Volkswagen Caddy SWB Trendline TSI220 2017 review

There’s one sliding door on the left-hand side of the cargo bay and twin-swing rear doors (single rear tailgate and side windows optional). The rear doors have heated glass, a single wiper-washer and are asymmetrically split (one wide, one narrow) to minimise obstruction in the rear view mirror. They also have 180-degree opening for forklift access.

With front-wheel drive and four-wheel disc brakes, the smallest Caddy rides on a compact 2682mm wheelbase with an overall length of 4408mm and width of 1773mm. MacPherson strut front suspension and electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering are matched with a well-designed leaf-spring beam axle rear suspension. Tapered rubber cones mounted on the chassis rails above each rear spring compress under heavy payloads, to provide additional support and bump absorption. 

The Caddy has one sliding door on the left-hand side and twin-swing rear doors. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

The overall height of 1823mm creates a spacious cabin environment. There’s easy entry and exit through wide door openings and the uncluttered dashboard has controls that are generally well placed and easy to use. Drivers of most shapes and sizes should be able to find a comfortable position, with the bottom section of the steering wheel rim straightened to provide easier access and more leg/waist room for larger drivers.

Our only gripes are that the driver’s left footrest is a tad too high for those with longer legs and there is no rake adjustment for the driver seat’s base cushion, which would improve driver comfort.

Our test vehicle was the smallest and most affordable in the range – the SWB with TSI220 1.4-litre petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic at $29,390. This represents an 11 per cent price premium over its closest competitor, Renault’s Kangoo L1 SWB Compact, which, with a smaller 1.2-litre petrol engine and six-speed dual-clutch automatic, is $26,490.

The smallest Caddy comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels and 205/55 R16 94H tyres with a full size spare (16-inch alloys are optional), manual air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows and heated/power-adjustable door mirrors. There’s also a multimedia system with 5.0-inch colour touchscreen and multiple connectivity including Bluetooth, with separate controls on the leather-trimmed and height/reach adjustable steering wheel. The driver’s seat also has adjustable lumbar support. 

The smallest Caddy comes standard with a full size spare. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

Un-laden or with only a load light on board, the Caddy is a nippy performer that’s actually quite enjoyable to drive around town, with a comfortable driving position, brisk acceleration, firm and decisive automatic or manual gear changes, nicely weighted direct steering and well-tuned suspension. Combined with a tight 11.1-metre turning circle, it’s tailor-made for stop/start driving in busy CBD and inner-suburban delivery zones. 

It also has powerful braking. If anything it’s a tad too strong when running on empty, as the four-wheel discs can bite pretty hard if you don’t apply gentle initial pedal pressure. However, they provide similar retardation from empty right up to maximum GVM, as we discovered with a big load on board.

The centre rear view mirror is a good size and so too are the different-shaped door mirrors, with the passenger side rectangular in shape (driver’s side is square) using a convex lens to provide a wider-angle view down the driver’s blind side.

We loaded 650kg into the cargo bay, which with a 90kg driver and three-quarters of a tank equalled the Caddy’s 773kg maximum payload rating. The leaf-spring rear suspension compressed almost 60mm, which engaged the rubber damping cones to provide extra support. There was no change in the front ride height, ensuring that steering response, front tyre grip and braking were largely unaffected.

With a load 650kg equaling the Caddy’s 773kg maximum payload rating. The leaf-spring rear suspension compressed almost 60mm, which engaged the rubber damping cones to provide extra support. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

Acceleration was reduced but not to the extent we thought it would. You certainly feel the extra weight, but the engine maintains an acceptable level of performance and the suspension maintains its impressive composure, soaking up big bumps without a hint of bottoming-out. 

The shift protocols in the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic are tailored to extract the best from this engine under heavy payloads. It seemed almost dismissive of our 2.0km set climb (13 per cent gradient), shifting down to fourth gear and 2500rpm to easily maintain the 60km/h speed limit all the way to the top. 

Our only concern was a faint whiff of burning oil when we got there. Engine braking in second gear on the way down was almost non-existent, as we’ve come to expect from small engines, with regular braking required to adhere to the 60km/h limit.

There was roar from the rear tyres at highway speeds, with the wheelarches and open cargo bay acting like steel echo chambers. This noise becomes noticeable from about 40km/h and builds to an intrusive roar at 100km/h, so pack industrial-strength ear plugs if you’re planning to do lots of highway driving. Or VW could include a standard (or dealer-fit option like Kangoo) steel bulkhead between cabin and cargo bay, which would eliminate this problem.

Volkswagen supports Caddy with a three-year/unlimited km warranty plus three-year paintwork warranty and 12-year anti-corrosion perforation warranty, as well as 24/7 roadside assistance for the duration of the original warranty period.

Service interval is 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-price servicing of $347 (12 months/15,000km), $505 (24 months/30,000km) and $427 (36 months/45,000km).