2022 Volkswagen Caddy Cargo review

Like the newCaddy people-mover, its decidedly commercial cousin known as the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo also comes in three distinct model lines along with all the same technological benefits its new MQB platform affords.

Whereas the family-friendly model offers a choice of six variants across one wheelbase, two engine choices and a single transmission, the Caddy Cargo expands the offering with 10 versions across two wheelbases, three engines and two transmissions.

There’s also dozens of optional extras and various packages designed to make your work van as comfortable or rugged as you need it to be, including a fully-digital instrument display, 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, and power sliding doors to name but a few.

For the first time, there’s a suite of the latest active driver assist safety systems available across all Caddy Cargo model lines, including the entry-level Caddy Cargo, Caddy Cargo (Maxi) and Caddy Maxi Crewvan.

The base Caddy Cargo (previously known as the Caddy Van) effectively offers a blank canvas inside its standard barn doors and dual-sliding doors on both sides of the short wheelbase, while the 2022 VW Caddy Cargo Maxi tested here offers a larger load compartment in volume due to its additional length and extra-wide sliding doors.

The Caddy Crewvan is the dual-purpose Caddy in the range, which straddles professional and private usage, boasting five seats, plenty of cargo-carrying capacity and a choice between 13 exterior paint colours.

How much does the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo cost?

The 2022 Volkswagen Caddy Cargo range starts with the base Caddy Cargo SWB with a TSI220 petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission from $34,990 excluding on-road costs.

Sitting atop the new Caddy Cargo range is the Caddy Maxi Crewvan with a TDI320 diesel powertrain paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission from $45,990 plus on-roads.

2022 Volkswagen Caddy Cargo pricing:

Caddy Cargo

• Caddy Cargo TSI220 84kW 6-speed Manual: $34,990
• Caddy Cargo TSI220 84kW 7-speed DSG: $37,990
• Caddy Cargo TDI280 75kW 6-speed Manual: $36,990
• Caddy Cargo TDI320 90kW 7-speed DSG: $39,990

Caddy Cargo Maxi

• Caddy Cargo Maxi TSI220 84kW 6-Speed Manual: $36,990
• Caddy Cargo Maxi TSI220 84kW 7-Speed DSG: $39,990
• Caddy Cargo Maxi TDI280 75kW 6-Speed Manual: $38,990
• Caddy Cargo Maxi TDI320 90kW 7-Speed DSG: $41,990

Caddy Maxi Crewvan

• Caddy Crewvan TSI220 84kW 7-speed DSG: $43,990
• Caddy Crewvan TDI320 90kW 7-speed DSG: $45,990

All prices exclude on-road costs

What do you get?

Caddy Cargo highlights:

• Cloth seat upholstery with Double Grid pattern
• Leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with height and reach adjustment
• Rubber flooring in driver’s compartment
• LED lights in cabin and load area
• Cabin partition with window and grille
• Leather-wrapped gearshift for manual transmission
• H7 twin halogen headlights
• Auto headlights
• 16-inch black steel wheels with full trim cover
• Full-size steel spare wheel
• Single sliding door, left, 695mm wide
• Rear barn doors, with windows
• Black front and rear bumpers
• Power adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
• 8.2-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Four-speaker composition radio
• App Connect (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• 2 x USB-C ports
• Remote central locking
• Power windows and mirrors
• Manual air conditioning
• Reverse parking sensors
• Rear-view camera

CaddyCargo Maxi adds:

• Maxi 17-inch black steel wheels
• Dual-sliding side doors, 836mm wide (353mm longer than SWB Cargo)

Caddy Crewvan adds:

• 4-way power-adjustable lumbar support
• Three-seat bench for second row, folding and removable
• Rubber flooring throughout
• Front-centre armrest and rear vents
• Fixed windows in passenger and rear compartment
• Black painted exterior mirror caps, body-coloured door handles and silver sliding door rails
• Six-speaker composition radio with App Connect

There’s also an extensive range of options (and packages) across Caddy Cargo and Caddy Crewvan variants covering paint, wheels, body, interior, load area, functional and driver assistance, including:

Paint

• Metallic and pearl effect paint: $1115
• Cherry Red: $305

Wheels

• 16-inch alloy wheels in Brilliant Silver (SWB Cargo): $1220
• 17-inch alloy wheels ‘Barahona’ inBrilliant Silver (Maxi Cargo and Crewvan): $1220
• Alloy spare wheel with OE tyre with tool kit and jack: $255

Body

• Driver’s sliding door (SWB Cargo): $630
• Power sliding doors (left or right): $630 each
• Power tailgate (Cargo): $415
• Window Package for Cargo with lifting tailgate (Maxi Cargo): $1340
• Fixed window in sliding door (left or right, Cargo): $325

Appearance Package (Cargo): $1475

• Includes body-coloured bumpers, black-painted exterior mirrors caps, body-coloured door handles silver sliding door rails, power-folding door mirrors, separately heated, black roof rails

Interior

• Leatherette seat material (Cargo): $225
• DAB Digital Radio (Cargo): $355
• Seat heating in Cabin (Cargo): $610

Tech Pack (Cargo): $1355

• Digital driver’s display
• Keyless start
• Appearance Pack

Navigation Package (Cargo): $1660

• 10-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Discover Media navigation system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay

Load Area

• Rubber floor covering in load area (Maxi Cargo): $530
• Wooden cargo area covering (Anthracite) multi-layer plywood 10mm thick, anti-skid (Maxi Cargo): $1035
• Black loading edge protection: $305

Functional

• Preparation for second battery: $80
• Trailer hitch preparation (Cargo): $415
• Tyre Pressure monitoring system: $255

Driver Assistance

• LED headlights with separate LED DRLs: $1370
• LED tail lights: $305
• Park assist with front and rear parking sensors: $1005

Driver Assistance Package (DSG only): $2795

• Blind-spot monitor
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control
• AEB with pedestrian detection
• Appearance Package
• DAB radio

Comfort Drive Travel Assist Package: $5075

• Travel Assist (adaptive cruise + active lane centring
• Lane-keep assist
• Blind-spot warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Emergency Assist
• Park Assist with front and rear parking sensors
• AEB with pedestrian/cyclist/junction assist
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go for DSG models
• Digital driver’s display
• Keyless start
• Appearance Package
• DAB radio

Is the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo safe?

The new fifth-generation Volkswagen Caddy has not been crash tested by either Euro NCAP or ANCAP.

The previous fourth-generation Volkswagen Caddy scored a four-star ANCA safety rating which applied to SWB versions as the result of a Euro NCAP 2015 crash test.

Critically, the new 2022 Volkswagen Caddy Cargo is built on the company’s latest MQB platform which underpins the Golf and Tiguan and T-Roc passenger models, which all wear five-star safety ratings.

Caddy Cargo variants come standard with the following:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Driver attention monitoring
• Reversing camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Front, side and curtain airbags plus front-centre airbag

Caddy Crewvan adds

• Lane-keep assist
• Junction assist for the AEB
• Curtain Airbags for outer seats in 2 row
• Child seat anchors for outer seats in 2 row
• Top-tether points on all seats in passenger compartment

What is the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo like on the inside?

Although the Caddy Cargo Maxi tested here is devoid of any rear seating, up front in the cockpit, it feels even more car-like than the Caddy people mover we also tested at the launch thanks to a few key options.

While the standard 8.25-inch touchscreen offers crystal clear clarity and sharply defined colours, best you tick the Navigation Package option ($1660), which swaps in a 10-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay through Volkswagen’s proprietary App-Connect.

Our tester was also equipped with the Tech Pack ($1355) which upgrades the old-school instrument panel to a fully-digital driver’s display, push-button start, as well as an exterior appearance enhancement package with painted bumpers and the like.

Not only does the Digital Cockpit put way more information at your fingertips, but also adds a nicer ambience to the Caddy Cargo, as well as the convenience of keyless start. That feature alone is worth every cent of its asking price.

Standard rubber floor mats in the Caddy Cargo replace the carpet in the people-mover versions, which I might otherwise choose regardless, given the sheer convenience of not needing to use the vacuum.

Beyond that, you’ve got the stylish Golf-like DSG shifter, a superb leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel (with paddleshifters), and the wonderfully satisfying Ergo Comfort seats to enjoy.

The Caddy Cargo Maxi also gets a glass cabin partition to limit noise from the rear load space.

As far as cabin storage goes the Caddy offers an endless array of cubby holes in the centre console, as well as large door pockets and storage areas in front and above the driver, which stretch the entire width of the vehicle. You’ll struggle to fill them all.

There’s combination dual/triple LED lights throughout the entire van, and even though the Caddy Cargo Maxi gets plastic moulding on the floor and some side panelling in the load area, I’d likely option the rubber floor as a general safeguard if I wasn’t transporting wooden pallets on a regular basis.

Importantly, the Maxi variants are 355mm longer with a 215mm longer wheelbase, though exterior width and cargo bay with is identical to the short-wheelbase.

The real advantage from choosing the Maxi over the standard Caddy Cargo, though, are the wider sliding door openings, where the width grows from 695mm to 846mm – allowing for Euro-size pallets to be loaded from both rear and side doors. Moreover, load volume also increases from 3.1 to 3.7-cubic metres for those buyers requiring greater carrying capacity.

Our tester had the lockable rear barn doors but you can also get a lifting tailgate (powered or manual) if you choose.

Payloads are highest in the Cargo Maxi TDI320 variants with DSG, as well as the TSI220 manual, each boasting a maximum 754kg. The least efficient hauler in the Caddy Cargo line-up is the Cargo TSI220 DSG, which tops out at 692kg.

Braked towing capacity for the manual TSI models is rated at 1400kg, whereas the Cargo variants with DSG are rated at 1500kg.

When it comes to the Caddy Crewvan with DSG, it’s the TDI320 that gets a 1500kg tow limit, while the TSI220 makes do with 1400kg.

What’s under the bonnet?

For 2022 Volkswagen has added an all-new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine boasting the latest technologies including direct injection, variable turbine geometry and active cylinder technology. Effectively, the system can shut off two cylinders under low engine load for improved fuel economy.

The TSI220 produces 84kW of power and 220Nm of torque and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission.

Caddy Cargo buyers can also choose between the familiar 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine in two states of tune; the TDI280 making 75kW and 280Nm, while the TDI320 punches out 90kW and 320Nm of torque.

Buyers should note the TDI280 is exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission, whereas the TDI320 is only available with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

This latest diesel also offers Twin Dosing, effectively doubling the Adblue injection in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, which Volkswagen claims can deliver an 80 per cent reduction in harmful NOx emissions.

Petrol versions of the 2022 Volkswagen Caddy range use a claimed 6.4L/100km with the manual transmission fitted on a combined cycle using 95 RON, or 6.2L/100m when paired with the seven-speed DSG.

The 2.0-litre diesel in either state of tune (TDI280 or TDI320) claims the same 4.9L/100km for all body styles and transmission options.

How does the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo drive?

Even though our Caddy Cargo Maxi TDI320 tester tips the scales at 1596kg (the heaviest of all Cargo variants) it’s still a relative lightweight compared with the same spec in the Caddy people-mover line-up that comes in at 1740kg.

The result is a spritely, if not, agile van, with a level of fun to be had behind the wheel that we simply weren’t expecting. In that way, it’s got much the same get-up-and-go as the seven-seat version also sampled at launch.

It’s a testament to the response and versatility of this highly-efficient turbo-diesel which never actually feels like it’s working all that hard, even when you’re punching it on a motorway entry.

Despite not having sufficient time to organise a decent load in the back to settle the rear-end, the Caddy Cargo Maxi still manages commendable ride compliance of the likes of speed bumps and broken road.

It will most certainly cushion the bumps better with a pallet-load in the rear to settle the rear axle, but even without, it’s mostly car-like in its ride and handling.

Better still, there’s plenty of seat and steering adjustment to find the perfect driving position and the Ergo Comfort cloth seats, offer excellent support all round.

Volkswagen’s DSG transmission is a good match with the diesel engine, not just for its smooth-shifting character, but also for its new-found, low-speed behaviour in traffic. There’s no more of that jerkiness that once afflicted the dual-clutch transmission, it’s an intelligent gearbox that quickly adapts to your driving style.

That’s true even in Sport, there’s a more immediate repose with the throttle, but it’s no less refined. Nor is it as noisy as some small-displacement diesels can be, just pleasantly refined with what diesel clatter there is satisfyingly muted in this Caddy work van.

Unlike the heavier people-mover Caddy that tended to lean into corners as tad, the Cargo Maxi (without load) displays none of that. Instead, it’s a relatively sharp-handling van that’s also very pleasant to drive.

The turning circle is listed as 12.1m for the Maxi wheelbase (11.4 SWB) but we found U-turns in suburban streets a breeze, and even if you do need to do a three-point turn, the Golf-style toggle shifter makes it all too easy.

How much does the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo cost to run?

The 2022 Volkswagen Caddy comes with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, including one-year’s roadside assist.

Volkswagen offers capped-price servicing and the option of three-and-five-year pre-paid service packs.

For the Caddy TDI320, Assured Service Pricing is:

• 15,000km/12 months: $439.00
• 30,000km/24 months: $668.00
• 45,000km/36 months: $439.00
• 60,000km/48 months: $746.00
• 75,000km/60 months: $439.00

Volkswagen are currently offering a five-year care plan for the price of three years – $1300 – meaning you save between $1431 and 1469 off the Assured Service Pricing.

CarExpert’s Take on the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo

Just like the Caddy Maxi people-mover, the latest-generation Volkswagen Caddy Cargo is a massive step up from the previous iteration of the VW city van thanks to its passenger-class MQB underpinnings.

The idea of workhorse city van loaded with all the current mod-cons and active driver assist systems for top-level safety, if you so choose, should be enormously appealing to many. Add on the car-like driveability, punchy diesel with a smooth-shifting DSG and there’s very little not to like here. 

Granted, it’s more expensive than ever before and there’s no shortage of options, but the new Caddy Cargo puts the city van into an entirely different league to where it previously sat .

It’s also arguably the coolest city van around with a body style to suite all walks of life.

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