Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life MPV full 9 point review

  • Performance

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Maxi Life comes with only diesel power. The 138bhp 2.0-litre offers the better performance, but its high price means the 103bhp 1.9-litre is the better bet. It has enough low-down grunt and will get the Caddy from 0-62mph in 13.3 seconds. VW's excellent DSG gearbox doesn't hurt performance like many automatics, but is available only on the 1.9 TDI.

  • Ride & Handling

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Caddy's commercial roots mean the ride's a bit bouncy, but not uncomfortably so. It goes round corners surprisingly well and, considering it's more than six feet tall, there's not much body sway. The steering is accurate and nicely weighted.

  • Refinement

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad Both engines make themselves heard at any speed, and on bumpy roads the seatbelts slap around on the interior trim. Pick up speed and there's a fair amount of road noise, but considering its humble roots, the Maxi Life is less crude than you might expect.

  • Buying & Owning

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership This is where the Caddy trips up. Van-based MPVs are great if they're cheap, but starting at £16k this one certainly isn't. Plenty of proper seven-seat MPVs can be had for less. VW's own Touran, for instance, will be a lot easier to live with and be worth more when you come to sell.

  • Quality & Reliability

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Don't expect any swanky materials – the Maxi Life is based on a van so everything’s about function. That said, everything feels well bolted together and the dashboard is lifted straight from a Touran. The third row of seats will scar the plastic trim if they're in-and-out a lot.

  • Safety & Security

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Disappointing. The Caddy misses out on curtain airbags and makes do with just fronts and sides. Buyers will have to fork out £285 for stability control, too. Four out of five stars in NCAP's crash testing programme isn't bad, but VW's proper MPV, the Touran, gets a full five. An alarm with interior tow-away protection is fitted as standard.

  • Behind The Wheel

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Park yourself in the driver's seat and the dashboard layout feels more MPV than van. It isn't particularly interesting to look at, though. The driving position is elevated, which gives a good view of the road, and there are loads of cubbyholes for storage. Rear visibility is limited, so rear parking sensors (£250) are a good idea unless you're super confident backing into gaps.

  • Space & Practicality

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The Caddy's certainly big, but it isn't particularly clever. It will happily seat seven, but removing the third row of seats for a bigger boot is difficult – it weighs five stone and can't be folded into the floor, so you'll have to find somewhere to put it. The middle row can be folded forwards, however.

  • Equipment

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The Maxi Life comes in one trim. You get seven seats as standard, as well as air-conditioning, a CD player and electric front windows. Stability control costs an extra £285, though, and the Caddy misses out on curtain airbags.

Caddy Maxi Life rivals

Caddy Maxi Life used rivals