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prices include next day deliveryMaxi Lives Life To The Max
NOT content with developing an award winning van Volkswagen is aiming for a double top with a family friendly conversion.
The Caddy Maxi was on sale only for a couple of weeks when it scooped honours in the Professional Van and Light Truck awards.
Judges highlighted its very usable 4.2 cubic metre and 800 kilo capacity and enough space inside to load a set of stepladders without having to strap them to a roof rack.
It also has a car like cab to keep any van man more than happy.
Now comes the Caddy Maxi Life, a keenly priced MPV version aimed at the regular market.
Unlike other modified vans with seats in the back offered by the likes of Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, the VW treatment is almost luxurious.
There’s no escaping the fact that the Maxi Life was born as a commercial vehicle but it is smart, trendy and practical inside.
A full-blown seven seater with three rows of seats, the Maxi Life is as accommodating as it is spacious. The head and leg room is plentiful.
Rivals such as the Citroen Berlingo Multispace and the Renault Kangoo don’t offer anywhere near that, remaining five seaters.
On the VW all seats can be used by adults and there is a good amount of space behind the back bench for luggage.
The Maxi Life has anything from 530 litres to an incredible 3,900 litres of space available for cargo and the back seats can be dropped flat easily.
Removing them to create maximum space is a different matter. They are heavy and it is a two person job – and the seats would have to be stored in your garage.
That is not the case with purpose-built MPVs of this ilk such as the Vauxhall Zafira or the Renault Grand Scenic where the seats fold flat and stay with the vehicle.
But the Maxi Life costs from £15,995 to £17,995 for a two-litre diesel – and that’s significantly cheaper than the mainstream models.
It is available only with diesel engines – the cheaper model powered by a 1.9-litre unit. Opt for the 140bhp two-litre version and you have a vehicle which has plenty of power and can average a claimed 44.4mpg with emissions of 169g/km.
Annual car tax is £170 while running costs are kept low with VW’s long life service intervals. Insurance groups range from six to eight – again lower than a conventional mid-size MPV.
The engine – also used in the Golf GT – makes the Maxi Life surprisingly lively. It is gutsy with a big mid-range making 0 to 60mph possible in around 11 seconds.
A vehicle like this needs to be a good motorway cruiser and it can lap up the miles with ease.
The dashboard and instrumentation are straight out of VW’s latest range of hatch and saloon models. Even a full colour satnav display system can be fitted for an extra £1,550.
Rear parking sensors (another £245) are also useful in something of these proportions.
Sliding side doors make for easy access and they are also fitted with child locks. The Maxi Life has semi automatic air conditioning as standard and there is plenty of onboard storage including a vast overhead tray above the front seats.
Traction control, ABS and a device to maximize engine braking are fitted as standard but airbags are only in the front. Electronic stability controls and trailer stabilization are optional and the Maxi Life can tow a braked trailer of 1.5 tonnes.
While luggage room is generous there is another minor hitch because of its van roots – the size of the tailgate. You need to leave at least four feet clearance at the rear when parking.
What is most impressive is the quality of trim which includes carpets throughout - and you don’t get that on rivals.
From a family point of view it is ultra competitive – and so is its commercial stablemate which made its debut in February.
The Maxi is top drawer stuff from the driver’s point of view with the cabin identical to that of the Life. It is also slightly lighter making it more economical.
A 60 litre tank gives a theoretical range of almost 600 miles and it will cost £180 a year to tax.
Options include electric door mirrors, air conditioning, parking sensors and a rubber load floor cover. Like the Maxi Life there are sliding doors either side and an asymmetrical tailgate.
A floor to roof solid bulkhead separates the back from the front three seats.
The Maxi features the same engines as the Life and bridges the gap between the Caddy van and the larger Transporter in VW’s LCV line up.
It is available either as a panel or window van with prices ranging from £15,593 to £17,816, including VAT. Without VAT the prices are from £12,650 to £14,550.
Both the Caddy Maxi and the Maxi Life are available from Volkswagen’s commercial dealerships.
This article was taken from: icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk
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