HARD CRAFT(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 74

Volkswagen has thoroughly upgraded its largest van, the Crafter, with smarter looks and a redesigned cabin. There's still no EV version though. But this improved take on the MK2 model is more digital and media savvy and has a wider range of driver assistance systems. And it's still as practical as ever. It remains the UK's fourth best selling large van - and in many ways the thinking business person's choice in this sector.

Background word count: 261

A really large van is the kind of thing your business will need for its heaviest, most awkward loads. The kind of vehicle that, as a result, is likely to get the toughest day-to-day treatment. Such an LCV will also require quite a substantial initial outlay, money you'll want to preserve as far as possible in resale value when the time comes to sell. For all these reasons, when considering a van of this kind, it's tempting to stretch yourself a little and go with the quality option, even if it costs a little more. In this market, that tends to mean either a Mercedes Sprinter or this contender, Volkswagen's Crafter. Both are based upon the same underpinnings and roll down the same production lines at Daimler's Dusseldorf and Ludwigsfelde plants. The Crafter though, originally launched back in 2006, has always used its own engines, a policy that continued with the current second generation version, introduced in 2017. It sells in a wide variety of forms - panel van, drop side and chassis cab - and also forms the basis for the brand's largest camper van, the Grand California. With this MK2 Crafter, over 354,000 units were sold in the first five years of production. Volkswagen then, has every incentive to keep this big LCV up to date, but still can't offer the thing this model line really needs - a full EV version. Instead, what we've got with this mid-term update is additional safety, a redesigned cabin and extra media technology. Will it be enough? It'll be interesting to see.

Driving Experience word count: 365

There are no mechanical changes as part of this update. We hadn't expected that for the combustion range but we had expected that Volkswagen might try and introduce the kind of full-EV drivetrain that just about every other contender in this segment now offers. Wolfsburg's been developing an EV Crafter for years, but there's no sign of it being production-ready just yet. Once you settle into driving a large van like this, it's a very commanding experience. You sit high up in quite a car-like position thanks to the upright steering wheel, enjoying a supportive seat that can be equipped with an armrest to prop a weary elbow on over longer trips. On the move, this MK2 Crafter has always felt a little more car-like thanks to its electromechanical steering system and its optional front wheel drive configuration - both things you couldn't have in the pre-2017-era MK1 model. Rear wheel drive and 4MOTION 4WD are still offered too and your selection of drive layout could well impact your choice between the various versions of the 2.0 TDI diesel engine on offer. There are three, with 140, 163 or 177PS outputs available mated to either 6-speed manual or 8-speed DSG auto transmission. Let's get to the drivetrain detail. The volume CR30 model is available exclusively with front-wheel drive, a 140PS 2.0-litre TDI engine and six-speed manual gearbox. The CR35 version adds the option of a 177PS 2.0-litre TDI unit with either front-wheel drive or auto-only 4MOTION four-wheel drive. The CR35 Crafter can also be ordered with 163PS 2.0-litre TDI rear-wheel driven power, which is the exclusive engine and drivetrain layout of the heaviest 5-tonne CR50 version. This TDI powerplant has always been quite a refined thing and to some extent, that's still the case, providing you don't stress the thing too much. In everyday use, the engine goes about its business with little more than a muted hum. Progress to the upper reaches of the rev range though and this diesel sounds far less comfortable. Indeed at higher motorway speeds, engine noise is more noticeable than intrusions from tyres or the wind. Ride quality remains unbettered in the class, making this an excellent long-journeying companion.