New Volkswagen Transporter has more load space, bigger screens and greater engine choice

This is the all-new, seventh-generation Volkswagen Transporter: the latest iteration of VW’s popular medium panel van and the sister model to the best-selling Ford Transit Custom. 

The new T7 VW Transporter, as it’s also known, will be available as a panel van in two different body lengths and heights. The standard version is 5,050mm long with a wheelbase of 3,100mm, which is an increase of 146mm and 97mm respectively over its predecessor. The standard roof height is still less than two metres tall, though, allowing drivers to access multi-storey car parks.

To better accommodate Euro pallets, Volkswagen has also increased the maximum width between the internal wheel housings by 148mm to 1,392mm, and made it so that the maximum load length is now 2,602mm in the standard wheelbase Transporter. 

The basic Transporter now offers 5.8 cubic metres of load space – an increase of more than 10 per cent. However, if you need more space than that, versions with the extended wheelbase and high roof can accommodate up to nine cubic metres of cargo, and boast a maximum load length of 3,002mm. The Transporter’s maximum payload capacity has also increased to 1.33 tonnes, and it can tow up to 2.8 tonnes.

As well as the traditional panel van, the new Transporter will be available as a Kombi with two rows of seating, a double cab ‘dropside’ truck and a nine-seater Shuttle, which in other markets is called the Caravelle. There’s also a slightly tougher-looking PanAmericana version, which gets black wheelarch cladding and bumpers, exclusive fabric seats and a set of 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.

The new Transporter’s interior features a 12-inch fully digital instrument panel and a 13-inch central touchscreen. These are both standard across the range, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, LED headlights, keyless start and several safety systems such as lane keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking and traffic sign recognition. 

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Smaller details in the cabin include the traditional handbrake lever being replaced with a switch on the dashboard, and the gear selector in automatic versions being located on the steering column, which saves space and allows for a larger central storage cubby. 

There are several USB ports and other sockets dotted around, too, so there should be no excuses if your phone runs out of battery. 230-volt (400-Watt) sockets for powering larger electrical devices will be available as optional extras, while an inverter with an output of 2.3kW can be added to plug-in hybrid and all-electric models. 

Diesel, plug-in hybrid and all-electric Volkswagen e-Transporter

The new VW Transporter will be available with three turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel engines, offering power outputs of 109bhp, 147bhp or 168bhp, plus fuel economy of up to 41mpg, depending on the model. The two more powerful engines will also be available with all-wheel drive.

Next up in the range is a plug-in hybrid or eHybrid powertrain that pairs a 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. Combined, the power output is 229bhp, but efficiency figures and the EV range for this set-up have yet to be announced. 

The biggest news under the bonnet is the arrival of the VW e-Transporter electric van. Three versions of the electric van are coming, with 134bhp, 215bhp and 282bhp on tap. All of them use a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels, and are powered by a 64kWh battery that should deliver around 200 miles of range from a charge. 

A less powerful variant with a smaller battery is also coming, intended for urban deliveries.

UK pricing for the new Volkswagen Transporter range has not been announced yet, but the first examples are expected to arrive in the UK next year.

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