Volkswagen Transporter long-term test: report 9
The VW Transporter has long been a staple of the medium van market, so now we're living with one to see if it can be the perfect photographer's apprentice...
The car Volkswagen Transporter panel van T32 Commerce Pro 2.0 TDI | Run by Max Edleston, photographer
Why we’re running it To see how well Volkswagen’s latest medium-sized van stacks up as a photographer’s apprentice
Needs to Offer more than enough space for all of our kit, long-distance comfort and connectivity to keep in touch with the office
Mileage 14,086 Price £48,720 (inc. VAT) Best Price £48,720 (inc. VAT) Price as tested £51,102 (inc. VAT) Official economy 36.7mpg Test economy 35.1mpg
4 February 2026 – Strap in
Don’t worry, I haven’t been kidnapped. Instead, I’ve been using my Volkswagen Transporter for an essential part of my job as What Car?’s senior photographer: tracking. What is tracking, you might ask? Well, it’s how we get a lot of the low-down, dynamic pictures you’ll see on the magazine and website. Sometimes, it’s a right faff to do, because the car I’m driving just isn’t well suited to having someone hanging out of the back of it – in a safety harness and at controlled speeds, of course. But in the Transporter? Well, it’s almost as though my van was made for the task.
You see, its low floor not only makes loading my bags easy – saving my back in the process – but it also allows me to sit close to the ground when I’m strapped into the load bay, meaning it’s easier to get the kind of pictures we need. The smooth ride of my van makes life easier, too, because it means I can use a slower shutter speed to add more blur to the image, giving the car I’m shooting a greater sense of movement.
Of course, this setup relies on me being safe and secure in the back of the Transporter, and that’s where my harness comes in. I can strap this onto anything inside the car to keep me from falling out, and in the Transporter that’s especially easy since I can utilise its lashing hooks. Plus, because there are so many of them inside the Volkswagen, I have plenty of choice.
In fact, the Transporter is somewhat safer than other cars for this purpose, because I can get the shot I need while keeping one of its rear doors closed. What’s slightly frustrating, though, is the lack of a hinge to stop the open door from attempting to close itself when we’re on the move – though I admit this is a problem which is only likely to affect automotive photographers.
Because of the various storms we've had recently, almost all of my recent shoots have involved an element of mud, which means the interior of my Transporter has begun to resemble the aftermath of a weekend at Glastonbury Festival. However, thanks to the floor being made from black plastic, it’s been easy to hose down and wipe clean, ready for the next day. And that means no matter where I'm sitting, I can have a clean backside.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
