TRANSPORT OF DELIGHT? (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Volkswagen has revitalised its long-running Transporter mid-sized van, courtesy of a little help from rivals Ford. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 56

Everything about Volkswagen seventh generation Transporter van is different - but much is also the same. The tough build, interior quality, torquey diesel engines and strong residuals of this mid-sized LCV will all be recognisable to existing owners. Who'll be intrigued by the new PHEV and EV powertrains that shared development with Ford has made possible.

Backgroundword count: 376

Think of a Volkswagen van and it's quite probable that you'll be picturing this one, the Transporter. It is, after all, the brand's best selling commercial vehicle, with a production run that stretches back to 1950. Here, we've the seventh generation T7 version, a van significantly improved in many of the areas that really matter. The Transporter story dates right back to Germany's bleak post-war era and 1949 when a Dutch vehicle importer called Ben Pon spotted workers at Volkswagen's Wolfsburg factory using a stripped-down Beetle to move parts around. Inspired, he sketched out a platform for a versatile commercial vehicle that would go on to set a template for the kind of spacious modern van we're familiar with today. That T1 Transporter sold for 17 years before a more spacious T2 model was introduced in 1967, followed by a more angular T3 version in 1979. More familiar on modern roads are the T4 design of 1990, its replacement T5 successor of 2003 and this modern Transporter's direct predecessor, the T6, which sold between 2015 and 2024. All of these Transporter models were aimed at the same medium-sized van segment that this one targets - right in the heart of the commercial vehicle sector. Business people shopping here need something more spacious than a compact LCV like Volkswagen's own Caddy, but they don't want to stretch to the higher running costs of a really large van. It's an ultra-competitive segment thoroughly dominated in our market by the model this seventh generation Transporter now shares all its engineering with, Ford's Transit Custom. Thanks to the 'Project Cyclone' agreement between the two companies, every modern era Ford and VW LCV is now a shared design and Ford led the development of this one, as they did with the Ranger/Amarok pick-up. Volkswagen's worked hard though, to give this Transporter its own identity and has slotted it into its 'Bulli' commercial vehicle range alongside the ID.Buzz Cargo EV and the Multivan MPV, which now forms a basis for the brand's successful California camper. Previous Transporter models have usually been seen as a 'quality' choice in this segment; can this Ford-engineered MK7 version follow suit? What impact will the new PHEV and EV derivatives have? And just how 'Volkswagen' is it?

Driving Experienceword count: 338

A major oversight with the design of the previous T6 generation Transporter was not to allow for any kind of electrification. Contrast that with what's on offer here; a choice of EV powertrains (including the most powerful one in the segment). Plus another Transporter first; a PHEV engine. The only other model in the segment to offer that is this VW's Ford Transit Custom cousin. Which donates all its powertrains (and their associated transmissions) to this Volkswagen. Including the conventional diesel unit - the kind of powerplant that most operators will want for quite a few years yet. Volkswagen badges it as a 'TDI' but it's basically a Ford EcoBlue unit - and not a particularly modern one. Still, there's plenty of power output choice, this 2.0-litre black pump-fuelled engine offered either with 110PS and a 6-speed manual gearbox, 150PS (if you want the option of an 8-speed automatic) or with 170PS (in which case this van has to be had in auto form). Most will want the mid-level 150PS unit and if you choose that with an automatic, you'll be offered the option of 4MOTION 4WD. If you're prepared to step into the brave new world of electrification with your Transporter - but not quite ready to expose your business to the UK's currently somewhat flaky public charging network, then Volkswagen hopes it has a solution in the form of the eHybrid PHEV model. This offers quite a prodigious output - 232PS - courtesy of a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with an 85kW electric motor offering up to 57 mile of EV range. If a full-EV it has to be though, only the eTransporter will satisfy you. There are three versions of this full-electric model, offering either 136PS, 218PS or even 286PS. All use a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels (though a dual motor AWD model will follow at a later date); and all are powered by a 64kWh battery that should give you around 200 miles of range from a full charge.

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