Gallery | 10 ways the new Transporter improves upon its predecessor

And with good reason. Volkswagen’s iconic load lugger has been reliably delivering the goods – both figuratively and literally – for more than 75 years.

So understandably, with every new Transporter, the weight of expectation increases. Luckily, this new version has an increased payload and load volume to deal with that extra weight. It also boasts some efficient new powertrains, useful tech and an impressive aftercare package. In fact, our What Car? test team liked it so much, they gave it a five-star review. So how does this latest Transporter improve upon its predecessor? Read on to find out…

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The seventh-generation Volkswagen Transporter moves the goalposts on practicality, with more room in the back, a higher payload and increased towing muscle. Its load volume rises by more than 10% to 5.8m³ with the standard wheelbase and roof, while the long-wheelbase, high-roof versions stretch to a class-leading 9.0m³.

The Transporter’s floor length now measures 2,602mm for the normal wheelbase and 3,002mm for the extended version, the width between wheel arches jumps to 1,392mm, and long-wheelbase models can swallow three Euro pallets – two from the side door, one from the rear. The numbers are just as impressive when it comes to load weights: maximum payload climbs to 1,280kg, and depending on the bodystyle and powertrain you can now tow up to 2,800kg with a diesel engine and 2,300kg for the e-Transporter. In short, fewer trips and less juggling, with more work accomplished in every shift – exactly the benefits businesses look for when picking mid-size vans.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

Transporter buyers have a broader choice of engines that perfectly match the way fleets work today. If you spend lots of time on the motorway, refined and efficient 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines remain a safe bet, with outputs of 108bhp, 148bhp and 168bhp and the option of 4MOTION all-wheel drive on higher-output models.

And for city runs and routes with a predictable mileage, the all-electric e-Transporter and Shuttle arrive with 134bhp or 215bhp and a WLTP range of up to 225 miles from a 70kWh battery. The electric motor sends power to the rear wheels with the smoothness only EVs deliver, for brisk and fuss-free acceleration between stops. It’s a line-up that doesn’t force you into one solution – it lets you pick the right one for your routes and drivers.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

Whatever you carry – and whoever – there’s a Transporter to match. The Transporter is available as a panel van with an array of optional partitions and configurations to suit every trade. You can also opt for a Kombi with up to nine seats or a uniquely practical dropside with double cab for the long wheelbase version. The Shuttle focuses on people as much as payload: Life and Style specifications cover transfers, premium private hire and family transport, all available with extended wheelbase and features such as a panoramic roof or Harman Kardon audio. The thread through it all is choice, executed with the sort of detail that makes day-to-day life easier.

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Climb aboard and the transformation from T6.1 is immediate. The new cabin pairs big, clear screens with tactile buttons and switches, so it’s as quick to use with gloves as it is slick to look at. A 12in Digital Cockpit faces the driver, joined by a crisp 13in central touchscreen with DAB+, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Keyless Start is standard, the electronic parking brake moves to the dash to free floor space, and automatic versions gain a neat column-mounted selector, creating through-cab access where the derivative and partition allow.

Storage is abundant – dotted around the dash, in the doors, overhead and hidden under seats – while USB-A/USB-C points, 12-volt outlets and optional 230-volt sockets mean you can power laptops, charge tools and more. On electric models, you can fit two extra 230-volt sockets in the load bay, with up to 2.3kW available for tools on site. It’s a modern mobile office that still feels built for work and keeping your kit powered up right until the end of the day.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

The new Transporter’s assistance and lighting tech bring tangible gains in confidence and comfort. Lane Assist and Dynamic Road Sign Display are standard, helping you stay in your lane and keeping you informed of speed limits and hazards, while camera-based parking aids and an optional rear view camera take the drama out of tight yards and kerbside deliveries.

Predictive cruise control is available with automatic gearboxes to ease motorway slogs and traffic snarl-ups alike; wrong-way driver warning adds another layer of vigilance on unfamiliar roads. LED headlights are standard across the range, while the optional matrix IQ.LIGHT provides a beam that constantly adapts to the traffic and the driving conditions. The upshot is less strain over long shifts, fewer close calls traversing busy urban streets and a van that feels as up-to-date behind the wheel as it looks from the kerbside.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

The tape measure tells a simple story: the new Transporter and Transporter Shuttle grow by 146mm in length to 5,050mm, while the wheelbase stretches by 97mm to 3,100mm for better stability and a roomier load bay. Need more? The extended wheelbase adds 400mm for an overall length of 5,450mm. Width increases by 128mm to 2,032mm (excluding mirrors), improving shoulder room in the cab and usable width in the rear.

Despite the growth spurt, manoeuvrability stays on point: the Transporter has a sharp 11.9-metre turning circle with the normal wheelbase; useful when you’re threading through the suburbs or reversing into tight alleyways. At the back, a low load-in height – 575mm to 622mm depending on the configuration – keeps loading and unloading parcels and heavy tools from sapping energy and time. It all adds up to a van that’s easier to pack, easier to drive and easier to live with.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

The latest Transporter might have fresh sheet metal, but it still has a familiar soul. From the first glance, this is clearly a Transporter – clean surfaces, crisp graphics and that classic Bulli line along its flanks dividing the body sides. Up front you’ll spot a modern riff on cherished Transporter cues: a familiar grille shape, sharp LED lighting and the sort of design clarity that makes it instantly recognisable, day or night. Along its sides, the Transporter’s proportions and surfacing are purposeful without pretence.

Around the back, you can choose a tailgate or wing doors; both open deep into the bumper for easy, low-sill loading. Details matter, too. The charging flap on plug-in and EV models sits below the right headlight, while the fuel flap remains on the B-pillar – simple, consistent and easy to reach in tight bays. Wheel designs are new, crowned by striking 16-inch “Montreal” alloys on Commerce Pro models and 17-inch “Le Mans” alloys for the Shuttle Style.

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Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ 5 Plus Promise wraps the new Transporter in the kind of aftercare businesses actually feel day to day. It combines five scheduled services, three MOTs, a five-year warranty and five years’ roadside assistance into a clear package, helping you forecast costs and keep vans earning. The included services cover routine maintenance using genuine parts at approved Van Centres, with digital service records and reminders that make planning easy.

The warranty brings long-term reassurance against unexpected repair bills, while the roadside assistance is there 24/7 in the UK and across Europe, with home start, recovery to the nearest Van Centre and onward travel so jobs aren’t abandoned. Because everything sits under the Volkswagen umbrella, authorisation is faster, parts are on the shelf more often and downtime shrinks. For fleet managers, that means simpler spreadsheets and predictable cashflow. For drivers, it’s confidence that if something does go wrong, help is close by.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

For the UK, the Transporter arrives as a Panel Van in five well-judged trims. Firstly, there’s the core lineup composing Commerce, Commerce Plus and Commerce Pro – each stacked with kit that operators actually use. Commerce means LED headlights, a 12in driver display, 13in infotainment with Wireless App-Connect, cruise control with predictive speed limiter, rear parking sensors and Keyless Start, alongside robust cabin and load-bay touches that stand up to serious graft.

Commerce Plus moves to body-coloured details and adds front parking sensors, a rear camera and security upgrades, while Commerce Pro adds in desirable features like heated seats, folding heated mirrors, wireless phone charging, extra USB-C points and advanced assistance like adaptive cruise with Traffic Jam Assist (with automatic gearboxes), plus Blind Spot Assist.

For those seeking serious road presence, the addition of Commerce Pro S and Sportline trims will be of big interest. The Commerce Pro S sharpens the Transporter’s looks with 17-inch gloss black alloys, a front splitter, and a rear spoiler along with other sporty styling cues.

Meanwhile, the Sportline serves as the range’s performance-inspired halo, hunkering down on 29mm lowered Eibach suspension and 19-inch diamond-cut wheels. Aggressive, sculpted bodywork and gloss black detailing add to the purposeful look. On the inside, it swaps standard upholstery for hand-stitched black eco-leather sports seats with red contrast stitching, as well as adding a heated leather steering wheel.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter

The brief for this seventh-generation Transporter was all about improving every detail without losing the qualities that made the badge a byword for getting the job done. There’s a bigger, more adaptable load space; higher payload and towing figures that reduce compromises; and a cockpit that blends modern digital clarity with glove-friendly switchgear.

You can choose from efficient diesel TDI engines, an easy-to-live-with plug-in hybrid (coming this year) or smooth, quiet fully electric models, then pick from a spread of variants that make sense for cargo, crew or passengers. Add in a more relaxing driving experience, improved assistance tech, comprehensive trims that bolster kit levels, and supportive aftercare, and you’re looking at the most capable, most considered Transporter line-up yet.

Find out more about the Volkswagen Transporter