Volkswagen Kombi (2021) Roadtrip Review: Just like the good old days, only better
My Dad's mint green Kombi transported us and the rest of the carpooling kids to school in the late eighties and early nineties, and some of my fondest memories include leaving for Jeffreys Bay with my family in the early hours to beat the midday heat, as there was no air-conditioning inside. When the T6.1 Kombi arrived at my doorstep, I felt I owed it to my kids to recreate a similar experience, even if meant driving to Montague, only a few hours away.
Styling
The latest Transporter Kombi in its Copper Bronze Metallic body colour is a far cry from the solid mint green T3 my dad owned, which had a benign, almost friendly face. The upgraded sixth-generation Kombi looks rather determined with its large radiator grille and integrated parallelogram-shaped headlights.
In my dad's Kombi, there was only one sliding door (in which my left ear got trapped as my brother slammed the door shut — I still have the scar, but that's a tale for another day) but the Kombi has two doors which is what we've come to expect of modern-day people movers. At the rear, the narrow taillamps boast an interesting C-shaped light signature.
Interior, space, and comfort
The Kombi seats eight fully-grown people, while four persons wouldn't know what to do with all the space, as I discovered when my two kids brought along their duvets, favourite stuffed toys, and pillows for our road trip to Montague. By the time I picked up my mom who lives around the corner from us, both kids were stretched out and each basically had their own 'bed' at their disposal, just like those fortunate enough to fly business class. When I reached the slipway to the highway, they were instructed to sit up and buckle up for safety, which made me a lot less popular.
One of best parts of driving a Kombi isn't the commanding seating position or the endless visibility ahead, it's all the available storage on board. The T6.1 Kombi has an endless amount of shelves and recesses, so much so that I had to make a mental note of where I stored sets of keys or remotes.
But, comfort is also one of the Kombi's strong suits, and the supportive front seats teamed with convenient adjustable armrests certainly contribute to keeping driver fatigue to a minimum. In our test model, vinyl seats had been specified which is an absolute must if you'll be picknicking in the car with your crew.
As for the cargo area, it's pretty massive, and if you do the carpooling thing, all the kids' bags and sports equipment can fit into it, and then some. Because the seats are elevated, you can slide longer items in underneath as well. If you have eight people on board, it should be sufficient for everyone's holiday luggage, but only if people pack sensibly. For a family of five to six, the Kombi is perfectly sized and negates the need for a trailer.
Infotainment
The Kombi, in Trendline trim, is equipped with VW's Composition Colour radio system as standard (see below), while the more luxurious Caravelle and California get the Discover pro Media system with Satnav. While there are no USB ports on board, two USB-C ports can be found on the dashboard which allowed me to connect my iPhone to the system and stream music via Apple Carplay. I also brought along my USB hub which plugs into the 12V power socket to power my Mi-fi, so everyone on board could have data. Having Ouma in the car put a slight dampener on the kids' plans to listen to selected playlists on Spotify, because Ouma reckons most music nowadays is just noise.
The drive, power, and performance
Hitting the open road in a two-litre turbodiesel Kombi is a surefire way of recharging one's batteries. The sun was starting to rise and the entire Overberg valley along the N2 was shrouded in a thick blanket of mist, so the optional fog lamps came in very handy. As the Overberg's green, lush hills morphed into rocky, aloe-covered Karoo, I kept an eye on our average fuel consumption, which had dropped as low as 8.4 litres per 100 km. This is quite commendable for a diesel-engine of this size, powering a heavy vehicle like the Kombi.
While there was very little traffic on the road at this hour, when I needed to overtake someone it was a quick and effortless enough. The 110kW 2.0TDI Kombi (with 340 Nm) completes the obligatory 0-100 km/h sprint in just over 10 seconds, and the 7-speed DSG gearbox does a fine job of keeping the four-cylinder pot on the boil. The high placement of the gearbox is very convenient as well. What surprised me the most was the Kombi's tiny turning circle which makes parking and the odd U-turn a complete cinch. The latest-generation T6.1 Kombi gets new electromechanical steering, and VW's second-generation chassis control system can also be specified for more agile handling.
Volkswagen specified heavy-duty suspension on our test model, and at first, I mistook our front-wheel-driven test Kombi for a 4MOTION (four-wheel-drive) model. Should you decide to go off the beaten track every so often, this extra feature is worth paying for. Just remember that it's not a license to go dune driving.
Safety
Volkswagen is serious about safety and the Kombi is equipped with stability and traction control, hill-start assist, and two airbags, with the option of upgrading to six. You can also specify a lane departure warning and blind spot monitor, among other safety features. A rearview camera with rear parking sensors is standard, as are cruise control and crosswind assist.
Pricing
Without options, the Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI 110kW Kombi SWB Trendline will cost you R758 100. In this price range you will also find the Hyundai H1 and Ford Tourneo Custom.
Verdict
There is, and can only ever be, one Kombi. While the Caravelle and California are far beyond the reach of most MPV-buyers, the Kombi's price tag, although pricey, is justified. We recommend buying a lightly-used model so that you will still benefit from the 5-year maintenance plan and 3-year manufacturer warranty.
