2009 Volkswagen Citivan Reviews

The refreshed Volkswagen Touareg impresses across the range and proves plug-in hybrids have a place for large vehicles. Slick powertrain delivers decent electric range and 3500kg towing capability.

The new-gen Volkswagen Amarok has been on sale for about a year now so it's time to give the entry-level Core a run through to see exactly how tradie-friendly it is compared with its rivals.

Volkswagen has delayed the arrival of its ID.4 and ID.5 electric cars from July/August to the fourth quarter – October to December inclusive – of this year. 

Volkswagen Australia has brought back its Wolfsburg badge not seen since 2021 on the 2024 Tiguan Allspace three-row SUV. 

Volkswagen has finally announced pricing for the 2024 Touareg large five-seat SUV. A neat surprise for those looking to buy, the diesel-heavy facelifted Touareg with more kit and technology is significantly more affordable than the outgoing car. The prices are down between $7550 and $11,150, with the biggest savings on the 170TDI entry grade.

Volkswagen is giving families more room for free.The German brand has slashed the price of its seven-seat Tiguan Allspace by between $2000 and $2500 depending on the variant.This price cut brings it in line with the five seat Tiguan SUV, effectively giving buyers seven seats for the price of five.Australia’s new car market is shifting towards buyers with many car makers starting to offer sharp discounts as years of supply issues untangle and cost of living pressures clampdown on demand. The Tiguan Allspace now starts at $43,990 (before on-road costs) for the base Life variant powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 110kW and 250Nm.If you want a punchier 132kW/320 2.0-litre turbo petrol motor it’ll set you back $47,990.Buyers wanting more oomph can choose the Allspace Elegance ($57,090) or the fully-loaded Allspace R-Line ($60,590) that use a 162kW/350Nm turbo petrol engine.The Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace are nearing the end of their lives with replacement models arriving next year.VW will be swapping out the Tiguan Allspace for the seven-seat Tayron at the end of 2025 and an all-new Tiguan is likely to land in showrooms this time next year.The new Tayron is expected to be bigger than the current Allspace and more aligned with the Skoda Kodiaq.There are no details yet on the family-hauler but expect it to use a variety of petrol engines and there is the possibility for a plug-in hybrid set-up to match the next-generation Tiguan five-seater. 

The Volkswagen GTX badge is a stopgap, as the German carmaker transitions to an all-electric future. For the moment, hot versions of the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.Buzz will retain GTX insignia, but over time GTI and R will transition to spicy electric VWs, according to British publication Autocar."GTX is the performance brand of the MEB , but we'll work our way back to GTI and R in the next products going forward," Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer told the outlet.The changes are expected to start with the production version of Volkswagen’s 2023 ID GTI concept, the sporty variant of the ID.2 small car sitting on the MEB Small platform. Some publications have called it a Golf GTI replacement, though proportionally it more closely resembles a Polo GTI.Schäfer admitted to Autocar that GTI badging has historically been reserved for front-wheel drive performance models, and positioning may need to be adjusted. GTX models so far have been AWD (ID.4, ID.5, ID.Buzz) or rear-wheel drive (ID.3).Meanwhile R models pack a bit more punch with all-wheel drive in Volkswagen land. The brand has previously mooted a Golf R electric follow up could emerge by 2029.Expect GTX badges to live on for now on Volkswagen MEB-based performance products though it’s unlikely that Volkswagen will broaden its GTX offering. With Schäfer’s comments that GTX is for MEB only, we can expect changes to Volkswagen’s performance-oriented naming from around 2026 when the first model based on the new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) – a successor to both MEB and PPE – is expected.

For a small SUV that technically starts under the $40,000 mark, the 2024 Volkswagen T-Roc has a fair bit going for it. But is it a Euro that could replace your trusted Japanese or Korean small SUV?

Volkswagen is set to put more emphasis on plug-in hybrid technology as demand for electric cars falls off in Europe.The German brand’s global boss Thomas Schafer told UK publication Autocar: "It's a bridge technology. While battery-electric drive is plateauing out a bit at the moment, we still need this transitional technology."Schafer was surprised by the renewed interest in hybrids, which were considered old tech."Hybrids were a thing of the past. Last year, if you asked the same question, it would have been: 'Forget hybrids, it's expensive technology, it's not worth it.' Within the last six months, all of a sudden everyone wants hybrids,” said Schafer to Autocar.He stated that full electric cars are still the future for the brand long term.In Europe Volkswagen sells plug-in hybrid versions of the Tiguan medium SUV, Touareg large SUV, Golf small hatchback and Passat sedan and wagon. Volkswagen is just about to launch its first plug-in hybrid model locally, the range-topping Touareg R large SUV.The model is pitched as a performance flagship with a 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor making a hefty 340kW and 700Nm.No other plug-in hybrids have been confirmed and the Passat would be off the cards as the entire model line-up was axed in Australia last year.The looming spectre of the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Emissions Standards that will fine car makers for selling heavy polluting vehicles may change the equation, though.Price could be the biggest hurdle to overcome before adding plug-in hybrids to the local range.The Touareg R is priced from $129,990 (before on-road costs), which is $40,000 more than the base diesel-powered Touareg.That range-topping price point is likely to be filled by the brand’s coming range of electric cars.It will launch its first battery-electric vehicles - the ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs - in the coming months. These models are expected to be priced at about $80,000, which is a healthy premium on its petrol equivalent Tiguan R-Line.This would effectively rule out a plug-in hybrid version of the Tiguan but a Golf hybrid could find success.Exact timing for the arrival of the ID.3 electric hatchback, which is a similar size to the Golf, hasn’t been locked in but is expected sometime next year.The ID.Buzz electric people mover will arrive at the end of this year, but there is also a plug-in hybrid version of the similar proportioned Multivan in Europe.Plug-in hybrids may be left to Cupra, which is part of the broader Volkswagen Group.Cupra already sells petrol-electric versions of its Golf-sized Leon hatchback and T-Roc-equivalent Formentor.Cupra just revealed updated versions of these cars, which will arrive in Australia next year with up to 100km of pure electric driving range.It will also bring a plug-in hybrid version of the Tiguan-sized Terramar soon.The brand has found success with plug-in hybrids compared to the broader market.Cupra Australia boss Ben Wilks said before the FBT exemptions came into effect, PHEVs made up about one in five sales but are now more than double that.That means plug-in hybrids account for about 40 per cent of Cupra sales, which is well above the rest of the industry where plug-in hybrids account for about one per cent of new sales so far this year.“We’re seeing the shift at the moment with our plug-in hybrid versus our VZx , the top-of-the-range petrol engine,” said Wilks.“I think the beauty of our range is we have something for everyone. We are able to offer our ICE cars as we are bringing the electric cars to market.”

With a small amount of electric range to get you around town and a petrol motor to carry you into the wilderness, would you ever need more vehicle than the new ‘T7’ Volkswagen California camper plug-in hybrid?If you need to venture far off-road, then possibly. Still, thanks to its MQB underpinnings, VW’s new camper van that was just revealed in Europe has the option of an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time. There are now sliding doors on both sides, adopted from the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Ford Transit Custom-rivalling long wheelbase Multivan, which aid practicality and ventilation.A Volkswagen Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide that the new California is coming to Australia, with engine/spec range and timings yet to be confirmed. The T6.1 California is available in Beach trim in Australia and that is likely to continue in the next generation. The 2.0-litre diesel AWD configuration may change, however. Inside, the Camper gets a pair of individual front seats that can swivel through 180-degrees. The redesigned cabin has dual screens and a shift-by-wire system that means walking through to the rear compartment is easier than before. A pop-up roof and redeveloped mattress is standard fitment, while an optional awning can help shield from rain or sun. Volkswagen touts a ‘large number’ of USB-C fast-charge ports within. At 5173mm long the new van is 269mm longer than before and 37mm wider for enhanced interior space. An identical 1990mm height to its predecessor means the California is still city-friendly.In Europe, the California is offered with a 110kW turbo diesel or 150kW turbo-petrol, both powering the front wheels through and eight-speed automatic transmission. The new plug-in hybrid option ups outputs to 180kW with braked towing capacity of 2000kg. Volkswagen has not confirmed how much electric-only driving range the plug-in hybrid California will offer. The Multivan PHEV's set-up produces 160kW and, allied with a 13kWh battery, can travel about 50km on electric power. Being heavier, we’d anticipate around 40km from the California if it uses the same battery. The California Beach is a good basic set-up but overseas markets get more fully-featured configurations. The Beach Tour scores a 40Ah auxiliary battery, extra fold-out mattress and folding table, while the four-seat Beach Camper is fitted with a gas cooker as part of a kitchenette and an extra battery. Volkswagen’s flagship California Ocean, meanwhile, is outfitted with heated seats, 28-litre fresh water tank, extra three-pin socket for an electric cooker and ‘Melánge Raven’ coloured recycled upholstery. Not sacrificing its signature two-tone look, the ‘Bulli’ is available in Mono Silver/Energetic Orange metallic, Deep Black Pearl/Fontana Red metallic Candy White solid/Starlight Blue metallic.The pop up bellows are also customisable with Toffee Brown, Glacier Blue and Basalt Grey offered.Australian pricing, features and specification for the new Volkswagen California camper are yet to be confirmed.