Volkswagen Multivan 2.5 TDI (96 kW) Comfortline

At the time, I did not know that I would take care of the new Volkswagen Multivan, so I drove all the way to Frankfurt completely unimpeded, but still not without many impressions from the trip.

Once I got my hands on the steering wheel, I focused on the driver's seat, which I immediately tweaked to my liking with generous all-round seat and steering wheel adjustments (in terms of reach and height).

I emphasize that in the Multivan, the driver will not feel like a bus or truck driver, since the ring is located quite vertically, and the dashboard looks more like a sedan than a cargo van.

However, by its dimensions "Mnogokombi" more and more resembles a bus. A later review of the technical data confirmed my initial feelings, as the Multivan with a total length of 4 meters is already flirting with high-end cars, where the Mercedes S-Class, Beemve's Seven and home Phaeton compete. Believe it or not, the ride itself is as comfortable as that of the high-end cars listed, as swallowing road irregularities is always effective, no matter what terrain the bikes are driven or transported over.

The headlights were as efficient as the chassis. The latter, even without xenon technology (you can't even imagine it for an extra charge), perfectly illuminate the road in front of the car, which greatly facilitates the accumulation of kilometers even at night.

Thus, the ride becomes comfortable, and with efficient headlights it is always safe; And what about the drivetrain: did it meet the challenge set for it by Volkswagen engineers when they created the Multivan?

Without any hesitation or reflection, we can only answer this question in the affirmative. One and a half liters of worker

the volume into which the turbocharger injects excess air develops (in the tested version) a maximum of 96 kilowatts or 130 horsepower and 340 Newton meters. The numbers that end up on the road, even by car, are quite enough.

On a good 700 kilometers, there was no incline that would noticeably raise the unit's breath, so I didn't get in the way of the precise and fast enough gear lever of the six-speed manual gearbox too often. In the latter, however, there is only one remark. Namely, the engineers moved it from the bottom of the car to the dashboard right next to the steering wheel, which means that it is now much more convenient to install.

On the way, and also at the first destination (Frankfurt), I realized another advantage of the high Multivan, but on the other hand, due to the high hips, this can also be a disadvantage. The high seating position or rear seat allows all seven passengers in the vehicle to have a very good view of what is happening in front of and around the vehicle.

And what should be the drawback? High sides of the car! That's right, in a city where we often change lanes and, of course, park, high thighs will cause you to have gray hair, because, especially when you are driving back, you literally feel any low and small obstacles (stakes, flower beds, etc.) For this reason, we highly recommend the surcharge for the parking assistance system, which will simplify your wallet with an additional 76.900 134.200 SIT (touching only the rear bumper) or XNUMX XNUMX SIT if you want to protect the front bumper. just a mention, however I found my way through some of the narrow streets of Frankfurt where I once again felt the already mentioned bulkiness of the Polycombi.

The efficiency of the Multivan engine, which lasted from Karavanke to Frankfurt without stopping at a gas station, is commendable. Overall, the Multivan 2.5 TDI also proved to be a model for an economical passenger, as in our test it consumed an average of nine liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.

Of course, with a jolt and in a longer environment in the bustle of the city, it also increased noticeably over 10 liters, but at the same time it dropped to economical eight hundred kilometer liters of diesel fuel when driving out of town. ...

Considering that on the way back to Ljubljana I did not find any shocking new products, I, of course, had to look for them in Ljubljana. However, on the way back I was already informed that I am in charge of Multivan.

The first thing I "got over" was, of course, the internal customization and usability of the available space. After all, in Volkswagen, the latter is hung on the largest bell. As I said before, the second row stand-alone seats can move longitudinally and pivot along the vertical axis. At the same time, they also have a height-adjustable armrest for both passengers on both sides. For point on and both are removable.

If I can trust you that only one seat weighs a few decagrams over the 40 kilogram limit, then I probably don't need to explain in detail which is better if someone comes to your aid when carrying it from the car or to car. Likewise, the rear bench can be moved longitudinally and removed from the vehicle. But be careful! Weighing 86 kilograms, it is more than once heavier than a single seat in the second row. So I almost command two (fat) grandfathers in wearing. Ladies, please, no offense. Another original solution they have

Volkswagen is built into the back bench, this is its ability to transform into a bed. True, with the help of a few tricky movements, this one turns into a perfectly flat bed, which, of course, is too short for my 184 inches, so I just expanded it with seats in the second row. Before that, I just had to overturn their backs and voila: the bed, two meters long, had already invited me to a sweet dream. Not that I had time for that, because half of the unopened interior of the Multivan was waiting for me. Part of this is also the middle element, which is mounted on longitudinal rails in the center of the vehicle.

Like the seat and bench, it is movable and can be removed from the vehicle. Among all the removable parts of the Multivan's interior, it is also the lightest, as it weighs "only" a good 17 kilograms. That's even a pound more than the Touran seat in the second row weighs! ? Of course, this element serves a purpose, as it is not intended to confuse you or steal space in your car. No, it's a real little "bow table". From a low piece of plastic, when you press a button (using hydraulics), its upper part rises, which I then simply turned into a round convenient table. The table is even more convenient because it can be swiveled to the left or right where it approaches the passenger in the left or right seat.

The usability of the interior in each vehicle is also enhanced by a range of storage boxes. There are quite a few of them in the Multivan: they are under both seats in the second row, some are in the center table, and three are also hidden in the lower part of the rear bench seat. Two large boxes are located in both front doors, in front of the passenger (the only one in the cabin is lit, equipped with a lock and cooled) and in the middle of the dashboard (unfortunately not lit). A large space, also dedicated to storing 1 liter bottles, still remains between the driver and front passenger under the dashboard, while two slightly smaller drink holders sit next to the ashtray on the center console under the gear lever.

The three-zone automatic air conditioning also ensures a good driving experience. This ensures the well-being of the driver and front passenger by adjusting the temperature separately. An additional third area of ​​excellent air conditioning is the two rear rows of seats. There you can determine both the temperature and the power of the air flow through the windows in the ceiling and from the columns. In every respect, the driver and his six passengers, even on very long journeys, are more than well taken care of in the Multivan.

And how much will this pampering of passengers in a Volkswagen Polycombix cost a potential buyer? If he decides on a test car, a good 8 million tolar. Is it big, small, or just the right amount? Well, to be honest, the final grade is even more up to you! If, for example, you consider yourself a person who will take advantage of Multivan's many explicitly travel-focused and user-centric features, then the purchase is undoubtedly worth every tolar in your wallet.

For everyone else who doesn't really like to travel or don't have a large group to “pack” for a Sunday trip, buying a Multivan will be a poor investment as you simply won't take advantage of the many benefits of the Multivan. After all, it was along these “faults” that my colleague and I traveled the 1750-kilometer route from Ljubljana to Frankfurt and back reliably, quickly, comfortably and safely.

Peter Humar

Photo: Aleš Pavletič.

Volkswagen Multivan 2.5 TDI (96 kW) Comfortline

Basic data

Technical information

engine:	5-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - direct injection diesel - mounted transversely in front - bore and stroke 81,0 × 95,5 mm - displacement 2460 cm3 - compression ratio 18,0:1 - maximum power 96 kW ( 130 hp) at 3500 hp / min - average piston speed at maximum power 11,1 m / s - specific power 39,0 kW / l (53,1 hp / l) - maximum torque 340 Nm at 2000 / min - 1 camshaft in head (gear) - 2 valves per cylinder - fuel injection through the pump-injector system - exhaust gas turbocharger - charge air cooler
Energy transfer:	engine-driven front wheels - 6-speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,570 1,900; II. 1,620 hours; III. 1,160 hours; IV. 0,860 hours; V. 0,730; VI. 4,500; reverse 4,600 - differential of I and II gears. 3,286, for performances III., IV., V., VI. 6,5 - rims 16J × 215 - tires 65/16 R 2,07 C, rolling circle 1000 m - speed in VI. gears at 51,7 rpm XNUMX km / h.
Capacity:	top speed 168 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 15,3 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 10,5 / 6,6 / 8,0 l / 100 km
Transportation and suspension:	sedan - 5 doors, 7 seats - self-supporting body - front single suspension, leaf springs, triangular cross rails, stabilizer - rear single suspension, inclined rails, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear (forced cooling), mechanical parking brake on the rear wheels (lever next to the driver's seat between the seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, power steering, 3,1 turns between the extreme points
Mass:	empty vehicle 2274 kg - permissible total weight 3000 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake 2500 kg, without brake 750 kg - permissible roof load 100 kg.
External dimensions:	vehicle width 1904 mm - front track 1628 mm - rear track 1628 mm - ground clearance 11,8 m.
Inner dimensions:	width front 1500 mm, middle 1610 m, rear 1630 mm - front seat length 480 mm, middle seat 430 mm, rear seat 490 mm - handlebar diameter 380 mm - fuel tank 80 l.
Box:	Trunk volume measured using standard AM set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (278,5 L total): 1 backpack (20 L); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 2 × suitcase (68,5 l); 1 × suitcase (85,5 l)

Our measurements

T = 17 ° C / p = 1000 mbar / rel. vl. = 51% / Tires: Dunlop SP Sport 200 E
Acceleration 0-100km:	15,4s
1000m from the city:	36,5 years ( 142 km / h)
Flexibility 50-90km / h:	9,3 (IV.) S
Flexibility 80-120km / h:	13,8 (W) p
Maximum speed:	171km / h (V.)
Minimum consumption:	8,0l / 100km
Maximum consumption:	10,6l / 100km
test consumption:	9,0 l / 100km
Braking distance at 100 km / h:	41,1m
AM table:	43m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear	60dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear	58dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear	59dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 6rd gear	58dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear	65dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear	64dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear	63dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear	63dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear	68dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear	68dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear	67dB
Test errors:	driver's seat creak

Overall rating (344/420)

• A total score of 4 eloquently indicates the completeness of the package. Of course, he is not perfect, but there is nothing in this world. It is up to you to decide what is an advantage in the car and what is a disadvantage. The Multivan can be a great and comfortable seven-person traveler, or a lousy solo van that is also the enemy of travel. Who are you?

• Exterior (13/15)

  If you liked the previous Multivan, you will like this one even more. As for the workmanship, let's say that it is on
  
  
  Volkswagen rating.

• Interior (127/140)

  Inside Multivan, there are no unnecessary flaws, only perfection. Namely, spaciousness, comfort and
  
  
  flexibility of available space. The quality here is also at the level of Volkswagen.

• Engine, transmission (37
  
  
  / 40)

  The choice of a 2,5-liter 96-kilowatt TDI engine combined with a six-speed manual transmission, according to our
  
  
  the experience turned out to be a great choice.

• Driving performance (73
  
  
  / 95)

  The Multivan's handling is by no means racing, but travel-oriented. The chassis is impressive
  
  
  effectively overcoming bumps in the road. The perfectly positioned gear lever is impressive.

• Performance (27/35)

  Accelerations due to the good 2,2 tons may not be flashy like they are. Flexibility tends to be excellent for the TDI, and so does the top speed, which is more than satisfying for vans.

• Security (32/45)

  The front seats are well cared for with airbags, and the rear seats need to be cared for at an additional cost. The braking distance is good considering the curb weight of 2,2 tons. Active safety has also been well taken care of.

• Economy

  For the money deducted, Multivan offers you a lot. Fuel consumption is affordable and exactly as much as is required from the car. VW badge and TDI lettering on the back of the car will help you resell.

We praise and reproach

general comfort

fuel consumption

engine

Transmission

brakes

“Picnic table

bed with seats

open space

interior flexibility

Headlamps

transparency back and forth

no parking assistance system

carry a very heavy seat in the second row and a bench in the third row