Watch: California dreaming with the new Volkswagen

If you like to tour around the country, while having the convenience of having a mini hotel room behind, then the Volkswagen California Coast could be the vehicle for you.

Based on VW’s Transporter, the California hosts a delightful amount of ingenious gadgets, enough to keep you entertained for hours.

With all that said, it is a practical solution for a holiday. The ability to sleep four people in the van and cook for all in such a tidy vehicle is testament to the design team and the attention to detail.

The fundamental question is who will it suit, or where this vehicle will sit in the market. This is for people who want to camp in their van. It is a gadget enthusiast’s dream.

The model on test was the California Coast, the lower-specification model available in the range. Being a commercial vehicle, it is eligible for a VAT reclaim, and lower motor tax. The model on test had seating for four, with ample space in the back and in the driving positions.

Driving and handling

Powering the VW is a 2.0 TDI 150bhp engine. The four-cylinder engine is matched with a six-speed manual transmission in this variant. The seven-speed DSG automatic is an optional extra for added comfort.

The vehicle is not underpowered; the added weight behind it is noticeable without having any impact on the performance. It is a very comfortable motorway cruiser.

On winding roads, the fact that there is a bed, cooker, table and chairs built in means it won’t corner like it’s on rails. The potential driver of this type of vehicle is more than likely not going to be hugely concerned about that.

The magic of this Volkswagen is that it can sleep four adults in a vehicle that isn’t much more cumbersome than the Volkswagen Sharan. It delivers about 7.6l/100km on a low-demand drive. When pushed along quickly, fuel consumption rises up to about 8.5l/100km and even a little higher. This is to be expected with the added height. It is just over 1.9m high, which will restrict certain car parks, and for ferry crossings when travelling abroad it will need to be mentioned when booking.

Comfort

The driving position is excellent; the front seats have a very comfortable armchair type feel with double armrests on both sides. The cabin controls are within very easy reach, are clear and have a familiar VW feel.

One noticeable addition is the auxiliary control system located in a raised position above the rear view mirror. This allows the drive to look at the amount of water in the tank for services, the battery charge level for auxiliary systems, and turn on and off the night time heater in the cabin. The cabin heater can also be controlled from the keys, allowing people sleeping in the top bed to control the heater as required. The quality of the cabin appears strong and durable, while the insulation seems to have been increased a lot to help with the sleep.

Clever stuff

The unique part of this van is that when you’re not driving there is even more to do and learn. The delightful thing is playing with its accessories. Pretty much everything turns into something else: the driver and front passenger seats, for instance, swivel 90°, to become seats at the dining table for breakfast or an evening meal. The table folds neatly away and slides down a track to disappear when lunch is over. All the dining tools are stored in cabinets under the sink, while the fridge keeps everything cool.

There are so many storage places that are hidden away – a wardrobe press to hang clothes on is located at the rear pillar. Under that are the gas storage cylinders. The rear seats travel up and back along another rail, giving acres of space in the rear. We had the kids in the back, and to get to them when needed there was no hopping out and back to the rear door. Simply walk back the aisle and attend to them.

The parasol to the side unfolds with ease, and the lever for this is located in a drawer under the seat. At the end of the parasol, the legs are folded and latched into position. The real treat was the Volkswagen deck chairs that are also hidden away in a clever space in the boot lid.

Sleeping

It is hard to believe that a vehicle of these dimensions can offer so much. The sleeping arrangements are a bit of clever engineering from the Germans. On the lower bunk, the seats fold over to let a very comfy mattress roll over the back. The raised sleeping position again allows for storage underneath.

The real feat of engineering lies in the extendable roof; on this version it was manually operated. Unclasp the roof connectors and the safety lock to allow the gas struts push the roof up. The roof extends with a canvas sidewall to give a tent-like structure on top. To my surprise, it was quite cosy up there. Climbing up is an obvious hindrance, and it is probably best suited to the younger members of the family. The van’s windows have very discrete roller blinds; these vanish off into some clever storage space when not required. When pulled, they give the van the privacy needed for sleeping.

Conclusion

Is the VW California relevant for anyone here in Ireland? Most definitely. I used the van for work commuting daily around the country. Fuel-wise, it was as good as most commercial vehicles. Driving-wise, it was very comfortable and enjoyable, albeit not a hot hatch type of drive.

For a family of four it is excellent, with ISOFIX seats behind and acres of space for all prams and buggies associated with family travel. There is charm about being able to pack a vehicle and head for the road on holiday, with no airport delays, and the need to book a hotel. Downsides are you would need to book a camping site for toilet and shower facilities. The California is priced at €53,300 incl VAT. VAT is reclaimable for businesses so it makes a little more attractive.

Standard features