Latest Volkswagen Caddy
VW’s Caddy is a versatile small vehicle with an enviable manufacture quality for its market sector . Available as a short- and long-wheelbase (Maxi) van, the latter can also be used as a five -seater Window Van and a 7 -seater Multi-Purpose Vehicle , the Life. Load space ranges from 0.5m3 (Life) up to 4.2m3 for the Maxi Van and gross payloads go from 618kg to 800kg. Diesel is the only fuel option, but there’s a variety of 3 engines. The least powerful is a normally aspirated 69hp 2.0-litre (SDI) and the highest power is produced by a 140hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. Sitting neatly in between these two is a 1.9-litre turbo capable of 104hp. The SDI is reserved solely for the Caddy Van while the other two can be specified in any derivation.
Caddy is front-wheel drive and comes with a five -speed manual gearbox as standard on all models bar those with the 2.0TDI engine; they get a six -speeder.
A VW’s semi-automatic Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) can also be installed as an option .It can be used both ways as a manual or as an automatic and it employs two wet clutches, in effect turning it into 2 gearboxes fitted into one body . One clutch takes care of all the even-numbered gears while the other looks after those with odd numbers, plus reverse. What this means is that there’s no loss of traction when the ’box changes gear. In effect the next gear is always pre-selected.
The floor-mounted gearlever looks like a usual automatic transmission shift, with ‘D’ for Drive seconded by ‘S’ for Sport. Change to that setting and gear shift will occur at higher engine speeds. Flick the lever to the left at any speed you like and you can use the ’box in the way you would a manual. Shove the stick forwards and gears shift up , pull it back and gears shift down again .
Nor do you danger stalling when you are in manual mode. If you reach a roundabout , for example, and overlook to change down, DSG will do it for you. A dashboard indication tells you which option you’ve choosed when you’re in automatic mode and which gear you are in if you change to manual.
DSG along with Caddy’s amazing steering and handling make it a delight to drive. The 104hp on tap is more than adequate in combination with the 6 forward gear ratios and gets our approval ahead of the 140hp 2.0-litre and it’s manual six gears, even in body-kitted, low profile tyred Sportline trim.
The only real draw back is the £1,000 that DSG adds to the invoice , but take it from What Van?; it’s value for single penny.
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