Volkswagen Crafter picks up new interior and tech updates from April

Volkswagen has given its full-size Crafter panel van a comprehensive update inside the cabin, integrating the latest generation of VW’s digital interfaces. The new 2024 model will be available to order from mid-April, with vans arriving with customers in the summer. 

The brand new cabin now features the same touchscreen as is seen in other models from the passenger car range. The standard setup is made up from a 10.3-inch touchscreen mounted in a new housing that also includes the same slider controls for volume and temperature control. An optional 12.9-inch upgrade is also available on certain models, and in both cases is now matched to a fully digital driver’s display ahead. 

Along with the larger screens also comes VW’s latest software which will integrate ChatGPT services into the voice command system. This technology is said to substantially improve the functionality of the Crafter’s voice control, while also being more natural and responsive to inputs. 

The new screen is now mounted on a brand new upper dashboard that now offers even more storage space for odds and ends, plus a new high-mounted placement for the electronic handbrake.

Models fitted with a manual gearbox mount the gear stick on the lower dash, but those with an automatic now feature a column-mounted gear selector, creating space for yet another storage cubby or drinks holder in the existing housing. 

Alongside the new user interface tech, VW has also substantially increased the amount of driver aids available to Crafter drivers, including standard fitment of Autonomous Emergency Braking including Cyclist and Pedestrian Monitoring, Lane Assist, Road Sign Display, a speed limiter and rear parking sensors. 

No exterior or model range changes have been announced alongside the interior updates on the VW Crafter, with UK prices and specifications set to be nailed down before pre-sales commence in mid-April.

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