If you want to buy a large van, you have a lot of options. One of them is the Volkswagen Crafter, which we tested with a medium wheelbase, 103 kW 2.0 TDI engine and automatic transmission.
The van comes in three lengths and three heights
When you buy a commercial vehicle — whether it's a small Caddy, a larger Transformer, or the largest Crafter — you'll have plenty of body variants to choose from, with different wheelbase lengths, overall lengths, but heights.
Crafter boxes are available in three body lengths that can be combined with three possible heights. The car is always available in models with at least a mid-wheelbase and an outer length of 5986 mm or a long wheelbase of 6836 mm, or a long wheelbase with a total overhang length of 7391 mm. The body height can be almost any combination, the lowest 2355mm, the high roof 2590mm, the ultra-high roof can even reach a height of 2798mm.
Such a large car has no rear window, and the view from the oblique rear is not very good, which can be difficult to maneuver. But even this can be solved by attaching elements. Volkswagen offers front and rear parking sensors, or reversing cameras of just over 7,000 crowns. It is located in the rear of the middle above the third brake light and works well. Even in darkness and good resolution, it has a good image behind the lights.
However, the Volkswagen Craftsman is not just the van we are testing, it has many other variants as chassis with a body cab or flatbed (with a body-mounted cab).
Spacious and practical cargo space
The test piece has a medium wheelbase and a high roof, so the total length is close to 6 meters, which will provide a cargo space length of 3450 mm. Plus a width of 1832 mm (1380 mm between the wheel arches) and a height of 1961 mm. As a result, this Crafter can ship up to 11.3 square meters.
The load fits well into the car. We had a rear wing door, after which it would create a space of about a meter and a half. For this purpose, there is a sliding door on the right side with a width of about 1.3 meters. The loading edge is approximately 570 mm above the ground.
As you would expect from a car like this, the shape of the cargo space is regular, with only the rear arch interfering. In the tested car, he received less than 20,000 crowns of additional plywood lining, supplemented by rails with detachable hooks for connecting the goods. There are also several rings on the floor.
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By the way, the front-wheel drive Crafter, with a total weight of 3.5 tons, a maximum front axle load of 1800 kg and a maximum rear axle load of 2100 kg. The measured part adds a reinforced front axle and the load is increased to 2100 kg.
Don't skimp on the engine
The engine tray of the Crafter box includes a dedicated 2-litre TDI with outputs from 75 kW to 130 kW. The test pieces were equipped with a second-most powerful engine with a power of 103 kW / 140 hp and a torque of 340 Nm. He transmits power to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission (not a dual-clutch DSG). ATVs, or some versions of rear-wheel drive, are also available.
When the car is empty, the engine has enough power. The automatic transmission is smooth and hardly feels like shifting – whether it's while driving or starting, on the other hand, DSGs can sometimes be problematic and will keep you happy. But we didn't have the car fully loaded, so the question is how the dynamics will change. However, under a load of about 200 kg, nothing very obvious happened.
Even so, we don't consider any weaker engines — especially when the car is supposed to be driving on the highway. The price list also includes 2.0 TDI of 75 kW and 90 kW. For such a large car that can withstand heavy loads, this is simply not enough. Maybe some delivery service to the city or the outskirts of a big city ...
The tested 103kW turbo diesel is very economical when empty. Sometimes, when you're actually taking defensive driving and following the rules of the road, it can look like it might be less than 8 liters/100 km. However, as a standard, the estimated consumption is about 9 liters / 100 km.
Behind the wheels
Due to the longer body, you need to drive more vehicles into the corners. The wide rearview mirrors will leave you feeling refreshed, and you can see not only the curbs on the side of the road, but also the overall situation around the car. In addition, they are separated, and the sliders below are apherobic. Because the seats are very high, you can see the road conditions and see the front through the roof of most cars.
Driving around the city will find a very good chassis. It doesn't jump even if the car isn't loaded, and although it's not flat, it's very safe. The cabin is quiet and soundless – neither directly from the cabin nor from the cargo hold, which is separated from the cabin by a fixed partition.
If you are driving on the highway and there is a crosswind, you know that the body area is large. You won't know until the wind is tilting. But the car is still relatively smooth, even if it is a big gust of wind is not a big problem. However, there is considerable aerodynamic noise in the cabin, as well as the engine itself.
Conclusion and price
Volkswagen Craftsman proved that the German manufacturer can make commercial vehicles. The tested Crafter rides well and practically — it offers plenty of storage boxes and shelves in the cabin — and it's relatively economical. In addition, you can assemble it almost exactly as you need it as part of your requirements.
What price will you pay for this? The lowest price you currently find in the price list is 845,790 CZK (or 699,000 CZK exclusive of VAT). This is a medium wheelbase and standard roof version. It will be powered by a 75 kW/102 hp 2.0 TDI engine and a six-speed manual transmission. The tested version (SYBB4BW0) starts at 1,176,493 CZK (972,308 CZK excluding VAT). The car with all surcharges in the photo climbs to 1,262,654 CZK (043,516 CZK excluding VAT).