Volkswagen Caravelle (03 on) - Review

Comfort for the rear passengers depends on how the rear is laid out, as all the seats are removable, foldable and can be configured in a number of ways. This makes the Caravelle incredible versatile but moving the seats isn't especially easy or straightforward. However, with individual seats in the back, passengers can stretch their legs out (when all seats are facing each other) and make use of the armrests. A long wheelbase version is available which is 40cm longer and offers even better passenger room. But even the standard model is easy to get in or out of thanks to long sliding side doors which are especially useful in tight parking spaces. Manual air conditioning is standard and ventilation is fed into the rear passenger area through individually adjustable vents in the side pillars. There is an additional heater with separate vents close to the floor and the rear cabin heating system is controlled through its own switch on the roof. Only a stiff ride lets the Caravelle down.

The interior is very flexible thanks to floor-mounted slide rails on which all the interior furnishings are fixed. As a result they can be positioned anywhere. The front row of seats in the back can swivel, allowing passengers to face the rear bench while most models come with a rear bench seat - which can also slide - and all three seats have three-point seat belts. The bench can also convert into a completely flat bed. As well as the standard seven-seater, a six-seat layout is available which has two individual rear seats instead of the three-seat bench. On top of this, there's a multi-function table which folds out and features a host of cupholders and cubbyholes. Elsewhere there's almost endless amounts of storage including trays under the rear seats and a removable bucket. The only gripe is that it's tricky to move the seats as they are heavy and don't slide very well. Creating a flat load floor involves removing them completely which is a two person job. Luggage room is impressive when the rear bench seat has been moved forward, but slide it as far back as possible and it's quite limited.

The Caravelle struggles to hide its commercial vehicle origins in the front where the dash design looks quite old fashioned. The layout is simple though and the chunky buttons are easy to use, but it's not the most sophisticated of interiors and the optional sat nav system is slow and tricky to use. However, it's robustly built and feels like it will last forever while the driving position is good too, helped by plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering column.