New VW Transporter launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

VW has expanded the next-gen Transporter series in South Africa.

The German carmaker launched the first models in the new series at the beginning of September; however, it has now introduced the commercial panel van units, and the Crew Bus units are set to appear in the near future.

The lineup currently stands at six models, and prices for the Transporter start at R770,000.

Features

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has reworked the panel van to be more ergonomic for working professionals.

The long wheelbase (LWB) version now has a load bay measuring 3,002mm in length, and the gap between the wheel housings has increased by 148mm to 1,392mm.

Thanks to these improvements in length and width, the panel van can now hold up to three Euro pallets (two loaded from the side, one from the rear).

The payload capacity clocks in at 1.3 tonnes, and the Transporter can also tow trailers weighing up to 2.8 tonnes (the previous models could manage 2.5 tonnes).

If you need a little extra storage, the roof load capacity has also been increased from 150kg to 170kg.

As far as equipment is concerned, the VW now comes with LED headlights, keyless start, rain-sensing wipers, a multifunction steering wheel, an electric park brake with auto hold, automatic aircon, a 12-inch digital driver display, and a 13-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

They also feature lane-keep assist, cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic road sign display.

Engine

The entire Transporter range is fitted with a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel (TDI) engine, though the output changes depending on the derivative.

The Panel Van generates 81kW and 310Nm, and uses a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Kombi produces 125kW and 390Nm, and benefits from an eight-speed automatic shifter.

The range-topping Kombi even has a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, whereas all the other units are front-wheel-drive.

Fuel consumption works out to between 7.1l/100km and 8.7l/100km, depending on whether you get the commercial version or the 4Motion Kombi.

Pricing

The South African pricing for the next-gen VW Transporter is as follows:

• VW Panel Van 2.0 TDI 81kW 4×2 Manual LWB – R770,000
• VW Kombi 2.0 TDI 125kW 4×2 Basic Auto SWB (8-seater) – R1,081,700
• VW Kombi 2.0 TDI 125kW 4×2 Commerce Auto SWB (8-seater) – R1,055,200
• VW Kombi 2.0 TDI 125kW 4×2 Life Auto SWB (8-seater) – R1,116,845
• VW Kombi 2.0 TDI 125kW 4×2 Edition Auto SWB (8-seater) – R1,167,400
• VW Kombi 2.0 TDI 125kW 4Motion Style Auto SWB (8-seater) – R1,301,400

The Panel Van and Crew Bus are sold with a 2-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a 3-year/60,000km service plan.

The Kombi units come with a 3-year/120,000km warranty and a 5-year/60,000km maintenance plan.

VW Transporter