it into a camper van, travelling around the SADC countries.
The fifth generation Volkswagen Caddy is a lot more modern and fitted with more technology, but it's still very much a workhorse.
There’s no fancy DSG gearbox in the Caddy Cargo 1.6 panel van, but instead a six-speed manual transmission sending power to the front wheels from its four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 81kW and 152Nm.
Based on the same Modularer Querbaukasten (MQB) platform that the Golf 8 and Polo is based on, I wouldn’t call the cabin sparse but don’t expect Golf-like fixtures and fittings keeping in mind that it needs to be hard-wearing and practical.
You do get a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB-C ports, electronic parking brake and importantly for a vehicle without side windows and limited rear views, front and rear-parking sensors and a rear-view camera.
There’s also a handy overhead compartment to place documents and clipboards which every delivery or appliance repair person seems to have.
The exterior has been slightly tweaked with halogen headlights, black-pack door handles and mirror housings sticking to the function, over form design.
It’s all about space for owners and in this iteration there’s 3 100 litres of it. There are cargo hooks bolted to the floor for tying down goods but carting some things around while I had it on test, I noticed that there weren’t any placed at different heights to ratchet things vertically.
Handling is what you would expect from a delivery-type vehicle that’s designed for its practicality rather than cornering ability. Not that it’s bad, mind you. And the suspension set-up works well taking care of pot-holed, bumpy unmaintained roads with ease while the steering is nice and direct providing decent enough feedback from the 16-inch steel wheels. If you do happen to go into a corner faster than expected, it stays the course without feeling uncomfortable or with too much body roll.
Gear changes are slick and easy, making for minimal fuss while manoeuvring around.
With little sound dampening in the cargo area road noise is to be expected but again, function over form.
Consumption averaged out at 7l/100km which isn’t bad at all, considering its shape and size.
The Volkswagen Caddy Cargo 1.6 panel van deserves the accolades it gets as a reliable and functional van that does everything right for those that need a vehicle that’s purely practical.
It’s priced at R427 200 and comes with a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty, and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.
FACTS: Volkswagen Caddy Cargo 1.6
Engine: 1.6 normally aspirated, 4-cyl
Gearbox: six-speed manual
Power & torque: 81kW and 152Nm
Fuel use: 7.1 l/100km (tested)
Fuel tank capacity: 60 litres
Payload: 668kg
Load capacity: 3 100 litres
Kerb weight: 1 432kg
Towing capacity: 1 300kg (braked)
Warranty: two-year/unlimited km
Service plan: three-year/60 000km
Price: R427 200.