Gac M8 vs Volkswagen Crafter

What's the difference?

The flagship GAC M8 PHEV Luxury we’re reviewing lives in a strange corner of the family car market. It’s a people mover, but it’s priced like a luxury SUV, designed like a VIP shuttle and powered by a plug-in hybrid system that suggests someone, somewhere, had very specific plans.

It finds itself up against the fully-electric LDV Mifa 9 and Zeekr 009, while also circling the upper end of the Kia Carnival range. The latter of which has proven itself to be the default choice for families.

Which begs the question - who is the GAC M8 actually pitched towards? Families with older teens or ageing grandparents feel like a more natural fit than those deep in the child-seat phase, largely because the M8 prioritises space, comfort and efficiency over the usual kid-wrangling conveniences.

At the same time, its chauffeur-like identity hints at a broader, more commercial audience and one more focused on quiet efficiency and passenger comfort. What can be agreed is the real point of difference here isn’t packaging or versatility, it’s the M8’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the way it reshapes where a people mover like this sits within the broader electrified landscape.

Does that approach make sense once you live with it? Let's find out.

Long before a hash-tag was anything more than a confusing symbol on a typewriter, vanlife was already a thing.

And you can largely thank Volkswagen for that because its Kombi models from the 1950s, '60s and '70s help cement the idea of roaming around the planet in a self-contained car-cum-house as a counter-culture favourite. More than that, the affordable, rugged Kombi made it actually possible.

Back then, there were a couple of paths to tread. You could take a second-hand butcher’s or florist’s Kombi van (windows optional) and trick it out with a bed, a table and whatever gear you needed to survive on the road.

Or, if the cash was around in sufficient quantities, you could buy a Kombi brand-new and have it converted to camper spec. And of all those brand-new conversion options, Volkswagen’s own, in-house conversion supplier, Westfalia was (and is) regarded as the pick of the crop.

So, when VW announces a 21st Century take on the concept of a factory campervan, those who like the idea of a lap of Australia but don’t like caravans or towing, are suddenly all ears.

Like most things, the latter-day VW camper has grown a size or two over the last six or seven decades. Which is why the factory Kampervan TD1410 4 Motion (to give it its full name) is based on the long-wheelbase, high-roof version of the Crafter van rather than the original Transporter layout. (There’s still the VW Multivan-based California if the Kampervan is too big.)

But just as commercial vehicles have become bigger and more sophisticated, and glamping has grown out of actual camping, does the modern take on a hippy legend make the grade in 2024? And does the Volkswagen offering retain any of the charm of the original campervan?

Oh, and forget about Westfalia. This conversion is the work of none other than Aussie caravan specialist Jayco.

The deal between Jayco and VW locally, means this variant of the Crafter Kampervan is an Australia-only deal.