Volkswagen Caddy California 2023 review

Item: 2023 Volkswagen Caddy
Rating: 7
Author: Marcus Craft

Daily driver score

3.5/5

Adventure score

3.5/5

adventureguide rank

Light

Dry weather gravel roads and formed trails with no obstacles, very shallow water crossings.

Marcus Craft

Contributing Journalist

11 Aug 2022 • 15 min read

Marcus Craft

Contributing Journalist

11 Aug 2022 • 15 min read

The universal appeal of road-tripping with a vehicle that offers an all-in-one solution to car camping has been growing enormously in recent years.

“What’s car camping?”, I hear you ask. Well, I’m talking about staying overnight or longer in a vehicle that affords you the ability to sleep in, eat in, and perhaps even cook in it.

As such, self-styled camper vans have gained an even bigger foothold in the market in recent years than they had in the years prior to the global pandemic, even though some of these vehicles, like this new VW Caddy California Maxi, don’t offer cooking facilities. That doesn’t seem to faze many (any?) current or potential owners of camper vans, or mini camper vans, or even those who like the idea of car camping, much more than actually ever doing it.

This five-seater van certainly looks the part and fits in with the #vanlife philosophy, but is it worth your consideration in such a variety-packed camper van market? Read on.

Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

Before we get cracking, it’s important to note that we tested the 2.0-litre TDI320 variant (diesel); there is a 1.5-litre TSI220 petrol variant available.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Caddy California Max is built off Caddy Maxi people-mover variant on an extended long-wheelbase platform.

Our test vehicle has a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $54,990, not including on-road costs. As tested our Caddy California was $56,105 because it has Copper Bronze metallic paint, which costs $1115.

The 8.25-inch colour touchscreen comes with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. (image: Marcus Craft)

As standard, it has five seats (two in the front and a three-seat bench as the second row), a newly designed dash and instrument cluster featuring a full-colour digital cockpit, an 8.25-inch colour touchscreen (with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), two-zone climate control, keyless start, a lifting tailgate, and a stack of other features too numerous to list here. Find out for yourself, do your own research for there’s joy in that.

Driver-assist tech includes adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, lane assist, and park assist and park distance control in the front and rear.

The California package includes a foldable bed, storage bags, a foldable table and two chairs, as well as additional interior lighting and ventilation vents.

There are numerous VW genuine options available, including a panoramic glass sunroof as well as a tent that can be attached to the rear of the vehicle, but it was unavailable at time of writing.

The California package includes a foldable bed. (image: Marcus Craft)

Is there anything interesting about its design?

VW’s Caddy California looks good on the outside.

Its interior layout and the materials used – durable plastics on the dash etc. fabric seat covers, and sturdy carpet on the floor – are well suited to an outdoorsy lifestyle that will inevitably bring dirt, sand and mud into the interior at regular stages of the vehicle’s life.

The sliding doors either side – and the large opening when the rear tailgate is lifted – make the Caddy California a more versatile camper proposition than vehicles without those ingress points because the interior can be more readily accessed.

The folding bed, which sits behind the second-row bench seat, ready to be unfolded and used, is a handy addition and, as it’s supported on the vehicle body, that supposedly helps to make it easier to set up and pack down than it otherwise might be.

VW’s Caddy California looks good on the outside. (image: Marcus Craft)

However, I had some difficulty in unfolding it all the way out flat, even with the front seats moved all the way forward. Perhaps with some more time and, dare I say it, patience, I could have managed better.

Also the fold-out struts, on the base of the bed and that are meant to slot into B-pillar recesses, seem a bit too flimsy for my liking, especially if the bed can be reasonably expected to cope with the weight of two adults. The mattress is not a particularly spongy one either – but, hey, camping should involve at least some degree of discomfort. Otherwise, why would some people describe it as “roughing it”? I jest – anyway, you could easily replace the standard mattress with something more substantial if you get the urge.

There are folding chairs and a table provided, although I’d be looking to the Aussie camping gear market for more sturdier examples of this kind of outdoors furniture, especially if you plan to put your equipment through regular and prolonged use.

I had some difficulty unfolding the bed out flat, even with the front seats moved all the way forward. (image: Marcus Craft)

How practical is the space inside?

The Caddy California is a five-seater: two seats in the front and a three-seater bench seat as the second row.

Upfront, the driver and passenger seats are manually-adjustable for height, with four-way adjustable lumbar support, and tilt-and-depth adjustment on the seat cushion. They are cloth trim but feel adequately supportive and comfortable and have a height-adjustable centre armrest, stowage compartments and two drink holders.

There are storage spaces aplenty – including a dash with multiple stowage compartments, and an illuminated glove box – as well as two USB-C ports.

The digital cockpit is easy enough to use, as is the touchscreen multi-media unit and we had no strife setting up our smartphone for Apple CarPlay, and although the screen is on the wrong side of small, it’s clear and crisp enough to get a decent idea of what’s going on.

Up front, there are storage spaces aplenty. (image: Marcus Craft)
The second row has ISOFIX child seat anchors in the two outboard seats. (image: Marcus Craft)
The two outboard passengers also get access to a folding table in each of the front seat-backs. (image: Marcus Craft)

The second-row bench seat is a 2/3-1/3 split, and the second row can be folded, double-folded and removed separately. The two outboard passengers also get access to a folding table in each of the front seat-backs.

This second row of seats has ISOFIX child seat anchors in the two outboard seats and there are top tether points on all of these second-row seats.

The rear luggage compartment has a cover and there are storage bags fitted to the interior walls in the cargo area and also a 12-V outlet back there, as well as LED lights in tailgate.

Even with the bed out, you've got plenty of storage underneath. (image: Marcus Craft)

Explore the 2023 Volkswagen Caddy range

What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?

Our test vehicle – the TDI320 variant of the new Caddy California – has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, producing 90kW at 2750-4250rpm and 320Nm at 1500-2500rpm, and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox DSG.

This is a front-wheel drive van and it’s riding on 18-inch wheels and Bridgestone Turanza T005 (215/55 R17) tyres.

Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. (image: Marcus Craft)

What's it like as a daily driver?

The Caddy California is 4835mm long with a 2970mm-long wheel-base. It stands 1836mm high (including roof rails) and is 2100mm wide (including the wing mirrors). The TDI320 variant has an unladen mass of 1723kg.

This is not the biggest van around and it manages to feel quite manoeuvrable for something that’s fairly box-like.

Visibility is pretty good from the driver’s seat, with mostly clear vision in all directions.

Steering is suitably sharp and well weighted, which is handy for a camper, especially for one that tends to feel its size a bit through sections of the blacktop that involve lots of twists and turns.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine offers reasonable punch – getting the front-wheel drive van off the mark with some pep – and it works well with the dual-clutch auto transmission, resulting in a mostly smooth and unfussed drive.

This van’s Bridgestone Turanza T005 (215/55 R17) tyres cope adequately with rain-slick bitumen during the recent poor weather. (image: Marcus Craft)

Ride is well sorted, albeit on the firm side of things and some of that characteristic can be attributed to the van’s dimensions, the fact it was unladen, and it’s shod with 18-inch wheels.

Something people who aren’t used to driving vans should keep in mind: a van’s sides and back-end tend to catch wind gusts in high-wind areas, and that sensation and impact on the van’s behaviour can be somewhat disconcerting if you’re not anticipating them.

This van’s Bridgestone Turanza T005 (215/55 R17) tyres cope adequately with rain-slick bitumen during the recent poor weather.

All-round, this van is well behaved on-road and yields a relaxed driving experience.

What's it like for touring?

It’s pretty well-behaved when you drive on unsealed roads, but this is a front-wheel drive van so venture off the beaten track at your own risk. The good news is: there are a lot of campsites – under the auspices of national parks or private set-ups – that can be a reached safely in a 2WD vehicle.

Reasonable use for this van falls within the parameters of driving only on a well-maintained gravel or dirt track in dry weather – so few, if any corrugations and no water crossings.

It does have an electronic diff lock and hill start assist, but these aren’t intended to turn your 2WD van into a rock-crawling beast, rather to assist it with light-duty challenges.

More important than its very limited off-road capabilities is this van’s provision of bedding and camp furniture.

This was a short-term test and so, with the weather as it was (atrocious), I didn’t get the chance to properly set up the bed or even the table and chairs.

This is a front-wheel drive van so venture off the beaten track at your own risk. (image: Marcus Craft)

The bed is a fully sprung double, and there are black-out curtains on the windows, so all signs are that you should get a decent night sleep in this VW. But, as mentioned earlier, I did have a problem unfolding the bed fully and I wasn’t too keen on the flimsy-looking fold-out bed struts, but if I’d had more time with the van – and perhaps more patience – then set-up might not have been be an issue.

If you plan to use your van as a touring vehicle then you’ll be keen to scrutinise its load-carrying capacities, so here goes: the Caddy California has a listed payload of 577kg, and its roof load limit is 100kg.

It has claimed towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked). GVM (gross vehicle mass) is 2300kg.

If you want to kit out your California you’re well catered for because Volkswagen Genuine Accessories include everything from head-rest tablet holders, rooftop rubber floor mat sets, and slimline weather-shields, through to roof bars, bicycle tailgate carriers, and tow bar kits.

Note: We’ve given this van a ‘Light’ Adventureguide rank but simply because there are no lower ranks available. Avoid driving the Caddy California Maxi on anything more challenging than a well-maintained gravel or dirt track in dry weather only.

How much fuel does it consume?

Volkswagen lists the official combination fuel consumption as 4.9L/100km, but during our four day test we only averaged 6.2L/100km.

This van has a 50-litre fuel tank and an AdBlue tank.

What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating?

The VW Caddy California has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2021.

It has front, side, curtain and centre airbags for driver and front passenger, ISOFIX child seat anchors on the outboard second-row seats and top tether points on all second-row seats.

Driver-assist tech includes adaptive cruise control, driver fatigue detection, multi collision braking system, lane change system (including blindspot monitoring), side assist with rear traffic alert and more.

The VW Caddy California has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2021. (image: Marcus Craft)

What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered?

The VW Caddy California Maxi is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, a choice of three- or five-year Care Plans (capped price servicing), and a free year of 24-hour roadside assist.

A Caddy’s five-year capped price servicing plan costs $1500 and includes two free services.

Insurance Quote

Verdict

The appeal of a ready-made camper van is undeniable and the VW Caddy California comfortably occupies a niche within a niche.

This van is nice to drive but it also manages to be a functional and comfortable camper, albeit a very basic one.

There’s no getting around the fact that, while it does have a bed and a camp table and two chairs, it’s lacking cooking facilities and a fridge … and the list goes on.

This is perfectly fine if you intend to take the rest of your gear (portable stove, fridge etc) as carry-ons for infrequent nights away, but if your vehicle is going to be your camp for regular multi-day trips away then a lot of other approaches make more sense. You could, for instance, buy a 4WD or AWD wagon and a camper trailer. You might spend a little – or a lot – more than what you’d spend on this van alone, but your opportunities for adventure would be a whole lot more expansive.

In the end, it depends on what you want to do with it. This van is more than fit for purpose and it may well provide a more-than-great introduction to the adventure lifestyle for some.

Likes

Nice to drive – for a van

Comfortable

Handy camping additions

Dislikes

AWD would be nice

Issues with bed set-up

Not enough handy camping additions