Top 5 Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack features that stand out from the competition

The compact van that's big on features

The Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack has such a unique and wide spread of abilities that it’s hard to fathom why it isn’t vastly more popular in South Africa. Don’t be deceived by its boxy panel van body, because Volkswagen gave the Caddy Alltrack such an extensive equipment list and comprehensive cosmetic make-over that it transcends its humble origins with some conviction. Its outstanding features include:

​Related: Shop for new or used Volkswagen Caddy vans for sale here.

 

1. It’s geared for family use

Apart from the obvious cabin-space benefits of its raised roofline and elevated seating position, the Alltrack is also equipped with a myriad of thoughtful details to adapt it to family use. Things like the fold-down tables on the front-seat backrests, storage drawers under the heated front seats, automatic climate control, and a colour touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone mirroring are all most un-van-like, and contribute to the Caddy Alltrack appearing rather more upmarket than its roots would suggest.

2. The Golf’s blue-collar brother

This is an important distinction for all Volkswagen Caddies: this model is built upon the very successful Volkswagen PQ35 platform, judiciously adapted for commercial-vehicle use and regularly updated with the latest electronic architecture and styling features. Yes, there are some notable differences in the Caddy’s rear suspension, but at its core, it carries the same good genes as cars as divergent as the second-generation Audi TT and Volkswagen CC. 

As a result, the Caddy has better road manners than a van has any right to have, and it’s more refined than almost all other offerings in this class – especially the Alltrack and Trendline trim levels, which are kitted out with the full house of sound insulation material and plusher cabin trimmings. This makes the Caddy Alltrack vastly more car-like than most other van-based passenger vehicles, especially on the smaller side of the spectrum where the Caddy competes.

3. Decent performance, great economy

While workaday and passenger Caddy variants can be had with a selection of drivetrains, with two petrols, two diesels, and a choice between 5-speed manual or 6-speed DSG automatics, the Alltrack is only available with the higher-power 2.0TDI (good for 103 kW and 320 Nm), mated to the DSG. Earlier examples also offered the lower-power 2.0TDI engine (81 kW and 250 Nm) with a manual gearbox, but because that variant was recently discontinued, you’ll likely only find those on used-car floors.

It's an agreeable powertrain, and gives the Caddy Alltrack a good mix of real-world performance and fuel-efficiency. The 0 – 100 km/h sprint is dispatched in a claimed 10.6 seconds, it should run on to a top speed of 186 km/h, and consuming only 6.2 ℓ/100 km in the process. That gives a theoretical 887 kilometres range on a single tank of 55 litres – ideal for long road trips and frugal inter-city commuting.

4. Useful options to add versatility and safety

In standard guise, the Caddy Alltrack is a 5-seater with a massive boot. But, if you tick an option box for R 8 800, you can order a third-row bench, turning your Caddy Alltrack into a 7-seater. Don’t expect to carry much luggage in this configuration, though – the LWB Caddy Maxi Highline would be better if you need to carry so many people and their luggage.

Another useful add-on to the basic Caddy spec is the “Park Assist” package, which adds parking sensors front and rear, and a rear-view camera (using the hi-res colour screen in the console for its display). This, combined with the standard 6 airbags, stability control, rear ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a 4-star Euro NCAP rating (only losing that final star on account of the lack of standard automatic emergency braking and the like) means that a Caddy Alltrack is well-equipped to keep your family safe.

5. It's the only SWB 2.0 turbodiesel/DCT combination

Those chunky fender extensions and plastic skid-plate inserts may signal some off-the-beaten-track prowess, but don’t be deceived. In reality, a Caddy Alltrack is still a FWD car with the same ground clearance as a normal Caddy 2.0TDI Trendline – 155 mm, to be exact. The main upside (depending on your taste and priorities) revolves around some extra protection against parking-lot mishaps and an improved appearance, but that’s the extent of the Alltrack’s added prowess.

The Caddy Alltrack is also the only way to get the 103 kW TDI with the DSG automatic and a SWB body. The other three Caddy variants that offer this drivetrain are only available with the LWB “Maxi” body type, and are either less well-equipped or a fair bit more expensive.