We have currently put the largest representative of commercial vehicles from Volkswagen, i.e. the Crafter model, to the editorial test. The Volkswagen Crafter is a car of many forms, since it is available to its future users from the classic "can", via minibus, camper van, or " tipper truck ", which became my pleasant companion during the last editorial test of this model.
This time we have a certain combination of the aforementioned Crafter specifications. Under the name Freestyle, the "glass" Crafter is available, which can carry up to 8 passengers and its cargo space has a fold-down double bed from the company Sicar. A retractable awning and a pair of folding chairs and a small table also became part of this not only leisure equipment.
Exterior – simple and completely practical lines
The basic contours of the Crafter are created with an emphasis on the practical features of this car. The car thus has simple and clean lines, which are quite typical for Volkswagen cars. A certain refinement then takes place in individual details, in the case of the current generation of the Crafter, most noticeable in the front part.
Its concept is deliberately based on its smaller sibling, i.e. the sixth generation Transporter model. The pronounced horizontal division is then elegantly prescribed both in the car mask and in the shaping of the front bumper. In addition, the rich chrome plating of the front mask effectively spills over into the front headlights.
In the case of the currently tested Freestyle version, it is worth noting the darkening of the side and rear glazing of the car, or the presence of a retractable side awning.
Interior – ergonomically managed and multi-purpose
Full of memories, from the last Crafter test, I am excited to sit down in the Freestyle version as well. Of course, nothing has changed significantly since the last review, there is still tremendous roominess, excellent visibility and ergonomics of control close to that of a passenger car. In the context of the tested machine, this knowledge is even more intense.
The very arrangement of the interior elements is fully in the spirit of its smaller sibling, the Transporter. Controlling and driving the car is very user-friendly and the Crafter quite playfully lets you forget how big the car actually is.
The dashboard will offer a simple, purely horizontal division. Its division into two basic masses is supported by a continuous storage space. The instrument panel in front of the driver in the tested car had classic analog indicators, among which was the on-board computer display. The central part of the dashboard was dominated by the on-board infotainment display, climate control, rear differential lock, hill start assistant, and then the ergonomically ideally positioned eight-speed automatic selector.
The multi-function steering wheel deserves huge praise, its size and deployment in the dashboard itself shifts the Crafter's control toward passenger cars.
The tested Freestyle offered a classic layout with three seats at the front, the middle one also had a folding backrest, which was equipped with a practical storage area, in addition to drink holders.
Behind the first row, in the case of the tested car, we have a space offering even more uses. The floor in this space is equipped with guide rails, in which the individual seats move freely in the longitudinal direction. They have an anchoring mechanism that allows them to be moved freely within the notified slats. The seats themselves are also well-sized, adjustable and equipped with armrests. The number of seats and their position are then arbitrary, all according to your current requirements.
In the back of the Crafter, there was the previously announced Sicar installation. This installation offers a folding double bed, which quite practically folds out to the very sides of the body. Under each of the beds, in the place above the "wheels" of the car, there are relatively modest storage boxes. In one of them, additional bed reinforcements were stored, in the other, as desired, in our case, a telescopic "rod" for pulling out the side awning was stored here. Part of the conversion from Sicar also includes additional insulation and soundproofing of the interior, and independent heating is also used to achieve sufficient comfort.
In the case of more frequent use of the folding bed, it is better to choose an arrangement with only one row of solitary seats (that is, a capacity of 5-6 passengers). Assuming that you "move" all the seats out of the car, the Crafter will offer a storage space of almost 3.5 meters.
Another advantage of anchor bars in the floor is that not only individual seats need to be attached to them, as the Sicar company offers, for example, a motorcycle holder as part of its portfolio.
A pair of folding chairs and a table became other integral elements of this equipment, both of which are practically stored in "bags" located within the rear door.
Offered motorizations and driving impressions
The Volkwagen Crafter is available with a two-liter diesel in several power variants (75, 103 and 130 kW power), and with one or both axles, it is also available with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic.
The tested Freestyle then had a certain top of the price list, i.e. 130 kW diesel, eight-speed automatic and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.
The two-liter engine has traditionally been distinguished by refined operation with very good noise reduction towards the cabin area. The powerful diesel engine is more than adequate for a Crafter of this size, and the car can easily handle highway speeds.
As for the gearbox, here I was slightly reminded of the last Crafter test, which had a manual six-speed gearbox. In the case of an empty car, you "set" the individual speeds there very quickly, and somehow naturally. The currently tested eight-speed automatic shifts beautifully smoothly, but it is a bit slower and more deliberate at lower gears. However, I put it down to setting it up in context with the possible load the car is prepared to carry.
The question of using 4MOTION all-wheel drive will certainly be quite subjective, the tested car also had an additional rear differential lock.
The Crafter must be praised for its consumption, which I managed to push to the limit of 9 l / 100 km during a calm and prudent drive. For a car of this size with all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission, this is a very respectable figure.
In conclusion
According to the lines mentioned above, the Volkswagen Crafter Freestyle is an extremely versatile car that offers more possibilities of use. However, its universality in the context of a higher purchase price can quite paradoxically narrow the profile of its users, because everyone who decides to use it will simply want to use it 100%.
Unfortunately, the purchase price is the biggest weakness of the tested piece. The mid-wheelbase Crafter box starts at 845,790 including VAT, it is a classic van with a two-liter diesel engine with an output of 75 kW and a six-speed manual.
However, the tested piece was equipped with the most powerful 130 kW diesel engine, an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, here the purchase price starts at 1.2 million crowns including tax, and its rich additional equipment then pushed its purchase price to the value of 1.9 million crowns. In addition to all this, we also have a built-in from Sicar, which will cost almost 470,000 CZK. In sum, we are therefore at a value of the purchase price exceeding 2.3 million crowns, and this puts the Crafter Freestyle in a quite unenviable situation vis-à-vis its potential customers.
On the other hand, the Volkswagen Crafter is a seasoned worker in its category that offers a fresh design, an ergonomically well-functioning cabin, or a wide range of offered diesel engines, and the tested Freestyle version only successfully expands its scope.
