New VW Caravelle goes on sale in South Africa – Pricing and features

VW Group Africa has announced that pre-orders for the highly anticipated next-generation Multivan Caravelle have been opened for South African customers.

The T7 arrives as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) seven decades after the first generation rolled off the production line at VW’s factory in Kariega.

Since then, the German auto giant has offered the microbus across several generations, from the original T1 to the recent T6.1.

The company noted that across its generations, the vehicle has become deeply woven into South Africa’s social and economic fabric.

“Looking ahead, Volkswagen is firmly future-ready for the South African market, embracing electrification through plug-in hybrid models that balance efficiency with everyday usability, a clear statement of intent that the spirit of the original Bus lives on, re-engineered for a cleaner, smarter future,” it added.

The microbus will arrive in South Africa as a single derivative, the T7 Multivan Caravelle Style, priced at R1,794,000.

This includes a 3-year/120,000km manufacturer warranty and a 5-year/100,000km Easy Drive maintenance plan.

Powertrain

Powering the new-generation Caravelle is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with two electric motors, producing 180kW and 350Nm.

This power is transferred via a 6-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission to all four of the microbus’s wheels.

Its electric 4Motion (all-wheel-drive) system offers drivers unique benefits over a conventional AWD system, maintaining full control over the rear axle.

“This feature is a major advantage, as it allows for more power and traction as well as more dynamic torque control. The power distribution of the electrically driven rear axle can be ideally adapted,” explained the carmaker.

“With this drive system, the vehicle can be driven entirely via the rear axle with spinning wheels on the front axle; for example, this is possible only with a high level of design effort on conventional all-wheel drive vehicles.”

Depending on the driving situation, the combustion engine will receive assistance from the front-mounted electric motor, which produces 85kW, as well as the rear-mounted 100kW e-motor, if necessary.

Once the Caravelle reaches 130km/h, it automatically disengages the rear axle from the drive system through a decoupling unit and shuts off the rear e-motor to conserve energy.

The two electric motors are powered by a 19.7kWh battery, which also affords an electric-only driving range of up to 91km.

It supports 11kW AC charging, and 50kW DC fast charging, with direct-current charging topping up the battery from 10 to 80% in around 26 minutes.

Features

Inside, the T7 Caravelle features a well-equipped cabin with several driver and passenger comforts as standard.

This includes VW’s Digital Cockpit Pro, a 10-inch infotainment system with wireless App-Connect, 30-colour ambient lighting, including footwell lighting for the second row of seats.

The microbus is also fitted with three-zone Air Care Climatronic air conditioning, with an additional control panel in the passenger compartment, and a leather-covered multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters. 

Of its seven individual seats, the passenger compartment seats are mounted on a flexible sliding rail system, which allows occupants to configure their driving position to suit their individual needs.

The rear compartment is also fitted with a multifunction table, electric sliding door and an electric tailgate. 

In terms of safety features, the microbus is fitted with VW’s latest-generation driver assistance tech, including IQ.Light LED matrix headlamps, Park Assist and Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control, stop-and-go, and a speed limiter.