ROAD TEST | VW CADDY TDi
DIESEL DELIVERY
While last month’s petrol-powered Caddy will appeal to some, the majority of UK buyers will still opt for the various diesel models, says Dan Gilkes.
Volkswagen Caddy Cargo Commerce Plus TDi
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olkswagen’s latest Caddy Cargo van is offered with a choice of three diesel engines or a single petrol motor. There will be some urban demand for the lone TSi that we tried last month, but there is little doubt that diesel sales will continue to make up the bulk of Volkswagen’s orders for some time to come. But which one should you go for?
Powertrain Though there are three diesels, they are all based on the same 2.0-litre TDi motor. You can have 75hp with 250Nm of torque, 102hp and 280Nm or this range-topping 122hp version with a strong 320Nm of torque. That choice becomes somewhat easier if you don’t want the regular sixspeed manual gearbox or front-wheel drive. The 122hp engine is the only one 20 VANUSER • SEPTEMBER 2021
of the three that can be had with a seven-speed DSG automated transmission, or with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system, though not, interestingly, at the same time. You are also limited by specification. If you want the base Commerce trim, then you can have any of the engines in the shorter van. The 75hp engine is not offered in the long wheelbase Caddy Cargo Maxi at all. Nor is it available once you start to rise up the trim levels, with only the 102hp and 122hp diesels available in the Commerce Plus and Commerce Pro models. Where all three diesel engines are available, VW quotes pretty much the same fuel consumption and CO2 figures for the three, with the figures only falling when you add the 4Motion driveline, so there is little to choose from at the fuel pumps.
Basic price £21,100 Engine 1,968cc Power 122hp @ 2,7504,250rpm Torque 320Nm @ 1,600-2,500rpm Weights (kg) GVW 2,220 Kerb weight 1,572 Payload 648 Towing 1,500 Dimensions (mm) Load space length 1,797 Load space width 1,614 Width between wheel arches 1,240 Load space height 1,272 Load volume 3.1 Cost considerations Fuel tank capacity 50 Fuel consumption 57.6mpg CO2 127g/100km Service interval 2 year/18,600 miles Warranty 3 years/100,000 miles
Load carrying capacity The short wheelbase Caddy Cargo remains the more popular of the two lengths on offer, though there are certainly companies that take the Maxi model. The standard-length van delivers a 1.3m3 load volume, with 1,797mm from the back doors to the bulkhead. As with the larger model, there is no
