Joint venture or not, the new Volkswagen Transporter looks almost convincingly VW. Almost. The whole JV, platform-sharing aspect is nothing new since, just with Volkswagen and Ford alone, we’ve already seen the JV take effect. Think Amarok, which is underpinned by the Ranger platform…
There are also more joint efforts planned for the future. For one, VW will allow Ford to glance at its homework in the electric field, with the MEB electric platform said to underpin future Ford models. Don’t groan too much though, because there are countless such instances throughout just the local car industry, and chances are you’re driving something with a shared platform of some persuasion. Or will be driving something with a shared platform in the near future.
Is it a VW restyle?
Why yes, it is, in some respects. There’s not much to do on the side profile since it still cuts a similar silhouette to its donor, but VW has taken its pen to the front with a comprehensive reinterpretation to better suit VW’s look and feel. VW says that the grille has taken inspiration from the T.5, the headlights have taken a book from the T.6 gospel with lots of other marketing speak relating to the composition of the van’s styling. Just, whatever you do, don’t call this the T.7 since internally it’s simply known as the “New Transporter” thanks to its elsewhere-sourced underpinnings.
The rear, which VW simply says has the “clean look typical of a VW van”, bears a further resemblance to the Tourneo from which the Volkswagen Transporter was restyled. But again, how many reiterations can there be of a taillight cluster…
How about the Volkswagen Transporter’s interior?
It’s practical, comfortable and immensely spacious, so if that’s on your checklist, consider it ticked. As for on-board tech, it has a 12-inch digital instrument cluster with an interface that feels in step with VW’s other models and a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system that happily accepts Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A familiar irk inherited from Ford is the car functions that are buried within the submenu, most notably the stop/start system, which on every startup requires a trip down digital alley to deactivate.
Touchpoints are solid for the most part, in that typical VW way, though the charging ports could have been better placed. The seats are also comfortable over long jaunts, and while the Life models we tested don’t have drop-down trays, pop-up tables or much in the way of layout customisation, they nail the brief of comfortably carrying people and cargo in comfort.
And driving… comfortable there too?
Tying in with my previous statement, the answer is yes… and no. Let me explain: on smooth tar surfaces the Transporter excels. The ride quality is good, the steering is light and precise, and body movement is kept under control. Consider that this is still a van. The brakes too are linear, and there are no forward lurches within city confines under considerate acceleration. But given that this is SA, polished road surfaces inevitably run their course. When that happens, the rear passenger area becomes a thudding chamber at highway speeds. Think of an open window at speed… It’s similar. Sitting at the front is tolerable, but in rows two and three it tends to dominate the passenger comfort experience.
As for the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, it produces 125kW and 390Nm and pairs with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. As mentioned earlier, it performs well at low speed and within the city with the relatively early arrival of torque as the gearbox seamlessly selects the optimal gear. It also accelerates effectively to 120km/h, but once asking it to overtake, the gearbox feels too conservatively mapped to really utilise all available 390 Newtons. It’s hesitant on its downshifts, and even switching between drive modes makes little tangible difference other than throttle response. While it’s by no means supposed to be a schnellbus – on the launch drive we were four passengers with four overnight bags – the Transporter Life ships as an 8-seater with VW saying it has a maximum braked towing capacity of 2,800kg. See my point?
Where does the Transporter fit into the local market?
In isolation, the Volkswagen Transporter is a good van. Compared to the passenger van segment as a whole, though, it faces formidable competition from all quarters. The Ford Tourneo is the obvious direct reference, given the shared underpinnings. From Hyundai, the Staria passenger range starts at R919,900 with the Luxury derivative bookending the range at R1,273,900. Toyota Quantum? The luxury, long wheelbase passenger line sits at R1,236,800 (6-seater) and R1,241,400 for the 9-seater.
The Transporter’s passenger range starts at R1,055,200 (Commerce), with an asking price of R1,081,700 for the Basic, R1,116,845 (Life) and R1,167,400 (Edition). At the top of the lineup, the Transporter Style 4Motion sits with a price tag of R1,301,400. If you’re looking more in the commercial corner, VW offers the Transporter LWB panel van with a manual ‘box with power figures registering 81kW and 310Nm of torque.
Verdict
The VW Transporter brings a lot of redeemable qualities to the passenger kombi space and gets a lot of the basics right. It’s comfortable over longer distances, given the road is well-paved. It’s easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces with an 11.9-metre turning circle, and its drivetrain performs well when not asking it to perform miracles at slower speeds.
Then again, at speed, the rear-cabin tyre rumble and the overly conservative gearbox configuration give me some pause on calling it a standout van in its segment. Compared with the outgoing Transporter’s 146kW/450Nm, the new 125kW and 390Nm figures feel like a step down when you really need to call on it. Other than that, it’s a pretty solid, spacious and likable van…
Volkswagen Transporter Pricing
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI panel van: R770,000
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Commerce: R1,055,200
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Basic: R1,081,700
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Life: R1,116,845
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Edition: R1,167,400
Volkswagen Transporter 2.0TDI Style 4Motion: R1,301,400
Images: Mpumelelo Macu/Volkswagen SA
