The Volkswagen Caddy first arrived in South African in 1992 and more than 35 000 units have since found their forever home. A firm favourite with small business owners, guest houses, and families, the Caddy has proven to stand the test of time and remains a popular choice. Sporting handsome new looks, we think the Caddy is about to garner a lot more interest.
If you're keen on a new Caddy, these are the things you need to know.
1. The fifth-generation Volkswagen Caddy will be launched with a new naming convention
From here on, the range will comprise the Caddy, Caddy Maxi, Caddy Kombi, Caddy Maxi Kombi, Caddy Cargo and Caddy Maxi Cargo.
- The Caddy entry-level derivative comes as a short wheelbase with five seats with the option to enlarge to a seven-seater. The Caddy Maxi (long wheelbase) comes standard with a seven-seat configuration.
- The Caddy Kombi is ideal for everyday use and active parents or larger families will be able to fully utilise it for sport, carpooling, road trips and everything else adventurous families may need it for. The Caddy Kombi can be easily be converted to suit various other needs and can be made highly suitable for people living with disabilities. Other applications may include mobile offices, K9 units and hearses.
- "The Caddy Kombi is available as a short wheelbase with seven seats and the Caddy Maxi Kombi is available in a long-wheelbase version with five seats and an optional seven-seat configuration. Both model lines feature easily removable and folding seats as well as easy-access sliding rear passenger doors.
- "The Caddy Cargo exterior design sees the roofline sloping down slightly towards the back. The short wheelbase is 2.755mm in length and has a load compartment volume of 3.1m3. The Caddy Maxi Cargo with a long wheelbase of 2.970mm allows a load compartment volume of 3.7m3."
2. The new Caddy is built on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform
This underpins the Golf 8, and many other Volkswagen passenger cars. The MQB platform allows for better handling and road-holding and allows for an array of high-end technologies to be included in the new Caddy range.
3. It's packed with new features and offers an array of new options, too
- "Exterior features include new LED headlights and LED rear lights, painted body-coloured bumpers and black roof rails. Optional exterior features include a panoramic sunroof with a large glass area of 1.4m², a removable tow-bar that can tow a maximum weight of 1 500kg as well as 16-inch 'Wien' alloy wheels." The new Caddy is available in 12 exterior paint colours of which five are new.
- "Features of the Caddy Kombi include black coated bumpers, steel wheels, H7 Halogen headlights, and an electronic brake with auto-hold. Optional features include a Rear-View Camera, LED headlights, App-Connect, multi-function steering wheel, 16-inch 'Wien' alloy wheels, tow-bar (fixed or removable), rear wing doors, front fog lamps with cornering lights, and cruise control.
- "Highlights of the Caddy Cargo include up to six lashing rings in the load compartment, a brake assist system, electronically adjustable door mirrors, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, H7 Halogen main headlights and daytime running lights, single near-side sliding door (Caddy Cargo SWB), twin near-side and off-side sliding doors (Caddy Maxi Cargo) and a rear wing door which is split into a ⅔ to ⅓ ratio and has a maximum opening angle of 180°.
- "The Caddy Maxi Cargo provides room for up to two Euro pallets. The indicator and control elements have been completely redesigned: the interactive interfaces for the driver and front-seat passenger are formed by the new radio and infotainment systems of which the Composition Comfort radio is smartphone compatible (App-Connect). The modern instrument cluster now has the traditional rotary switch for lights. In addition, LED interior lights enhances the interior. Another new feature is a roof vent for better climate control and faster stationary ventilation in the back."
4. It's safer and easier to drive
The new Caddy finally gets Cruise Control, a must-have for those who travel many kilometres. Park Assist paired with the Rear-view Camera makes parking a cinch, while Trailer Manoeuvring will allow fuss-free guidance of trailers.
5. There are only two engines in the line-up; one petrol and one diesel, and no DSG transmission options
Powering the Caddy range is the naturally aspirated 1.6i MPI engine and well-known 2.0 TDI engine. The four-cylinder petrol powerplant develops 81 kW and152 Nm and is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption (VW's figure) is rated at 7.3 litres per 100km. This engine is available in the Caddy, Caddy Kombi (SWB) and Caddy Cargo (SWB) models.
The four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with 81kW and 300 Nm is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. According to VWSA, fuel consumption is at 5.5 litres per 100 km. The 2.0 TDI engine is available in the Caddy, Caddy Maxi (LWB), Caddy Kombi (SWB), Caddy Maxi Kombi (LWB), Caddy Cargo (SWB) and Caddy Maxi Cargo (LWB).
Source: Volkswagen South Africa
