Volkswagen Multivan: the details of the new van from the German brand

After following the launch of new details about the Volkswagen Multivan, this commercial vehicle from the German brand has finally been presented, the newest member of an important saga within the brand. A new version that features a hybrid engine for the first time and elevates the model’s status by also incorporating the latest available technology to make driving a classic more practical.

The legendary Bulli has received all the driver assistance technology that is part of the Volkswagen catalogue and has become a fully up-to-date and modern van with the spirit that has always been present. One of its most notable features is the incorporation of the MQB platform, which allows it to gain some length, although it loses a little height.

The figures are not to be sniffed at. The final length is set at 4,973 mm, which means 69 mm more, 1,941 mm wide, with 37 mm more, and the wheelbase is extended by 124 mm to reach 3,124 mm. The height drops by 47 mm but remains a considerable 1,903 mm. Passenger space is more comfortable and in the case of the long-wheelbase version, at 5,173 mm, it is even better.

Combustion and plug-in hybrid engines

Looking at the engine range, we find two petrol engines, four-cylinder and turbocharged. The first of them offers a power output of 136 CV and the second rises up to 204 CV. The diesel version, also four-cylinder, delivers 150 CV thanks to the turbo.

The novelty is the introduction of plug-in hybrid traction. This consists of a petrol engine and an electric motor that together provide a combined range of 218 CV. The battery powering the electric motor is 15 kWh and will presumably allow over 40 kilometres of range in fully electric mode, which would qualify it for the DGT’s ZERO emissions label.

Traction on all models is rear-wheel drive and, in the case of the combustion engines, it is paired with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, although in the plug-in hybrid version this will be a six-speed unit. The driver assistance systems will be more complete depending on which of the three trim levels is chosen: Multivan, Life and Style.

The first two, for example, will have manual sliding side doors, which will feature electric operation in the Style trim. The second and third rows of seats also change and become individual seats with a table. The options allow for heated seats and other features that were not present in previous versions.

It keeps the design that has made it popular for decades and which, although modernised and updated, is a hallmark of the model. The final price is not yet known, but it will arrive in Spain in the second half of the year, so we won’t have to wait much longer to learn those details.