Our Vans: Volkswagen T5 Transporter Kombi Sportline
24 November 2014: Transporter Kombi or Caravelle
The Details
| Current mileage | 5208 |
|---|---|
| Claimed economy | 37.2mpg |
| Actual economy | 33.0mpg |
My Transporter has gained a new name with my other half - 'the bus'. I've tried to persuade her that 'das schnell wagon' is better but whenever we leave the house, the question is 'are we taking the bus?'. My unamused look only adds to the humour apparently.
Still, that's an improvement from when it was continually referred to as a camper van over the summer. The fact it has no fridge, sink or anywhere to sleep didn't seem to matter. So after some lengthy explanations that it is simply a van with seats in the back - albeit one costing more than £38k - the change to bus is close enough.
Then recently we met up with friends who have a Caravelle. And were instantly plunged into a whole new world of confusion. After explaining the differences, the question 'why chose a Caravelle over a Transporter' or indeed vice versa, did seem a very good one. After all, a Caravelle Executive with the same 2.0 BiTDI engine costs £40,920 including VAT - not that much more than our Transporter Sportline.
So what do you get for your extra money? Well the Caravelle feels a lot more plush inside straight away. There's carpet throughout unlike the rubber floor in the Transporter and although the cabin is pretty much the same, there is a nicer feel to the trim around the air vents plus - joy of joys - it comes with a proper Volkswagen touchscreen system with navigation. Not the aftermarket Kenwood system in the Sportline. It also has cruise control - something sorely absent from the Transporter.
Caravelle gets a much plusher - if less practical - interior
Of course the big differences are in the back. The Caravelle comes with five seats and they feel very high quality. The front two can be swivelled around to face the rear and the leather seats are hugely comfortable. They certainly feel a cut above the leather seats in the Transporter. The doors are fully trimmed as is the roof. It's essentially a much nicer passenger version of our van.
Driving the Caravelle is very similar to the Transporter in terms of performance, despite the extra weight. The carpeted floor means it's far quieter, especially on the motorway, although the ride is strangely firmer in the Caravelle due to the fact it has sports suspension as standard. The trade off is the lack of practicality. There's a good-sized luggage area but obviously it's not as big as the back of the Transporter. Plus the rubber floor of the van is much easier to keep clean so it's a better choice for active families. The back of our van is currently filthy but it's nothing a bucket of hot soapy water and a brush won't sort out.
The Caravelle in our pictures is an Edition 25 which was launched in 2011 at a price of £44,995. They only made 225 and they're now hard to come by. It was a great looking model and similar to the Transporter Sportline so it's a shame they don't make anything like it at the moment. There is of course the Caravelle Business which comes with rear seat entertainment and a fridge. It's also more than £57,000. Ouch.
You can go for an inbetween option which is the Transporter Shuttle. Priced at £33,040 (including VAT) for a 2.0 BiTDI 180PS model, this is the standard Transporter that's able to seat up to eight with six seats in the back. It's kind of a half way house between a Transporter Kombi and a Caravelle. Me? Well I'm very happy with the Kombi, especially as it's currently lugging my muddy bikes around. That's something the Caravelle wouldn't be able to cope with.
« Earlier: Can you really have performance and economy? Later: Transporter gets its winter tyres fitted »
