► CAR tests VW’s biggest van
► Crafter panel van driven here
► It’s a good one, even after years on sale
It’s not just Ford and Stellantis that are major players in the commercial vehicle market – Volkswagen’s been in the game for decades. Its Crafter panel van has been the largest commercial vehicle it’s sold for some time, currently in its third generation and imminently about to be facelifted.
However, even if it’s due an update, our colleagues over at Parkers continually tell us how much of a good van it really is as it regularly wins their Best Large Van award. So we’ve put it to the CAR test.
What versions of the Crafter are there?
It may be simpler to list off what versions of the Crafter there aren’t. All Crafters are diesel-powered (there is no petrol offering, and an e-Crafter isn’t available in the UK) and are available with front-, rear- or 4Motion all-wheel drive configurations. A six-speed manual is standard, with an eight-speed auto available.
Like most van-shaped commercial vehicles, the Crafter is a platform for any kind of commercial need. As well as the three roof heights and three wheelbase lengths for the panel van we’ve tested, there are dropside and tipper versions, box vans and single- or double-cab platforms for bespoke modifications. The Crafter is also the basis for the Grand California camper, which we already rather like.
But we’re here to focus on the panel van. At the time of writing, there are two trim variants for the van: Commerce and Commerce Plus, interlinking it with the smaller Caddy Cargo we’ve also tested recently (our 2022 van was a Trendline, which has since been discontinued). Commerce is pretty basic, but has everything you really need including parking sensors, lane keep assist and automatic emergency braking. Commerce Pro adds heated and electrically adjustable mirrors and an anti-theft system.
What was the bigger surprise to us, however, is just how many luxuries you can specify at the point of order. Some of them, for car buyers, are relatively pedestrian but others are down-and-out bougie; more driver assistance tech, a more sophisticated infotainment system, a rear-view camera and even VW’s ergoComfort front seat that features a moving lumbar support.
What’s the Crafter like inside?
The Crafter is full of very traditional VW traits… from about 10 years ago. But that means very good things: it’s solidly built, well laid out and full of sensible touches that make you go ‘oh, that’s handy.’
The infotainment in the one we tested was straight out of a Mk7.5 Golf (i.e. very good and in the Crafter’s case, optional), with quick-acting screen mirroring, responsive touches and a neat layout. There’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and wheel, with thick padding and durable-feeling fabrics that still feel they’ll last the test of time.
But the thing that impresses the most in the cab is just how many storage spaces there are – almost as if the Crafter’s cockpit is one giant cubby. Massive, layered storage cubbies in the doors, large overhead bins and different-shaped trays inset into the top of the dashboard can keep tonnes of your stuff secure or at least neatly placed inside.
As for the cargo area, our Crafter was finished with wood panelling and a flat floor to add a layer of durability. Ours wasn’t an especially massive variant (a MWB version with the middle of the three roof heights, topping out at 2.6 metres tall) but the cargo area felt huge. The rear doors angle all the way around, and neat touches like interior lighting and grab handles on our version made accessing the cargo area easier at night. Overall, the Crafter isn’t rated as the best in terms of payload according to our partners at Parkers, but the Crafter still generally impresses.
What’s the Crafter like to drive?
Again, this is where the good parts of VW shine here, too. Our test Crafter had a 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel and a six-speed manual gearbox and it’s perfectly reasonable all round.
Naturally, it’s not especially a quick vehicle (VW actually says ‘N/A’ when you go looking for a 0-62mph time) but there’s tonnes of torque available from the diesel engine. So much so that it’s pretty noticeable – there’s a huge glut of the lb ft that arrives at about 2000rpm which can actually make modulating throttle inputs a little tricky, and the engine tops out at less than 4000rpm.
The steering is light but it feels accurate enough – almost like a Golf does, despite the Crafter being at least twice the length – and what impresses us most is the smoothness of the clutch and shift action. There’s very little aggression or heavy-handedness required to drive the Crafter well.
Like any van or, indeed, any pickup, the Crafter’s suspension can be bouncy when it’s empty (or has low weight loads inside). The firm rear spring setup is naturally designed for carrying the Crafter’s payload competently, which translates to some jiggles when the cargo area’s not utilised. When it is, however (we carried a whole corner sofa as well as several large boxes and furniture inside), the ride naturally settles.
Verdict: VW Crafter
We can get behind the idea that the VW Crafter is a van that impresses many, as it impressed us. Many of VW’s older more traditional values can be seen front and centre with the Crafter; it features a solid and well-thought-out interior, it drives smoothly and almost car-like for what is such a large vehicle and generally feels built to last. So much so that we’re interested in testing its imminent replacement.
Specs are for a (2022 model year) VW Crafter CR35 Trendline MWB 2.0 TDI 140PS manual, inc. VAT