Fiat Scudo vs Volkswagen Caddy

What's the difference?

The Fiat Scudo LWB Primo offers a large payload rating, excellent fuel economy, peppy performance and practical features like its load-through flap. However, it also has shortcomings like a tiny tow rating and no sequential manual-shifting. So, only a potential buyer can determine if the positives outweigh the negatives when deciding if this largely badge-engineered European van is the right fit for their business.

It’s not hard to see why the Caddy Cargo maintains its enduring favouritism in the small van class. It has outstanding workhorse capabilities, unmatched five-star safety and drivetrain choice, combined with a spirited car-like driving experience, be it unladen or with a heavy payload. It’s not perfect, but it's also hard to fault in a workhorse role.

Like its platform-sharing Peugeot Expert associate (which differs only in cosmetic changes) and other continental rivals like the Ford Transit Custom and Renault Trafic, the Scudo has a distinctive ‘Euro’ look which combines boldly sculptured bodywork with work-focused practicality.

It also employs unpainted dark grey plastic in areas most vulnerable to bumps and scrapes including the bumpers, door mirror shells, side protection strips, sliding door tracks and hubcaps.

The cabin is spacious, comfortable and visually appealing but like the exterior is designed with work in mind given its wipe-clean vinyl floor and fabric-trimmed seating for up to three crew members, comprising a driver’s bucket seat and two-passenger bench seat.

Confusingly, the SWB and LWB share the same 3275mm wheelbase. The difference between them is purely in body length, with the LWB being 330mm longer due to its extended rear overhang.

Our test vehicle rides on a 2755mm wheelbase with 4500mm overall length, yet its 11.4-metre turning circle is slightly larger than a Toyota HiAce mid-sized van, which highlights the restrictions in steering lock shared by front-wheel-drive vehicles like the Caddy and its French rivals.

Underneath you’ll find robust MacPherson strut front suspension, a coil-spring beam rear axle with Panhard rod, four-wheel disc brakes and electric power-assisted steering.

It comes well armoured for work duties with unpainted dark grey plastic used in areas where bumps, scrapes and wear usually occur like the front/rear bumpers (including the rear pillars from top to bottom), door-handles and door mirror-shells. The bright silver alloy-look plastic wheel-covers can also be easily replaced if damaged by kerbs to keep this van looking sharp on the job.

Its purposeful external appearance is matched by a neat and practical cabin design with wipe-clean rubber flooring and fabric-trimmed bucket seats for driver and passenger. Hard surfaces abound in contrasting shades of grey with splashes of satin chrome.

The minimalist dash design is achieved by corralling most functions into the comparatively small (by today's standards) central touchscreen including often-used climate control, engine auto start-stop etc., which can be fiddly and distracting when driving. Thankfully, at least physical dials for audio volume and tuning remain.

Our test vehicle’s 1796kg kerb weight is relatively light, which when deducted from its 3100kg GVM leaves a substantial 1304kg payload rating of which up to 170kg can be carried on the roof.

However, in stark contrast the Scudo is only rated to tow up to 600kg, which is below the 750kg threshold for mandatory trailer brakes. And Fiat does not publish a GCM rating (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we don’t know if the Scudo can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

In practical terms this tow rating would restrict users to the smallest and lightest box trailers to leave enough capacity for a decent load, which could be a deal breaker for those who need to tow heavier weights.

The cargo bay, which in LWB form provides a competitive 6.1 cubic metres of load volume, can be increased to 6.6 cubic metres by opening the large load-through flap at the lower left of the cabin bulkhead and raising the outer passenger seat’s base cushion into its vertical position.

This extends the load floor to an expansive 4024mm which allows extra-long items like timber, electrical conduit, copper/PVC pipe, carpet roles etc to slide through to the passenger footwell, which greatly increases practicality.

For example, we used this handy feature to transport several 3.6-metre wooden posts from a hardware store (see images) which would have been too long for the standard floor, so it was a convenient solution.

Our only criticism of this feature is that the flap is hinged at its base which means when opened it lies flat on the floor, which makes it more vulnerable to load damage than a top-hinged flap (like the Renault Trafic) which opens upwards and therefore out of harm’s way.

The LWB cargo bay’s load floor is 2862mm long (without using the bulkhead flap) and 1628mm wide with 1397mm from floor to roof. There’s also 1258mm between the rear wheel housings, which means it can carry up to two standard Aussie pallets or up to three Euro pallets, secured by a choice of eight load anchorage points.

The cargo bay is accessed through solid sliding doors on each side and glazed twin barn-doors at the rear (a glazed rear liftgate is available as a $700 option). The barn-doors can swing open to 270 degrees to optimise forklift and loading dock access but there are no detents in the hinges or other stays to hold them open, so they can easily swing shut in a light breeze or if parked on an incline.

There’s no standard floor protection which makes it prone to load damage but the cargo bay walls are neatly lined to mid-height plus there’s ample lighting and a handy 12V socket.

Although it can seat up to three occupants, centre seat comfort is compromised by the large dash protrusion housing the gear selector. This forces the central passenger to sit with knees skewed to the left, which also encroaches on the outer passenger’s legroom. So, a crew of three is okay for short trips but ideally should be capped at two for longer journeys.

Cabin storage includes bins in the base of each door which are big enough to carry large bottles. The dash provides cupholders on each side and a clamshell-lidded compartment in the centre plus a glove box and adjoining open storage compartment.

The Primo’s centre console has wireless phone charging in addition to the standard 12V socket and pair of USB-C ports. The centre seat backrest also folds forward to reveal a handy work desk and under its base cushion is an insulated compartment lined in polystyrene foam to help keep food and drinks hot or cold.

The Caddy’s 1508kg tare weight and 2250kg GVM results in a 742kg payload rating, of which up to 100kg can be legally carried on the roof where external anchorage points are provided for roof racks or rails.

It’s also rated to tow up to 1500kg of braked trailer, although its relatively low 75kg tow-ball download (TBD) limit could present a challenge, given that TBD is typically about 10 per cent of trailer weight. So, a 150kg TBD rating would be better.

Volkswagen also does not publish a GCM (Gross Combination Mass) rating, so we don’t know how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time.

The cargo bay, which offers up to 3.1 cubic metres of load volume, is accessed through a kerbside sliding door or asymmetric rear barn-doors.

Its 1797mm length and 1614mm width with 1230mm between the rear wheel-housings provides good versatility, given it can carry an 1165mm-square Aussie pallet or 1000 x 1200mm Euro 3 pallet, two 800mm x 1200mm Euro pallets, or two 720 x 830mm bread-roll containers.

However, with the sliding side-door’s 695mm opening, all of these would need to be loaded through the rear barn-doors which offer 180-degree opening for easy forklift or loading dock access. The load floor is protected by a thick moulded-rubber liner and there are six load-anchorage points.

The cargo bay walls and doors are lined to mid-height and there are two bright LED roof lights and a handy 12-volt socket.

Driver and passenger have ample cabin storage with large-bottle holders and bins in each front door, a handy pull-out compartment to the right of the steering column, numerous bins embedded in the dash-pad, full-width overhead shelf, a large glovebox and a centre console with dual small-bottle/cup holders and numerous storage nooks.

Our test vehicle in standard Candy White is the Cargo SWB, which at entry-level is available with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with six-speed manual or seven-speed auto. Or you can step-up to a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with either a six-speed manual or (like our example) a seven-speed auto for a price of $45,990 plus on-road costs.

That’s higher than its two small van competitors, given the Renault Kangoo SWB petrol auto lists at $42,990 and Peugeot’s Partner Pro Short petrol auto is $39,990, but the Cargo is unique in offering five-star safety and its drivetrain choices.

The work-focused standard equipment list includes 16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, 205/60R16 tyres and a full-size spare. There’s also an electronic handbrake, separate cargo bay locking system, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, heated door mirrors, daytime running lights, two USB-C ports and two 12-volt sockets.

A moulded composite bulkhead with window separates the cabin from the cargo bay. The driver also gets a leather-trimmed flat-bottom steering wheel with multi-function controls, plus adjustable lumbar support for both driver and passenger seats.

The four-speaker multimedia system is controlled by an 8.25-inch colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity and FM radio, but no DAB or (sorry, talkback fans) AM band.

Volkswagen also offers numerous paint colour options and four option packs, plus there’s a genuine accessories range containing useful workhorse items like all-weather floor mats, roof racks, cargo barriers, dashcams and more.

The Scudo is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which produces 110kW at 4000rpm and 370Nm of torque at 2000rpm.

It drives the front wheels through an eight-speed torque converter auto transmission which in Australian delivered specification does not include the choice of sequential manual shifting.

Our test vehicle rides on a quartet of coil springs courtesy of MacPherson strut-style front and oblique wishbone rear suspension. Steering is via electric power-assisted rack and pinion and stopping is courtesy of four-wheel disc brakes.

Our test vehicle’s premium 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, dubbed TDI320, meets Euro6 emission standards using AdBlue, and produces 90kW at 4250rpm and 320Nm between 1500-2500rpm.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic offers three drive modes comprising (default) Drive, Sport or sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles. There’s also an electronically-controlled automatic locking diff.

Fiat claims an official average combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle consumption of just 6.3L/100km and the dash display was claiming a slightly higher 7.3 figure when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our test, which covered 334km and included our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling more than one tonne of payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was only slightly higher at 7.8L/100km which is outstanding economy for a mid-size commercial van in real-world driving conditions. So, based on our test consumption, you could expect a lengthy driving range nudging 900km from its 69-litre diesel tank.

The official combined average fuel consumption is a hybrid-like 4.9L/100km and the dash display was showing 5.6L after our 355km test, of which about one third of that distance was hauling a near-maximum payload.

That wasn’t far south of our own fuel-sipping figure of 6.5L/100km, based on actual tripmeter and fuel bowser readings. Therefore, you could expect an excellent real-world driving range of up to 770km from its 50-litre tank.

It’s easy to step aboard and the car-like driving position is spacious and comfortable given I’m 186cm and have ample head and legroom with good eyelines to all mirrors. In that context, the centre seat headrest can be easily removed and stored when not required to improve the central mirror’s view through the bulkhead window.

The flat-bottom steering wheel leaves plenty of torso clearance for easy entry and exit plus there’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat with its manually altered lumbar support and fold-down inboard armrest. A wide left footrest provides additional comfort and support.

Unladen ride quality is excellent given the suppleness of its four-coil suspension, enhanced by load-adaptive dampers which allow a softer ride when unladen but automatically increase damping resistance under heavy loads.

The eight-speed auto offers crisp and smooth shifting, which combined with close to 400Nm of torque and a relatively light kerb weight ensures energetic performance. Although torque peaks at 2000rpm the engine displays ample flexibility either side of that figure, which ensures good throttle response in the mostly metro driving we encountered.

The engine is relatively quiet during highway travel with most noise coming from the tyres, which can become intrusive at these speeds particularly on coarse bitumen surfaces.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 975kg into the cargo bay which combined with driver equalled a total payload of 1075kg that was about 200kg less than its legal limit. The rear suspension only compressed about 40mm under this weight which ensured plenty of travel remained and it hauled this sizeable payload with ease.

Two criticisms, the first being the absence of sequential manual shifting offered in other markets, which is desirable when hauling heavy loads in hilly terrain and optimising engine braking on steep descents.

We also noticed the traffic sign recognition (TSR) function worked fine with traditional metal signage but became glitchy when interpreting the brightly illuminated speed signs displayed on overhead motorway gantries.

Its compact external dimensions are deceptive, as the cabin has ample headroom and it’s not hard for even tallish drivers (I’m 186cm) to find a comfortable position, even though the close-fitting bulkhead restricts backrest recline adjustment and the base cushion rake is fixed.

Small vans are the closest you’ll get to a car-like driving experience in light commercials and, given the Cargo’s unique turbo-diesel powertrain, it has unmatched torque output that provides energetic performance.

The shift calibrations of its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic ensure vigorous response in city and suburban driving, given that for most of the time they keep the engine operating between 1500-2500rpm, where its 320Nm of torque is served at full strength.

Combined with nicely weighted steering and four-coil suspension that provides an ideal balance of responsive handling and supple bump absorption, it’s an enjoyable and engaging vehicle to drive. The Sport drive mode and sequential manual-shifting options raise the fun level.

The gearing also ensures low-stressed highway driving with only 1600rpm required to maintain 110km/h, at which speeds the solid bulkhead minimises cargo bay noise that mostly emanates from the rear tyres. However, tyre noise can still be intrusive on certain grades of coarse bitumen.

To test its payload rating, we forklifted 650kg into the cargo bay through the rear barn-doors, which with driver equalled a total payload just shy of its 742kg payload limit. The rear suspension compressed almost 60mm under this weight, with long jounce rubbers positioned inside the rear coil springs providing additional load support and, in effect, a second stage of springing.

The Caddy took this heavy load haul in its stride on city and suburban roads, gliding over bumps without a hint of bottoming-out. The payload’s effect on engine, steering and braking performance was minimal and its handling composure was maintained regardless of speed or road conditions.

It also made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h, and although engine braking on the way down required some assistance from the quartet of disc brakes to keep speeds in check, they handled this task with ease.

Our only criticism of the driving experience is that, given the substantial blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder caused by the cargo bay’s solid walls, a Cargo buyer must pay extra to get blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as part of an options pack. We reckon these active features are crucial to safe van operation (any solid-walled van that is) and should be standard.

Unmatched by its small van rivals is a five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2021, expires 2027) which applies to all Cargo variants built from July 2022.

It’s equipped with seven airbags, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, daytime running lights, non-adaptive cruise control, driver fatigue alert system and more, but you must pay extra for extra safety.

The Fiat Scudo comes standard with a five-year/200,000km warranty and five years' roadside assist which is competitive with the major players.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/20,000km whichever occurs first, which is also up there with rivals and twice as good as the Toyota HiAce’s six months/10,000km requirement.

However, local servicing costs for the Scudo are yet to confirmed, which hampers cross-shopping for potential buyers.

Fiat Professional has a relatively small national network of around 10-15 dealers.

The Caddy comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and 12 months roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever occurs first.

An optional five-year pre-paid service package is available for the price of a three-year package ($2000), so that’s two free services and savings of up to $1439 compared to pay-as-you-go capped-price servicing. In other words, an average annual servicing cost of $400.