Volkswagen Multivan test drive since 2003 minivan

Without false modesty

Volkswagen commercial cars are known no worse than cars - freight conveyors and passenger caravels have deservedly became popular in Europe. The combination of reliability, durability, carrying capacity and economy is not all their advantages. If you add almost easy controllability and comfort to them, then there will really be few competitors. Volkswagen -Multiveen is a car designed for personal use - it is offered only with a short (3 m) base and a low roof. Hence the rich decoration and a reduced number of places - only seven.
The current Volkswagen-Multiveen is made on the basis of the fifth generation of commercial transporters debuting last winter. New engines and a body, a modernized chassis - it has become larger, more spacious, safer and more comfortable. How much? This is what we want to check.
 
Taste and color
A magnificent greenish mother of pearl, tinted glass, headlight crystals - it looks modern and rich in appearance. Beautiful? This is too subjective question. Let's not forget that this machine is made on the basis of a commercial car, which is more important than capacity and practicality than designer delights. Although if compared, for example, with Renault traffic, then there are few original in the guise of Volkswagen. Visually, compared to the cars of the previous generation, it became more solid and heavy, acquired slightly more rounded shapes, glasses overlapping the middle rack, and a powerful bumper painted in the color of the body (black bumper - a sign of cheaper commercial machines).
 
A powerful five-cylinder turbodiesel with pumps, with a volume of less than 2.5 l developing 128 kW/174 liters. With. And 400 N.M, should be interesting even in appearance. But do not expect that under the hood of Multivan you will see something interesting. All that is available to the look is the lids of the expansion tank, the oil -polling neck and the glass washer tank. Even to look at the oil probe, you will have to climb the folding cover. However, if you make some efforts and turn away several plastic latches holding plastic screens, then in this case you can hardly get to vital organs.
 
Perhaps this is not only a demonstration of the entire arsenal of means of combating noise, but also a new maintenance order - extremely rare, conducted only by qualified personnel with a special tool, and only on the lift - a half -roll layout and tightly packed units do not leave a chance of homegrown mechanics. However, presumably, their help will not be required - for Russia a rather modest service interval is declared 15 thousand km; To every fireman, he is broken in half by the mandatory change of oil. For example, in Europe, the mileage between that is 30 thousand km, which allows even on an actively used car to drive into the service no more than twice a year. But according to Volkswagen, the quality of Russian diesel fuel is still dictating other requirements.
 
Racing without a race
An impressive power unit under a short hood sets up an active ride. Especially in combination with a six -speed box, the gear rates of which cannot be called stretched. Acceleration of Multisten leaves an unforgettable impression - you just have to press the right pedal, and it is time to turn on the next gear.
 
Although the diesel engine reaches the maximum power at 3500 rpm, it can spin a thousand revolutions a minute higher, providing a quick and spectacular completion of maneuver. Almost 30 percent supply from the speed of maximum power to cutting off is an invaluable gift with intense overtaking. And if the temperament dictates to you leisurely moving in space, then the old taxi driver is quite suitable. Just lick the gas boot with your toe and turn on the next gear. If the tachometer has more than 1,500 rpm, you are provided not only by relaxed movement, but also by excellent acceleration at the first request. The dynamics in the highest gears are especially fascinating - on the fifth or sixth multiveen accelerates with an intensity, inaccessible to even quite powerful business class sedans.
Sin, he himself could not resist the temptation to disperse the BMW-520i, whose driver was clearly sure of the outstanding dynamics of his own car. Just worth it a little step forward at overtaking, and after a couple of seconds, swallow fifty meters of distance and fill its rear-view mirror with a huge emblem of Volkswagen. In the fifth gear, multiveen is so exceeds gasoline cars in dynamics that it is simply useless to compete with it, if under the hood is less than 250 horses.
In the meantime, an impartial on -board computer is counting the burned fuel. Traffic jams in the center of the capital are not an indicator - here the consumption can go off for 15 l/100 km, in ordinary city modes it fell below 12 liters per hundred, and on the track at a pace of 120-130 km/h it gradually decreased to 7.5 liters. Even a duel with BMW did not force us to get out of eight.
 
But in fairness, we note that in the city of Super Diselle is not so convenient. Touching from the place does not cause problems only in the first gear. If you barely roll in a traffic jam, you need to extremely carefully work in the second gear - one error, and the mighty motor stalls. By the way, diesel control electronics do not allow you to start the motor from the move, forcing you to turn on the starter. This decision is dictated by the protection of the car from the theft.
 
FOR ALL OCCASIONS
In a spacious salon, you can place much more than seven places, but the function of Multivan is not commercial transportation of passengers, but the implementation of not quite traditional transport needs. Meetings of guests with great luggage, picnic trips, long -distance travels, business trips - this is precisely this is his priority tasks. Accordingly, you can sit on a whole triple rear sofa and two individual chairs playing the role of the middle row - they can be turned against the move, turning the interior into a wardroom. A cunning folding table is hidden here, which easily turns from a nondescript bedside table into a full -fledged round table, surrounded by retractable cup holders. By the way, those on the front panel are not too convenient - they do not hold a high cardboard glass a la McDonald's, which is still half -worn, it is impossible to positively put any capacity with one hand, which is much worse.
In addition to the cabin, a sleeping option is also possible when the rear sofa is opened with a book, and the middle seats turn into its continuation. True, in order to get enough sleep on such a bed, it is advisable to cover it with a mattress. Under all the seats, drawers for small things are provided, and the luggage compartment is closed with a flexible curtain. The only thing that is alarming is unexpectedly great efforts and backlash on all kinds of latches, from a German car you expect more pleasant to the touch. Of the advantages - longitudinal rails allow you to fix the seats in any position, from the minuses - the front seats do not turn, and it will not work to organize a meeting of the round table in the parking lot.
 
Has the car off?
Great dynamics with absolutely incredible economy, silence in the salon, even at a speed of 150 km/h, the exact steering wheel and unexpected for a massive and not at all small machine responsiveness - all this cannot but rejoice. Even small flaws performed by the salon can be forgiven. The last question remains: how much does it cost?
The answer is better to listen to sitting - 55,600 euros, which on the day of delivery was 65 thousand dollars. This is the price of a luxurious representative sedan or even a good limousine. But in Multistyan there is no noble thin skin, a huge display leaving the ceiling, a multimedia system. This is just a big cool mini-wen. Or a minibus? But in this class there are competitors with powerful diesel engines and similar equipment, say, for 36 thousand euros ...
You should not blame dealers of greed - in Germany, the new multiveen in a similar configuration costs 46 thousand euros, and the simplest version of the conveyor with a powerful diesel starts from 29 and a small thousand. Is it worth such money a good motor? If we talk about driver's preferences, it is definitely worth it.
That's just our desires do not always match the possibilities.

 
The car is represented by the official dealer of Volkswagen
alea-Motors company,
tel. (095) 101-49-99.
SUMMARY
Excellent dynamics and impressive economy, low noise, control of a car, smoothness, spacious salon, comfortable chairs, an extensive heating and air conditioning system.
High price, limited possibilities for transformation of the salon.
EQUIPMENT
Abs
Anti -boom system
Stabilization system
Side airbags
Air conditioner
Climate control
Adjustable steering column
Fog lights
Audiosystem
Full -size spare wheel

 
Anatoly Fomin. Photo: Konstantin Yakubov
   
 

 

Source: The magazine "Driving"