Volkswagon Transporter T28 2010 Van Review

 

It doesn’t take much to anger our Editor these days (it must be an age thing) but according to him, the sooner all van manufacturers adopt running lights as standard, the better. He was getting quite tetchy with all the other van drivers flashing him over the past week. However, the iVan staff did manage to placate him somewhat by telling him that regular van drivers weren’t reminding him he had his headlamps on, it’s just that they recognised this giant of the LCV media as he went about his business – this time in a new Volkswagen Transporter T28.

Car Perception

Stick any car driver in a brand new modern van and it will only be a matter of minutes before they raise their eyebrows and exclaim that well worn phrase: “It’s just like driving a car!” Showroom staff and van rental sales personnel are just as guilty of perpetuating this perception. Anyone buying a van for the first time or someone hiring a van for the weekend will be told: “It’s just like driving a car.”

Until now, I would have thought they were talking bollards. A van is not a car, it is a commercial vehicle. It compromises ride comfort with load carrying ability. Sometimes it is running light and often running very heavy, right at the upper limits of its capacity. It is therefore common sense that a vehicle in these circumstances will react differently when conditions change, whether it be road surface, weather or traffic causing the driver to respond, adapt or brake suddenly.

Most of the time cars are OK, but during the holiday months, when all the seats are full, the boot is packed and the roofrack is bearing the overflow, the ordinary motorist will only realise the difference between running light and overloaded when the unexpected pops up – suddenly, and sometimes with horrifying results.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that van drivers are therefore better drivers, but I would suggest that on the whole, they are a bit more aware of what they are driving and therefore adjust their style to suit.

Naturally, there are idiots in every field of endeavour and it was the actions of a minority which led to the invention of the phrase ‘white van driver’, but I would still reckon that all drivers should respect the characteristics that define cars and vans. They are different and they react differently.

Which makes my argument difficult when folk jump into a van like the new Transporter. Now forget for a minute the dining chair driving position, and think only of the controls. This IS like driving a car. The thick rimmed steering wheel feels good on first grasp and the power steering has taken the weight out of the effort without destroying the feel for the tyres.

Similarly, the dash mounted gearshift is deliciously tactile, slotting positively around the ‘box when changes are needed. The pedals too offer a reassuring touch underfoot, unlike previous generations of LCV where power brakes and strong throttle springs provided a constant reminder that drivers were at the wheel of a commercial vehicle.

The seat lacks a little side support but is reasonably comfortable, all-round vision is pretty good and the in-cab comfort levels are pretty high.

That relates to a driving experience which is as close as you’ll get to a car. Cornering is not the life threatening exercise that it was many years ago, but the MacPherson strut front suspension and new miniblock sprung rear have reduced roll to almost imperceptible levels.

In other words, this van really could lull the newcomer to LCVs into a false sense of security. But those clever boffins at Volkswagen have thought of this and introduced more personal-protection systems than a roomful of coppers.

Safety

I’m not so sure about the daytime driving lights. In fact, I got so fed up with other drivers reacting that I switched over to sidelights, but the new Transporter has another trick up its sleeve. In emergency braking situations, the hazard lights come on automatically. Even more cunning is the fact that each time the windscreen wipers are used, the brake discs are wiped too! An actuator in the braking circuit causes the brake pads to wipe off excess water intermittently when weather conditions deteriorate, rather like pressing the brake pedal after driving through a ford or a deep puddle.

The question of running empty or loaded is also addressed with the installation of ARP (Active Rollover Protection) now fitted as standard which actively works against gravity when things go wrong, and Hill-Hold control is also fitted as standard preventing roll back on hills or at traffic lights. They have even fitted a Brake Fade Support device which automatically adjusts pedal pressure if the driver has been over-using or abusing the brakes too much!

And if you think I’ve been going on a bit too much about the brakes, there is good reason. The 102 bhp version of the new 2 litre engine (which is expected to be the most popular in the UK) is a bit lively. And with 250 Nm of torque on tap and a set of decent ratios inside the 5 speed ‘box, it motors along quite impressively.

With such vehicular mollycoddling going on, I’m worried that van drivers are in danger of becoming ever more complacent, just like car drivers in fact. The more technology they have, the more they will rely on it, to the detriment of natural skills and ability.

The counter argument runs along the lines, the less a driver has to do and think about, the more attention he can devote to traffic conditions and unthinking pedestrians. And yes, that argument has merit, but on the basis of the ability of this new Transporter and the fact that subsequent new vans will get better (less driver involving?) then there will be a need to ensure that boredom is not allowed to set in and drivers become less alert.

Pricing

The only other criticism that was levelled at Volkswagens in the past was the price. It wasn’t that they were much dearer than their rivals, you just got less ‘extras’ for the same money. VW has now addressed that and equipment levels are now on a par with the opposition, although you still have to pay extra for a bulkhead. At a basic price of just under £17,000 (plus OTR and VAT) for this SWB T28, it’s an attractive price for an attractive looking van. (Prices current as at Feb 2010)

Having praised the van highly, and not wishing to belittle the achievements of designers and engineers, I am however slightly puzzled about one aspect of Volkswagen design. Why is it that the left rear doors on the Caddy and Transporter open first, while on the Crafter it is the right rear door which has the handle? There must be a reason!

Yes, I really liked it. The new Transporter is a cracking van – but is it too good?