Vans

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. Exactly 300 will be available, each costing $79,990, before on-road costs, or $82,990, drive-away as an introductory offer. 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. 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. 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.  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.   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.

The big van (3.5-tonne) segment has been stale, made up of competent but older choices. But Renault is changing this with its latest Master. Now in its fourth generation since 1980, the van stalwart lifts the entire class into the 2020s with fresh styling, a completely reengineered platform, new interior and plenty of safety tech upgrades. With lots of awards already won, it's been keenly awaited.

The Fiat Scudo has returned to Australian showrooms after a long absence but does the latest third generation of this European workhorse have the credentials to be a major player in the mid-size commercial van segment?

A new budget electric ute crusher from China is about to hit Aussie showrooms.  The Foton K2 van has been approved for sale in Australia, according to a Department of Infrastructure, Transports, Regional Development, Communications, Sports and the Arts filing.  It will join the increasingly busy electric van segment, and will be available in short and long wheelbase variants. It sizes up in the mid-size van category at 4900mm long for the SWB and 5200mm long for the LWB.  This makes it similarly sized to the Ford E-Transit Custom priced from $77,890, before on-road costs.  There is no indication yet on how the K2 will be priced, but it is likely to come in cheaper than the E-Transit Custom.  A spokesperson for Foton Australia would not confirm the K2's future launch, but sales approval rarely fails to result in a vehicle launch.  The K2 is powered by an electric motor set-up that produces 125kW.  There are two battery choices available, which are 50kWh and 67kWh units. There is no official driving range figure for the K2, but overseas versions, known as the i7, offer 360km from the 50kWh unit, according to more generous CLTC standards.  Overseas versions feature a functional cabin, with seating for three people and a small pop-out digital driver display and optional central display. There are also physical climate control buttons.  Other information remains scarce at this stage, but we are likely to find out more about it later on this year.  It will join the Foton Tunland ute, which recently came to Australia after a more than eight-year absence Down Under.  It is unclear what could be next on the agenda for Foton, but the brand has previously offered an SUV and that is something still on the cards.  “Foton’s got some pretty strong van offerings,” Inchcape Australia (Foton distributor) Managing Director Blair Read told CarsGuide late last year.  “That is where our current focus is, what we've been discussing with the factory, and then maybe SUVs down the track.”

Volkswagen will launch a number of new electrified commercial vehicles in Australia later this year and in early 2027. Headlining these is the addition of an ID. Buzz Pro all-wheel drive trim, complementing the existing GTX flagship all-wheel drive trim. To date the ID. Buzz Pro has only been offered with a single, rear-mounted electric motor. There is also an all-wheel drive version of the ID.Buzz Cargo, as well as a long-wheelbase body style, coming to complement the existing rear-wheel drive trim. Both of these will form part of a model year 2027 (MY27) update for the ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo. Volkswagen hasn’t fully disclosed what else will be changing or added with this update just yet. Volkswagen is planning to launch a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Multivan people-mover in the first quarter of 2027. It’s understood this will come with all-wheel drive. This will be complemented by an Australian launch of the Caddy PHEV. Beyond the launch of these electrified products, the next launch for Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division is the Amarok W600, which has been fettled by Australian engineering and manufacturing firm, Walkinshaw. The German carmaker will roll out its MY26 update for the Amarok, which axes the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, and the addition of a new Amarok Style with the 2.3-litre turbo-petrol engine and the special edition Amarok Dark Label. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Australia Product Manager Michael Cenci told CarsGuide the entry-level Amarok Core will pick up the updated 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine for MY26, swapping out the wet belt for a timing chain. This mirrors what the related Ford Ranger received for its MY26 update. Beyond the updated engine, the Amarok Core will also receive a 10-speed automatic transmission, replacing the six-speed automatic. At this stage it’s unclear what other changes will occur with this MY26 update for the Amarok. Volkswagen hasn’t published pricing yet.

The MY26 Renault Trafic range brings numerous upgrades with considerable appeal for tradies, but are they enough to tempt mid-size commercial van buyers away from the dominant Toyota HiAce?

Multimedia is the worst. Always freezes and blanks out. Sometimes it won’t connect to Apple CarPlay, doesn’t scan radio stations and has poor reception.  The seats are really comfortable, the cargo area has a lot of space and it’s convenient with the two sliding doors. It has the power required but has a lot of issues with premature disc rotor wear (warping at 20,000km) and issues with first and second gear. It’s fuel efficiency is great and with the Eco mode you can use e10. Servicing is very expensive and a lot of things aren’t covered under warranty.  The reliability is very poor. It has rust within three years, a lot of mechanical issues and electrical faults.

After two different mechanics and hours of work, a carby kit and a new distributor, our 1987 Toyota HiAce still has limited power and really struggles to accelerate and get up hills. Is it in limp-home mode or is there some other issue?

My 2024 LDV Deliver 9’s lights and gauges have no power on the dashboard. Everything else is fine. How do I fix it?

Australia is about to get a new budget electric van early, with pricing and specifications for the LDV eDeliver 5 just revealed.  The mid-size van will start with an introductory drive-away deal for ABN buyers from $47,990 for the short-wheel base variant, making it the cheapest electric van on sale from LDV. It will be available until 31 July 2026 while stocks last. ABN pricing for the long-wheel base will start from $52,990 (drive-away), while the high roof will be an extra $2000.  It offers a competitive deal compared to other electric rivals in the segment such as the ID. Buzz Cargo. This pricing also comes in cheaper than some of the eDeliver 5’s diesel rivals like the Ford Transit Custom and the Toyota HiAce. It is powered by a single electric motor, producing 120kW and 240Nm, with its 64kWh battery offering a driving range of up to 335km (WLTP), depending on the variant.  DC charging from 20 to 80 per cent takes 36 minutes, with the van also supporting vehicle-to-load capacity up to 6.6kW, enabling the charging and powering of tools.  It has a payload of up to 1265kg, as well as dual sliding side doors and rear barn doors.  Cargo volume can be as much as 8.7m³ for the high roof long-wheel base. The car’s interior has a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.  LDV Australia said stock for the van will be initially limited due to the expedited launch of the van, but deliveries are still expected to get under way from July 2026.  The brand said it brought forward plans to release the eDeliver 5 in Australia because high fuel prices were driving demand for electric alternatives. Expressions of interesting on the van are up and running from today. 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 pricing Australia 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 electric motor and efficiency 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 standard features include 12.3-inch central touchscreen 7.0-inch digital driver display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Twin sliding doors Rear barn doors 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 safety  LDV Australia has been contacted to find out the safety features available on the eDeliver 5. 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 dimensions  Cargo capacities SWB low roof: 6.6m³ LWB low roof: 7.5m³ LWB high roof: 8.7m³ 2027 LDV eDeliver 5 warranty The eDeliver 5 comes with a five-year/160,000-kilometre manufacturers warranty and an eight-year/250,000-kilometre battery warranty.