Volkswagen Caddy gets crisp new look, to carry on being go-to choice

The Volkswagen Caddy has become the staple food for anyone looking for a simple, quality, presentable and economical way to transport goods.  The VW Caddy is the go-to choice for a compact panel van, as its preference by 1 500 000+ customers who bought the 2nd generation Caddy clearly shows.

All new same (but crisper) look

In re-designing a compact panel van, there is only so much one can “adjust” to its design – the main focus is surely to be practical (it has to be as square as possible for maximum space and comfort) yet presentable (no need to over-style it).  Simplicity is king here.

Volkswagen wrote a winning recipe here, with the Caddy finding universal favour with the 2nd generation.  It may have just entered its 3rd generation now, but VW has, cleverly, played it safe and merely tweaked the look.  The rounded edges have been chiseled square, and the modern lights and grille bring a fresh up-to-date though still-a-Caddy appearance.  Volkswagen describes the same (but crisper) look as “The design of the Caddy impresses with its sharpened folds and clearly defined surfaces in stylish clarity” with the clear intention of not making the much-loved all-rounder any less recognisable.

Same goes for the interior – the dashboard lines and shapes are accentuated, so it looks as fresh as the brand-new goods it is likely to collect and deliver.

Generous safety spec

All Caddy models (even the base panel van) carry on the tradition of being fitted with safety equipment as standard – these commercial vans have daytime running lights, ABS brakes and stability control.  Where previous base models had a driver airbag, the new Caddy panel van has airbags for the driver and co-driver, with optional curtain airbags.

Realising VW Caddy drivers are likely to do long distances, the new Caddy comes standard with the fatigue detection system, which will remind/alert the driver to take a safety break from driving.

Depending on model, the Caddy can even be ordered with modern safety items like bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime lights and darkened taillight lenses, a light & sight package containing a light and rain sensor and automatically dimming interior mirror. 

Not just Volkswagen Caddy panel van – choice of shapes and sizes

Of course the Volkswagen Caddy is not just available in a panel van.  There are different layouts and sizes: panel van or bigger longer Maxi panel van, crew bus, Maxi crew bus, and then the compact people movers as Trendline, Maxi Trendline, and Alltrack.

Volkswagen Caddy panel van Sport

For those needing more than a basic-looking workhorse – perhaps a business owner who would like to drive the Caddy home or to clients – there is now a new Caddy Maxi panel van Sport.  It keeps the Caddy’s carry-all facility in the big Maxi panel van space, but comes with some sport and comfort items, full colour-coding (bumpers, handles and mirror housings), 16-inch Fortaleza criss-cross spoke alloy wheels, front fog lamps with static cornering light, Composition audio system with LCD screen, and electric windows and mirrors.

Volkswagen Caddy crew bus

The previous Caddy already cleverly offered a crew bus layout, which combines the panel van rear with a mid-row of windows and seats – this allows the usual packages and tools and equipment to be loaded into the rearmost panel van load area, and to ferry along your helping staff or colleagues, which is a very clever practical solution of carrying both objects and people. 

For the new Volkswagen Caddy, VWSA is actually promoting the Caddy crew bus by offering it at a lower price point than an equivalent Caddy panel van.

Volkswagen Caddy Trendline

The Volkswagen Caddy Trendline is the smallest in the range of VW people movers (fitting in below the Volkswagen Touran and Kombi or Caravelle) and therefore the Trendline is equipped to cater more for human cargo and offer more features, with items like front side and curtain airbags, alloy wheels, colour-coded bumpers and options like a rear camera for reverse parking.

Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack

The CrossCaddy was a cross-over style MPV without any rival, so Volkswagen is repeating this aggro’d rugged van lifestyle appeal by recreating it as the Caddy Alltrack. 

It gets the pseudo off-road look in 4x4-style silver undercarriage protection plates, roof rails in silver, and bigger 17-inch Quito alloy wheels.  Differentiation is by the twin-halogen headlamp and dark taillight lens.

The Caddy Alltrack has a softer living space for long distance trips or those weekend animal-viewing rides, with lumbar support and heating and adjustable armrests for the front seats, and folding aeroplane-style tables that flip out of the seat backrests, plus rear privacy glass.  The light&sight package, cruise control and multi-function steering switches are fitted as standard, the audio has touch-screen and aux and USB (optional on other models) and the dashboard has Dark Carbon Square decorative inserts.

Drivetrains

The engine choices are 1.6 with uprated 81kW / 155Nm simple petrol engine as cheapest choice for panel van and crew bus.  For all Caddy, the TDI diesel is available in 2 gearbox-output combos: with 5-speed manual a 81kW / 280Nm engine, or, when taking the DSG automatic 6-speed, the more powerful 103kW / 320Nm TDI.

Prices, warranty and servicing

Volkswagen Caddy may be the go-to choice, though it does have some other panel van competition, like the Renault Kangoo Express, Fiat Doblo Cargo, Nissan NV200 and Peugeot Partner.  For Caddy Maxi panel van, the only other offerings are Fiat Doblo Cargo Maxi and Ford Transit Connect.

Caddy Trendline and Maxi Trendline models meet up against Nissan NV200 Combi, Fiat Doblo Panorama, and Ford Tourneo / Grand Tourneo Connect.

The Caddy crew bus, Caddy Sport and Caddy Alltrack are all unique offerings in their sector, so these have the market all to themselves.

Volkswagen Caddy panel van	R229 400
Volkswagen Caddy 1.6 panel van	R260 500
Volkswagen Caddy 2.0TDI panel van	R283 700
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI panel van	R306 700
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI panel van Sport	R312 200
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI panel van auto
Volkswagen Caddy crew bus
Volkswagen Caddy 1.6 crew bus	R222 400
Volkswagen Caddy 2.0TDI crew bus	R265 200
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI crew bus	R296 700
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI crew bus auto	R325 200
Volkswagen Caddy Trendline
Volkswagen Caddy 2.0TDI Trendline	R344 300
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI Trendline	R362 600
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0TDI Trendline auto	R391 600
Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack
Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack 2.0TDI	R358 200
Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack 2.0TDI auto	R387 300

 
The Volkswagen Caddy panel van and crew bus come standard with a 2-year / unlimited kilometre warranty and a 3-year / 60 000 km Automotion service plan.

Caddy Trendline and Alltrack get a 3-year / 120 000 kilometre manufacturer warranty with 3-year / 60 000 km Automotion service plan.

All Caddy carry a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.  Service intervals are 15 000 km.

Go-to choice

Thanks to its simple character appeal, the same but crisper look Caddy will carry on being the go-to choice.

Find specs, prices and brochures on this VW Commercial website.