Volkswagen’s luxury campervan just got even comfier, with more space, more tech and a left-hand sliding door to appease us Brits. Now based on the brand’s MQB platform, the new California is essentially a dressed-up Multivan, though with more kit than ever to turn it into the ultimate van-based rolling home.
As it’s built on the Multivan chassis, the T7 California is longer and wider than the outgoing model by 269mm and 40mm respectively. But, crucially, it’s still the same height, so you won’t have to worry about scraping your cabin roof with each visit to an underground or multi-story car park. What’s more, the new California can be configured with a hybrid engine for the first time, while petrol and diesel power units are also on offer.
We’ve got a lot to talk about, so read on for everything you need to know about the new VW California.
So, that new door?
Regular readers may have come across a story we published on the T7 California Concept last year. As predicted, the new production California is essentially the exact same car, complete with the additional left-hand side sliding door.
The Multivan on which the California is based also features the extra door, so it’s no surprise that it made it to the Cali, but still VW says it was a decision taken with the UK and New Zealand (and pretty much any left-hand driving country) markets in mind.
The left-hand side door means that owners from these regions will be able to the exit their California onto the side of the road, rather than into the path of oncoming traffic – a first for factory-built Californias.
Having a second door also opens out the cabin into what VW is calling a three living space area. On one side a tent may be erected while on the other, an awning can be unfurled to significantly expand the overall footprint of the camper with nothing to block passage between either side through the vehicle.
What’s happened to the kitchen area?
A kitchenette area still exists in the higher-spec Ocean Californias (more on trim levels later) but VW has had to integrate it into a fold-out system in the cabin to accommodate the extra door on the opposite side. Since it no longer extends all the way up to the driver’s seat, there’s plenty more room in the central area of the cabin, though not at the cost of storage area. In fact, a refrigerator and other storage compartments are now accessible from the outside to
What about engines?
As was teased with the concept model, the new California will be available with a hybrid power unit system that’s also four-wheel drive. The hybrid unit produces 245hp and VW says it should be able to power the California on electricity alone for up to 56 miles. Those wanting a more conventional engine have two additional options in a 150hp TDI diesel and a 204hp TSI petrol.
Can I power my camping amenities using the hybrid engine battery?
No. VW considered using the hybrid engine system to power the rest of the vehicle but decided against it as the camping functions were deemed to be too important to rely on the hybrid battery. ‘We decided to separate the two electric systems as the camping functions must always be ready to use,’ we were told. So, instead, the hybrid engine can only power the wheels, while the rest of the vehicle has its own electricity supply via several other batteries.
Will there be different trim grades?
Yes, trim levels are split into three groups: Beach, Coast and Ocean. Beach trim has its own sub-trim grades in just Beach, Beach Tour and Beach camper. The bottom-spec Beach trim is essentially just a Multivan with a pop-up roof as it doesn’t include any additional camping functions.
Move up the range and in Beach Tour rotating chairs are introduced, along with lighting in the pop up roof and folding chairs in the boot door, among several other features. Beach Tour Californias also come with a fold-out mattress which can be placed on its folded down seats to create an additional sleeping area.
Beach Camper carries all the same amenities over from Beach Tour, but also includes a slide-out compact mini kitchen with a single gas cooker and a bit more storage space.
If you’d rather have a California with a few more built-in amenities and better furnishing, we’d recommend checking out the Coast and Ocean models. Coast Californias have four individual seats, along with a fully kitted-out kitchenette area. This will likely be familiar to past California owners, complete with a sink, cabinets and more, only it’s been redesigned to allow for access from either side of the vehicle. The fridge has been redesigned to open like a drawer (a system taken from the Grand California), to grant exterior access, too.
The range-topping Ocean California is much the same, only more lavishly furnished. It features plusher upholstery fabrics, automatic air con, and rear kitchenette lighting as standard.
How much will the new VW California cost?
We don’t have an exact number yet, but it’ll likely start from a figure higher than that of the outgoing model, so we’d expect north of £60,000. We’ll likely receive the official starting price later on in the summer, so be sure to check back with Parkers then.
