Volkswagen Multivan 2026 review: Edition – Australian first drive | Kia Carnival rival tested

VW bus 75-year history

It feels like everyone has a VW bus story. Someone’s sister converted their Multivan into a home-away-from-home, Uncle Ern had a pop-top kombi and Macca at the pub has had his since 1982.

Which is no surprise because many peoples’ favourite VW has been around, in one form or another, for over 75 years. And this limited ‘Edition’ package has been applied to the most recent, seventh-generation version of the Multivan.

Read More About Volkswagen Multivan

• 2027 Volkswagen ID.Cross small SUV finally revealed as Euro alternative to Kia EV3 and Jaecoo J5 EV
• 2027 Volkswagen ID. Era 9X could go global
• From the 2027 Audi Q5 Sportback to the 2027 Cupra Raval these are the VWs which won't get another generation according to a new report

That price puts it between the short- and long-wheelbase Multivan Life ($77,990 and $80,290 MSRP, respectively) and adds additional standard fruit including a black roof and gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels, LED matrix headlights (with dynamic cornering function), darkened (LED) tail-lights, dual-tone synthetic velour and synthetic leather seat trim, heated front seats and the Digital Cockpit Pro instrument display.

There’s also puddle lamps, ‘easy open and close’ power sliding doors and tailgate, built-in nav, a 360-degree camera view and a sliding multi-function table.

Put the Multivan Edition next to rivals like the Ford Tourneo Titanium ($74,590), Hyundai Staria HEV Lounge ($73,740), Kia Carnival GT-Line HEV ($76,840) and Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer ($89,672), all before on-road costs, and the VW puts up a compelling value-for-money pitch.

There are two colours, Pure Grey and Candy White, both with a Deep Black Pearlescent roof and door mirror combination and aside from Edition graphics this limited edition’s fundamental design is unchanged.

It’s kind of like an expanded Golf with head- and tail-light treatments in particular clearly connecting it to the current VW family.

2026 VW Multivan flexible interior design

The Multivan’s close to 5.0m length, near 2.0m width, 1.9 metre height and lengthy 3124mm wheelbase provide a comfortable interior for seven (an eight-seat Life is available). And while the interior has that typical VW look of teutonic efficiency it also feels welcoming thanks in no small part to the synthetic microfibre and synthetic leather seat trim. 

I’m guessing Shaquille O'Neal would have enough headroom in the Multivan, because at a lowly 183cm tall I had what felt like metres between my scone and the headliner.

And it’s the interior layout’s incredible flexibility that makes this VW such a practical multi-passenger proposition.

There’s a flat, walk-through floor and we’d need a separate website to detail all the available seating and storage combinations but suffice it to say rails running the length of the Multivan’s floor allow the seats to move easily so they can be adjusted to best accommodate the passengers onboard.

With the driver’s and second-row captain’s chair seats set to my position I still have enough space in the third row, although toe room under the seat in front is a little tight. Up to teenage kids will be more than comfortable back there.

Storage is everywhere including cupholders, bins and flip-up tray tables but the highlight in the Edition is its sliding multi-function table which can serve as a front centre console but has the ability to slip backwards, rise in height and sprout large tabletop surfaces for the second row. 

There’s Qi-compatible wireless phone charging up front as well as six USB-C ports and three 12-volt sockets spread across the interior and cargo area which is more than enough to keep everyone happy with fully charged devices. 

With all seats upright there’s 469 litres (VDA) of luggage space, expanding to 1316L with the third-row folded and a van-like 3672L with the second and third rows removed. The seats are lightweight and slide easily so removing them isn’t as hard as you might think. Maximum braked trailer towing capacity is a useful 2.0 tonnes.

2026 VW Multivan drive impressions

A 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine sends 110kW/310Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission with the current Multivan riding on VW’s MQB Evo platform which also underpins the Golf and Tiguan.

And the Edition feels far more car-like than any of its predecessors. Don’t get me wrong, this is a boxy bus but the way it drives, rides and steers is exceptional.

The engine feels responsive and strong, picking up acceleration quickly without a hint of turbo hesitation and works hand-in-glove with the super-smooth auto. The front seats are comfy, ride quality is terrific for this class of car, freeway cruising is effortless and road feel from the steering is good. Even winding B-roads didn’t unduly upset the Multivan’s handling or stopping power.

Unsurprisingly, wind noise starts to make its presence felt around the A-pillars and exterior mirrors at around 100km/h, but never to an alarming degree. 

2026 VW Multivan safety

The Multivan scores a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment to the latest protocols with seven airbags (including a front centre bag) and the Edition boasts a laundry list of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) crash avoidance tech, the highlights being AEB (auto emergency braking) Park Assist (with front and rear proximity sensors), adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

There are child seat top tethers on the second row captain’s chairs and across the third row, with ISOFIX anchors on all of those except the centre rear position.  

2026 VW Multivan ownership costs

The official fuel economy figure for the Multivan on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 6.2L/100km which puts it ahead of all key competitors and translates to a theoretical range of around 1160km. On the roughly 350km launch drive program which took in urban, B-road and freeway running we saw an average of 7.3L/100km, which would translate to a real-world range of around 950km. Not too shabby for a roughly 2.0-tonne bus.

The Multivan is covered by Volkswagen’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is now being overshadowed in the mainstream market with many brands at seven-, eight- and 10-year terms. Roadside assist is included for the first year.

Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months with fixed price and pay-as-you go plans available. You’re looking at an average of around $650 per workshop visit over the first five years. Not the cheapest but not outrageous.

Volkswagen operates a network of around 180 dealers and service centres across the country.