Volkswagen Caddy Cargo Review 2024

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo At A Glance

4/5

+Stylish and trendy small van. Easy to drive. More spacious than ever before.

-Poor payload compared to rivals.

The Volkswagen Caddy has been a mainstay of the small van market for several generations and the latest model builds on its reputation for versatility. It's now badged the Caddy Cargo (while the passenger-carrying model is simply called the Caddy), and it's been moved onto VW Group's MQB car platform (much like the Volkswagen Golf, Audi TT and Skoda Karoq to name a few).

You might think that the move towards a car platform will have been detramental to the Caddy's useability, but its grown in size and is now more capable of hauling loads than ever before. There are two main versions (the standard wheelbase Caddy Cargo and the long-wheelbase Caddy Cargo Maxi), as well as three trim levels (Commerce, Commerce Plus and Commerce Pro). 

With 3.1 cubic metres of load space, the standard Caddy Cargo can carry a decent load, but this is trumped by the Caddy Cargo Maxi with its 3.7 cubic metre capacity.

The Caddy Cargo's real talents lie in its car-like agility and plush interior. It's probably the easiest small van on the market to drive, helped by a whole host of driver-assistance technology pinched from elsewhere in the Volkswagen range. The turning circle is surprisingly tight, while good visibility also helps around town.

There are petrol and diesel engines available (no hybrid or electric power, though). We'd recommend the 2.0 TDI for most drivers, particularly the top-of-the-range 122PS model with the rapid-shifting DSG automatic gearbox. The 1.5 TSI petrol is better suited to drivers who cover a lot of miles in town.

All this adds up to a very impressive small van that more than stacks up against rivals including the Ford Transit Xonnect, Vauxhall Combo Cargo, Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner. You'll pay a little more for a Caddy Cargo alongside most of these, but it's likely to hold its value well and won't cost a fortune to run.

What does a Volkswagen Caddy Cargo cost?