MOTORING

VEHICLE REVIEW TOUGH BUT ACCOMMODATING MULTIPURPOSE HAULER SPOTONG TAKES THE VW CADDY MAXI VAN THROUGH ITS PACES For Spotong we chose to review the Maxi through its paces to see if it lived proven low-emission Caddy, with a 2.0l

The Volkswagen Caddy was first up to the billing. Is it still one of the best diesel engine modeled from the one in released in South Africa over 10 multipurpose vans on the market? a Touran. years ago and VW as a brand has always been one of the most There are a few models and options When you think of a van, you expect popular amongst drivers. The Caddy to look at; ones with a powerful 2.0l the basics, but VW deliver a far superior Maxi joined the fleet a few years later diesel engine and basic interiors to interior to the competition. The build and has since enjoyed a couple of ones with a smaller petrol engine that quality is five star and the Caddy uses facelifts. We were able to put the Caddy can haul a group of people or a band. clever design elements to maximize

space. The trim and finishes are excellent and the creature comforts like air-conditioning allow you a chance to forget you are in a work van. It has a Radio⁄CD (MP3) player, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors, a multimedia socket for external audio sources, a 2-speaker sound system and electro-mechanical power steering. (some of the above mentioned features are optional extras, but were in the version we tested).

The 2.0 TDI we tested had the BlueMotion Technology package. This package gives owners a stop-start function, an energy recovery system and cruise control to increase fuel economy and cut CO2 emissions. The Caddy also had a claimed fuel economy on a combined cycle of 5.6l per 100km. Despite not testing the top of the range version, we found very little fault with the Caddy. Its slick exterior is equipped with some seriously cool gimmicks that add to the allure of the Caddy. It has Halogen headlights, exterior mirrors matching the body colour, bumpers in the body colour and sliding doors both left and right. Overall the Caddy performed above expectations, even for a VW, which we hold in extremely high regard. The load capacity is versatile and impressive. The passengers are driven in comfort and the overall experience is fantastic. Some may find the R255,200 (Starting price) price tag high in relation to the competition, but there really is no substitution for quality. This multipurpose van can be a goods or people hauler.

SPECS:

0-100km/h – 12.1s Top Speed – 170km/h CO2 emissions – 147g/km Power – 81kW Torque – 250 Nm