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The little Caddy that could do

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The VW 1.0 Caddy TSI Trendline, a Multi-Purpose Vehicle, surprised me in ways I wasn’t expecting. Easy to understand why it’s ever-popular with small to medium size companies. And yes it makes for a good family car as well.

What is it?

A rather spacious and quite popular MPV from VW, in the more aesthetically pleasing Trendline trim. One thing I like about Germany’s VW is how reliable and capable they are. This is what makes this marquee as popular as it is irrespective of which vehicle one is driving. And that was the case with the Caddy 1.0 TSI Trendline, I recently savoured a rather lovely Acapulco Blue Metallic panel van colour. It’s very economical in the fuel department with a 55 litre tank that got me around 400kms on the fuel gauge before it even had me worrying about a refill. I guess that is expected when the engine is a dainty 1.0 litre engine that delivers a respectable 75kW at 175Nm of torque. VW’s second bestseller in its commercial range aforementioned impressive fuel consumption would definitely help to decrease running costs, which has a positive impact on the profits of your business, especially in these very challenging economic times. The durable build quality helps reduce repair costs while also ensuring that your business benefits from a reliable vehicle. To me it makes why South African businesses continue their love for this fourth generation Caddy. The 1.0 TSI Trendline is a welcomed addition to the Caddy range. The extra nice features of this model, like the touchscreen Composition Media radio also the heated and electrical adjustable mirrors are beneficial. These little trimmings advantage of this new model is that it offers you great value for your money. Comes in with a 3 year/120 000km warranty. A genuine Auto Motion Service Plan also for 3 years/60 000km with a 15 000km service interval. Giving you a piece of mind while going about your business.

What can it do?

It can transport quite a sizeable amount of luggage or goods in the quite roomy rear panel with foldable rear seats where you get a roomy 750l of space. The raised roof makes it quite easy to fit quite a lot of boxes and other goods that need transportation for your business needs. The above mentioned 75kW power output is definitely not mind bending and can get too sluggish in inclines so I found myself having to change down to lower gears to get going. And I wasn’t even transporting any goods other than drives with my kids to the shops and I could imagine the angst when driving with quite a sizeable load over long distances. In undulating hills. A few years ago manual vehicles were a norm and I must admit it felt nice to drive one, this one with a 5-speed gearbox, since almost every new car is an automatic. The claimed 5.6km/100km worked wonders I must admit, I drove it hard just to see how far the fuel would last but this dainty Caddy was quite impressive. The STOP/GO lessens thirst, which worked better for me.

Interior

Durable materials are more important for this workhorse than fancy leather clad interiors. Fabric adjustable front seats, while the rear can be folded to make up for quite a roomy loading area. The useful climatic air conditioning system comes in quite handy for our weather conditions that can vary from extremely cold winters to and uncomfortable hot summers maintaining a pleasant working environment. The leather steering wheel adds a touch of luxury to the interiors with the electric windows in the front are another useful convenience. The front seats are height-adjustable so they could meet the requirements of each individual driver. As this vehicle will be used mainly for business purposes I particularly liked the under-seat storage to tuck away those unsightly packages and keep the interior neat. The roof rails provide additional storage space. Another highlight of the 1.0 TSI Trendline is its multi-function display. The multi-function steering wheel also add some luxuries like cruise control, infotainment control at the tip of your fingers..

Safety

Cutting-edge safety features, the 1.0 TSI Trendline made feel a bit more comfortable. This model is equipped with both passive and active safety features with the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System is a welcomed addition to the Trendline models. If an accident occurs, the speed of the Caddy is markedly reduced to decrease the risk of a secondary collision on another vehicle from occurring. The 6 airbags that include the head airbags reduce the chances of serious head injury for the passengers who are positioned in the outer regions of the second-row seating. Additional safety features include ABS, hill-start assist/hill holder, traction and stability controls as standard. The heated exterior mirrors helped a lot during the cold mornings where side visibility can be an issue as they frost in our sometimes extremely winters.

Verdict

Likes: These little trimmings advantage of this new model is that it offers you great value for your money which at R348 900 for this derivative. Rear sliding doors make for nice entrance and exit in a tight parking lot. The optional Park Assist with PDC (Park Distance Control with rear view camera), came in handy, avoiding some few scratches. Front fog lights increase visibility during adverse weather conditions and this model also features static cornering lights. The daytime running lights enhance safety and are also an aesthetically pleasing addition. My kids especially like the sliding rear passenger windows.

Dislikes: Very far and few to be honest. It’s actually one. The echo in the car due to the raised dome shape above the driver and the passenger I found disconcerting and downright annoying. Overall this is a good package from Vee Dabs and I shouldn’t have worried. And this Trendline trim does make it look trendy than it would have.

For more details on The VW 1.0 Caddy TSI Trendline visit https://www.vw.co.za/en/models-and-configurator/caddy-panel-van.html

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