Volkswagen Caddy test drive since 2005 Minivan

Need a cargo -passenger car

Cargo-passenger heels can be not only faithful assistants to a businessman, but also a very interesting alternative to compact and mini-wenes. Let's see what the best of them are capable of ...

Sergey Krestov, 29 years old, photographer, driving experience 11 years, travels to Ford Focus, wants a roomy heel, the budget - 1,000,000 rubles.


Car requirements

Image
The prestige of the brand in this case does not matter. Rather, on the contrary, I would like a car that does not attract excess attention from the traffic cops and kleptomanes, because the car spends the night under the windows.

Style
In relation to such utilitarian machines as cargo -passenger heels, there is no need to talk about the feast of design. However, ceteris paribus, I will give preference to a more spectacular outwardly the applicant.

Economy
The less I leave at the gas station the better. After all, I am looking for a car for every day and for all occasions.

Shodal qualities
The main habitat city. So too powerful the engine or off -road opportunities do not matter.

Interior
The trunk and a roomy salon are in the first place. Ergonomics and the quality of the finish is only followed.

Equipment
The most important thing is good equipment with passive safety means. If the machine will fit into the budget perfectly!

At first glance, I'm not looking for anything supernatural. I need a car for every day. It is universal enough to ride on business and on vacation, with a spacious salon and a large trunk, but not absurdly expensive. Why is my Focus not satisfied? Exclusively trunk. You can’t even imagine how many cameras you have to carry with you: tripods, light panels, holders, extension cords, manipulators, reflectors and even a stepladder. Of course, every day to load and unload all this belongings of real torment, so most equipment, with the exception of the camera and lenses, I leave in the trunk. That is why the hold should be as roomy as possible, and already in the standard version, without folding the sofa. To the cabin, the requirements are the simplest: full -fledged five -month, because I have a wife and a small child. The corresponding requirements for comfort and passive safety follow from the same.

I already looked closely at many cars and weeded many candidates. Let's say that the golf class models definitely do not suit me even the Ford Focus station wagon does not hold all of my equipment. A little better and middle -class wagons in size and price, they noticeably surpass the sheds from the C segment, but hardly in the useful volume of the trunk. In my search, I came across cargo -passenger heels. Why not? Machines of this class are very practical and spacious, but at the same time relatively affordable and easy to manage.

The choice of heels in the market is not so great. Moreover, say, such interesting options such as Fiat Doblo and Renault Kangoo were eliminated due to low-power engines, respectively, 77- and 84-horsepower. Citroen Berlingo with a 1.6-liter engine with a capacity of 110 hp and I wanted something more economical than a gasoline engine. As a result, two gas Caddy and diesel Tourneo Connect remained on the platform.


Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life Eco. From 785 100 rubles.

One of the most spacious heels in the market, especially with a long wheelbase. In addition, the Volkswagen engine operates on natural gas, which promises significant fuel economy.

Caddy, as you expect from Volkswagen cars, is solid and founded in everything. A strict and not causing crooked exterior may even be too restrained, but I like the salon unconditionally. In general, if it were not for the touch of the interior plastic, then Caddy can easily be confused with more prestigious and expensive Tiguan or Touran. At altitude and ergonomics: all buttons and controls are located in the expected places and are included in the characteristic of folk cars with clarity. But the machine is disappointed with a typical Volkswagen blue backlight. Fortunately, on the new Caddy, the sales of which will begin next year, there will be more pleasant devices to the eye. The landing, although vertical, is quite convenient, and with the range of adjustments, everything is as it should. The lack of ISOFIX fastening for a children's chair in the rear seats was upset. Probably, in a wide list of pre -equipment, you can find this position, but the pettyness of the Germans regarding a penny, but such an important detail cannot but surprise. The same can be said about the lack of rear electric windows, well, completely inappropriate savings. But I pleased the radio with the ability to connect a USB device in the armrest. True, this is also an option. Hmm ... what CADDY cannot be taken from is phenomenal spaciousness. Taking off my hat! All my equipment is easily placed inside Volkswagen. And I didn’t have to put the sofa, but even to pour one on the other. It turns out that on Caddy, without first laying out the camera, you can go and you want to shop in Auchan, and you want to IKEA.

But from the engine working on gas, I admit, expected more. He pulls, frankly, not very and this is far from full load. And the savings, as it seemed to me, turns out doubtful. Of course, with a similar to a gasoline engine, Propan consumption costs significantly cheaper than the 95th about 10 rubles. This is great, but even in Moscow, finding a gas station with natural gas is not so simple. It is good that in Caddy for any fire case there is a reserve 13-liter gasoline tank to reach the column.

Style
There are not enough stars from the sky, but does not disappoint. Good

Shodal qualities
The motor is clearly not enough, and the increased wheelbase affects the turns. Acceptable

Interior
Just a phenomenal trunk and a full -fledged five -seater salon. Super! With a margin

Economy
It is, of course, cheaper to ride gas than on gasoline, but we must remember that it is not every column that is refueling propane. Compromise

Equipment in the standard
Missing ISOFIX mounts, rear electric windows. For a high starting price, Caddy has an empty base. Modestly


Advantages and disadvantages
+ German ergonomics, solid build quality, huge trunk, a full -fledged five -seater salon.
- High price, controllability of a long -drawn version, insufficiently a painful motor.

Specifications
Mark and model - VW Caddy Maxi Life Eco
Dimensions - 4875x1800x1835 mm
Engine-gasoline-gas, 1984 cm3, 109 hp/5400 min-1
Transmission - 5 -speed mechanical
Dynamics - 169 km/h; 13.8 s to 100 km/h

 
Ford Tourneo Connect. From 963,000 rubles.

Like Caddy, it is included in the two of the best in capacity of the heels. It is economical thanks to the turbodiesel, and looks very shocking for a light truck.

Ford design, in my opinion, is more catchy and original. If Caddy seems to be ordinary slightly licked and unremarkable car, then unusual angular and somewhere even deliberately clumsy Tourneo lines surprise and attract eyes. A rare case, but this heel, perhaps, can be called a truly designer thing. Outside, in any case. But the Ford salon looks more utilitarian and simple than that of the opponent. The budget approach is felt in everything. Even the ignition key in Tourneo is the same as on the first -generation Focus with a non -cattle sting. Or here the heating buttons are very inconvenient in the blind zone in the left corner of the driver's seat. Another minus of the radio that does not read the MP3 format. This is yesterday! At the same time, not to say that the Trend set is budgetary. On the contrary, there is even a pre -heater and a system that helps when touched on a slope for two seconds, while you transfer your leg from the brake to gas, the electronics holds brake pads. Convenient thing. And by the way, ISOFIX mounts in Ford are also available, which is very important to me. But the trunk here is significantly less than in the elongated Caddy. Although all things fit, they had to stuff them into each other. However, Tourneo Connect also has a long -drawn option ...

But the shorty rides more fun than Volkswagen. First of all, the turbodiesel was impressed, of course. Yes, the motor is noisy noisy to the modern diesel engines of competitors in a noticeably quieter, but the thrust in it with a horror. Absolutely ignoring the degree of loading, the machine confidently pulls almost from the zone of idle, allowing not only to stay in the stream, but also actively overtake. On the highway, Tourneo Connect accelerates to 140 km/h, although in principle it is possible and faster. And ford controllability is better. Unlike Caddy, Tourneo Connect is more pronounced in turns and generally gives the impression of a more lively car.

Well, of course, economy. In the city, it will really meet 8 liters per hundred, which means at the price of diesel fuel 20 rubles a 1000 km mileage on Tourneo Connext will cost 1600 rubles. Propan Caddy bursts 12 liters of fuel per hundred, so even at a lower gas price, the same thousand kame will become 200 rubles. expensive.


Style
The car looks unusual and, one might say, fashionably. Fits

Shodal qualities
Short -bus heel is noticeably closer on the road to ordinary cars than the elongated Caddy. Yes, and the turbodiesel is good! They arrange

Interior
Inferior to the opponent both in carrying capacity and ergonomics. It's a pity...

Economy
Tourneo Connect will not ruin at gas stations. Super

Equipment in the standard
With a powerful Ford diesel, he immediately shoots in a million ... Explicit overkill


Advantages and disadvantages
+ Extraordinary appearance, a painful and economical diesel, rich basic equipment, almost passivity.
- High price less than a competitor, trunk.


Specifications
Mark and model - Ford Tourneo Connect
Dimensions - 4310x1795x1815 mm
Engine - diesel with turbocharged, 1753 cm3, 110 hp/3750 min -1
Transmission - 5 -speed, mechanical
Dynamics - 166 km/h; 13.2 s to 100 km/h


My choice
Having carefully studied both proposals, I did not solve the urgent problem. In Caddy, I definitely like the hardness of the assembly and an amazing trunk. But the gas engine is not for me I would prefer Volkswagen with a diesel engine. Tourneo Connect, on the contrary, suits riding habits, but I will miss the capabilities of the trunk of Ford. I will pay for a long -term option? It turns out to be too expensive on a circle. So thank everyone, but ... my search continues.


Editor's Choice
The high price of both Tourneo Connect and Caddy are really alarming. Indeed, with a basic value of 964,000 rubles. Tourneo Connect with a 75-horsepower turbodiesel is more than 20 thousand more than a mini-wen S-Max, equipped with a 2-liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 145 hp. It turns out that these heels, which are customary to consider as a budget alternative to compact and mini-wenes, are not at all budgetary. In this case, it really makes sense to look at the gasoline heels from Citroen, Fiat and Renault. They may not be as economical as diesel Ford and gas Volkswagen, but much more than one and a half times cheaper.


Author: Mikhail Medvedev
Photo: Rustem Tagirov
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [December 2010]