There are many large vans that claim to be all things to all people but Volkswagen's much improved Crafter comes closer than most, as Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

Volkswagen has thoroughly upgraded its largest van, the Crafter, with smarter looks and a redesigned cabin. There's still no EV version though. But this improved take on the MK2 model is more digital and media savvy and has a wider range of driver assistance systems. And it's still as practical as ever. It remains the UK's fourth best selling large van - and in many ways the thinking business person's choice in this sector.

Background

A really large van is the kind of thing your business will need for its heaviest, most awkward loads. The kind of vehicle that, as a result, is likely to get the toughest day-to-day treatment. Such an LCV will also require quite a substantial initial outlay, money you'll want to preserve as far as possible in resale value when the time comes to sell. For all these reasons, when considering a van of this kind, it's tempting to stretch yourself a little and go with the quality option, even if it costs a little more. In this market, that tends to mean either a Mercedes Sprinter or this contender, Volkswagen's Crafter. Both are based upon the same underpinnings and roll down the same production lines at Daimler's Dusseldorf and Ludwigsfelde plants. The Crafter though, originally launched back in 2006, has always used its own engines, a policy that continued with the current second generation version, introduced in 2017. It sells in a wide variety of forms - panel van, drop side and chassis cab - and also forms the basis for the brand's largest camper van, the Grand California. With this MK2 Crafter, over 354,000 units were sold in the first five years of production. Volkswagen then, has every incentive to keep this big LCV up to date, but still can't offer the thing this model line really needs - a full EV version. Instead, what we've got with this mid-term update is additional safety, a redesigned cabin and extra media technology. Will it be enough? It'll be interesting to see.

Driving Experience

Once you settle into driving a large van like this, it's a very commanding experience. You sit high up in quite a car-like position thanks to the upright steering wheel, enjoying a supportive seat that's equipped with an armrest to prop a weary elbow on over longer trips. On the move, this MK2 Crafter has always felt a little more car-like thanks to its electromechanical steering system and its optional front wheel drive configuration - both things you couldn't have in the pre-2017-era MK1 model. Rear wheel drive and 4MOTION 4WD are still offered too and your selection of drive layout could well impact your choice between the various versions of the 2.0 TDI diesel engine on offer. There are three, with 140, 163 or 177PS outputs available. Let's get to the detail. The volume CR30 (3,000kg GVW) models are available exclusively with front-wheel drive, a 140PS 2.0-litre TDI and six-speed manual gearbox. The CR35 (3,500kg GVW) adds the option of a 177PS 2.0-litre TDI with either front-wheel drive or 4MOTION four-wheel drive. That CR35 can also be ordered with 163PS 2.0-litre TDI with rear-wheel drive, which is the exclusive engine and drivetrain layout of the CR50 (5,000kg GVW). Both CR35 and CR50 are available with an optional eight-speed automatic gearbox. So once you've decided on the rather spooky question of which Crafter, what'll it be like to use? Well, given this TDI powerplant's Audi provenance, you might expect it to be quite a refined thing and to some extent, that's the case, providing you don't stress the thing too much. In everyday use, the engine goes about its business with little more than a muted hum. Progress to the upper reaches of the rev range though and this diesel sounds far less comfortable. Indeed at higher motorway speeds, engine noise is more noticeable than intrusions from tyres or the wind. There's still no sign of a full-EV version, though Volkswagen has been developing one for years.

Design and Build

The products we generally tend to think of when Volkswagen vans are mentioned - the classic Bus of the Sixties and the modern day Transporter model - have always been smartly designed and easy on the eye. Not so the brand's really large LCVs. The first of these, the original LT of 1975, was a rectangular box with headlights but at least it didn't have the gawky front end that characterised its successors, the LT2 of 1996 and the original Crafter model of 2006. Still, things can change. The second generation Crafter model of 2017 looked a lot smarter and the smoother front-end styling of this facelifted version is a further step forward. The main changes here though, lie inside the cab with what Volkswagen calls an 'intuitive state-of-the-art cockpit landscape'. Inevitably, that means a screenfest, with digital instruments for the first time, controlled via buttons on the new multifunction steering wheel. Infotainment's been massively upgraded, with 10.4-inch and (optional) 12.9-inch central monitors borrowed from the ID.Buzz. In both cases, the display has been divided into two permanently visible touch bars and the home screen - and comes complete with a new online voice control system. There's now an electronic handbrake - and a restyled gear selector for auto versions. Along with a plethora of USB-C sockets. As you'd expect, two or three people can comfortably travel side by side in the front, but if you're not using the middle seat, you can pull down its centre section and turn it into a table complete with two upholders and a pen-holder - ideal if you've paperwork to complete or if you're stopping somewhere to have a bite of lunch. The driver's seat is multi-adjustable and (at extra cost), the wheel adjusts for reach and rake, so it's easy to get comfortable. And once you are, there's plenty of space for all your odds and ends, with storage spaces aplenty. You get a large bin in each of the doors big enough to store a large road atlas and a 1.5-litre drinks bottle. Then there are large shelves above the windscreen and more shelves (one of which is big enough for an A4-sized clipboard) on top of the fascia. There are no fewer than five cupholders for that morning trip to McDonalds and a handy dash-mounted clip to deal with stray paperwork. You also get a large glovebox that can be air-conditioned to keep drinks cool. And useful jacket hooks on the B-pillars.

Market and Model

Available in 'Commerce' and 'Commerce Plus' trim lines, this improved Crafter offers a wide range of body styles, drivetrain arrangements and engine options that allow it to meet the demanding needs of its hard-working customers. As standard, there are medium and long wheelbase configurations, both with a high roof, while long wheelbase 'Commerce Plus' long wheelbase models are also available with a Maxi high roof. Low roof and super high roof options are available to order. From the launch of this updated model, prices for Crafter 'Commerce' started from just over £45,000 (inc VAT), while the Crafter 'Commerce Plus' was priced from just over £53,000 (inc VAT). 'Commerce'-spec includes a 'Composition Colour' DAB+ radio with a 10.4-inch touch-screen, App Connect 'phone-mirroring, a 'Digital cockpit' instrument screen, central locking, a side sliding door on the passenger's side, front and rear parking sensors and a Driver Alert System. In addition, 'Commerce Plus' trim adds an anti-theft alarm system, Climatic manual air conditioning, a 'Comfort' single driver's seat including 2-way lumbar support and an armrest, cruise control with a speed limiter, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and rear wing doors with 270-degree hinges. A highlight of this improved Crafter is its range of new standard and optional driver assist systems. Included on models are Front Assist (Autonomous Emergency Braking including Cyclist and Pedestrian Monitoring), Lane Assist (a lane keeping system), Dynamic Road Sign Display, a speed limiter and acoustic Park Distance Control for the rear area. The brand's 'Travel Assist' semi-autonomous driving system will be available as an option for the Crafter for the first time, as will Emergency Assist, which will bring the van to a controlled halt if you're taken ill at the wheel.

Practicalities and Costs

So, how practical will this Crafter prove to be in everyday use? Well, the twin rear doors can be swung out in the usual way - in most cases out to as much as 270-degrees if you release the stays. There's a reasonably low loading height which can be as little as 570mm and once you get your goods inside, the space available will of course depend upon your choice of wheelbase. There are two options (3.64 and 4.49-metres) and various overall body lengths (6.0 to 7.4-metres). As usual with LCVs, your total loading volume will be determined by your chosen combination of wheelbase length, front or rear wheel drive configuration and roof height. There are up to four roof heights, starting with the 2.35m 'H2' 'Low roof' version, which slots in below the 2.59m 'H3' 'High roof' variant - the one most will want - and the 2.79m 'H4' 'Super high roof' option for those who really want to super-size things. All of that means that an 'L3' 'Medium' wheelbase model can be specified in load volumes that vary between 9.9m3 and 11.3m3. An 'L4' 'Long' model can be specified in load volumes that vary between 14.4m3 and 16.1m3. And an 'L5' 'Long Maxi' derivative can be specified in load volumes that vary between 16.4m3 and 18.4m3. We ought to give you some load space length, width and height dimensions too. So, notebooks at the ready, here goes. These rear doors open to a width aperture of 1,552mm. And inside, there's 3,450mm of loading length in a 'Medium' wheelbase 'L3' model, which would rise to 4,300mm if you selected a 'Long' wheelbase 'L4' variant - and 4,855mm if you went for the 'L5' 'Long Maxi' derivative. The load area width is 2,040mm, narrowing to 1,380mm between the wheel arches on models with single rear wheels - that's decently wide by class standards. Where twin rear wheels need to be fitted, Volkswagen has redesigned things this time round so that the width between these arches isn't so greatly affected; you're looking at 1,030mm in that case. What about load area height? Well, with the shortest 'H2' 'Low roof' version, it's quite restricted, at 1,626mm. With the 'H3' 'High roof' bodystyle though - which is the combination you'll probably want - you get 1,961mm of cargo space from floor to ceiling. That figure can rise to as much as 2,196mm if you go for the tallest 'Super high roof' 'H4' body shape. In both cases, these are class-leading stats. As usual with any LCV, the payload you can carry depends on the drive configuration and Gross Vehicle Weight of the variant you choose. The front-driven set-up that most customers will probably go for is available for Crafter variants of 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0-tonnes in Gross Vehicle Weight. This can give you a potential payload capacity anywhere between 735kgs and 1,301kgs. Running costs of course will depend on the engine and Gross Vehicle Weight you select but whichever Crafter you choose, you'll find the 2.0 TDI diesel engine to be extremely frugal, whether you choose it in 140, 163 or 177PS guise. As a guide, you can expect to average somewhere between 32 and 36mpg in this vehicle on the combined cycle, depending upon the variant you're in.

Summary

It seems as if the switch from diesel to EV powertrains will take a lot longer than the industry and European governments expected, especially in the segment for really large LCV's. Which is good news for the Crafter range, which remains built around diesel power. This improved model feels a lot more up-to-date inside against the technology that modern businesses now want. Otherwise though, its appeal remains much as before. Is there a better quality large panel van out there than this? Assuming you prefer the Volkswagen's engine range and pricing structure to that of its Mercedes Sprinter stablemate, then you'd have to say not. Yes, the Crafter is priced at a premium compared to rivals but you can see and feel where the extra money goes. Forward-thinking businesses will accept this on the basis that residual values are very strong and the whole vehicle feels - and is - built to last, enabling companies to spread the up-front sticker price over a longer operating period. In ten years time, we'd wager that this vehicle will still be going strong at a point when most of its rivals will be falling to pieces. Enough said.