VW Caravelle

With its 20,000-mile service fast approaching, our VW Caravelle is still impressing everyone who drives it

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Kim Adams

March 2003

With its 20,000-mile service fast approaching, our VW Caravelle is still impressing everyone who drives it - not only with its amazing load-lugging, but also its unexpected turn of speed. Even after a few miles behind the wheel, you can't help thinking something this big should not go this fast. The 204bhp V6 is an absolute gem, switching easily between relaxed cruising or gentle inner-city commuting to being quick from standstill.
Of course, you would never swap it for a hot hatch, but that extra power - double that of the top diesel in the Caravelle range - does mean that, even when fully loaded or towing, progress is swift. But despite the impressive engine, the VW is truly in its element when it comes to swallowing luggage - and it has been doing plenty of that lately during a series of home moves.
First up was the task of emptying a soon-to-be-sold two-bedroom holiday cottage in Le Touquet, northern France. Amazingly, we got everything in, including sofa-beds, storage boxes and piles of holiday gear, as well as a bike on the back with one of Thule's excellent tow-ball carriers. We even squeezed a passenger in the rear, too...
Back in the UK, the Caravelle has been cost-cutting transport for a new greenhouse (no delivery charge, thanks), and also proved ideal for endless trips to the council dump as the Adams family moved house and 13 years of clutter. Yet despite carrying more loads than people lately, the interior has stood up well, with barely any signs of wear.
All this activity has made us appreciate the simple but effective rear seat arrangement. With the back seats down it combines with the load-bearing security cover to make a substantial luggage area with plenty of space underneath.
Despite notching up 17,000 miles, there's little to indicate the VW has had a hard life. The engine is as refined as ever and the auto box still silky. However, we've noticed more creaks and groans while easing over sleeping policemen recently - nothing intrusive or unexpected, but things don't sound as tight as they did when the car arrived.
Mechanical problems have been virtually non-existent since we had the emissions warning light fault sorted at the 10,000-mile service. It came on again a few months later, but fixed itself. The bodywork has also survived well, apart from a huge stonechip near the front grille. No one recalls it happening, but it must have been a big thump. However, the front tyres will need replacing soon. We'll order them well before it becomes essential as our VW dealer has warned they can be hard to obtain.
With such reliability, the main cost has been fuel, although we have been keeping this down by following the manufacturer's advice and filling up with plain unleaded instead of the recommended super. Despite the load-lugging and the fact we're making fewer long-haul trips now our Uniroyal Challenge Beetle is under wraps for the winter, fuel consumption is steady at a little less than 19mpg.
With another batch of Auto Express readers being lined up for the first race on 6 April, we're looking forward to another season with what used to be the ultimate paddock bus. Used to be? Afraid so, because we've driven the VW's successor, which will certainly steal the crown when it arrives in the summer. Until then, we'll enjoy many more miles in the versatile Caravelle as a home-from-home for our novice racers.