New Transporter is the ultimate family alternative to SUVs

A VOLKSWAGEN bus needs no introduction to South Africans, considering it’s been around for decades and at one stage it almost had a monopoly in the segment.

- WILLEM VAN DE PUTTE

I've often said that we should be seeing more vans on the road and that consumers tend to wear blinkers and walk straight to an SUV without a second glance.

For me at least, a van makes sense, especially with a family.

There's significantly more space — both for people and luggage. Modern vans have all the screens and connectivity you could ever need, they’re economical, and you have a commanding view of the road ahead, to name a few.

The new Volkswagen Transporter is all of that and then some.

Exterior

Sure, it's built on the Ford Tourneo platform as a result of the joint venture between the two, but there's still a whack of Volkswagen DNA, especially between the A and B pillars as well as the front end.

The front end with the LED headlights, including Light Assist, a grille and VW decal gives it an almost ID. Buzz look, and that’s quintessential VW. During the launch drive in and around Hoedspruit, Mpumalanga, we drove the range-topping Edition model fitted with black 17-inch alloys and black decals running down the side.

The rear has typical clean VW van lines, and the LED taillights have been technically upgraded over the previous model.

It’s also bigger than the preceding T6.1 version, standing at 5.050mm long, an increase of 146mm.

The wheelbase has been increased by 97mm to 3.100mm, providing a roomier interior.

The Transporter is also available with a long wheelbase extended by 400mm with an overall length of 5.450mm.

Thanks to its increased size, the payload is now 1.33 tons, and the towing weight has been increased from 2.5 tons to 2.8 tons, while the roofload increased from 150kg to 170kg.

Variants and engines