Volkswagen Crafter- Van

Crafter is the mix of both worlds, and its cabin is styled to proffer top of the line comfort with a substantial feel. The dashboard gives a classier feel, but the excessive use of hard material indeed degrades the experience. Contrary to this, the front three seats are incredibly comfortable, and the driver seat has got the 4-way lumbar support, height and seat adjustment too. This can help drivers set the relative driving position for better comfort. Besides, the Dual Cab variant comes with seven seats. On the storage front, the cabin features overhead compartments, pockets, under-seat storage, and inside dashboard sections. Unlike other vans of the Volkswagen, Crafter gets additional interior features. It includes a bigger 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming, voice control, four speakers, MirrorLink, CD player, AUX and USB inputs. Apart from all these features, the steering wheel of the Crafter is genuine is size, and comes with control buttons to manage audio, and telephone functions. 

The impressive new exterior design of Crafter Van is engineered to be functional and practical. It features an aerodynamic silhouette that makes it easier for you to get satisfying driving confidence while moving against the wind. There’s a reason why Volkswagen has presented it as “More than a white box van”. And, despite being available in bigger sizes, the exterior styling of Crafter stands out from the rest. There’s a global approach to the appearance, and it differentiates the Crafter. It’s available in solid, metallic and pearlescent paint finishes, and includes seven different colours. The left side sliding door is only available with the base grade, whereas the right sliding side door is optional. The standard exterior features include halogen headlights, daytime running lights, rear fog lights, high rear stop lights, 16-inch and 17-inch steel wheels, heat-insulated windshield, and side reflectors. 

This time, the new Crafter is built on the Volkswagen platform instead of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. The new chassis is light and engaging, with this the ride quality of this van advances to be more like a car. On the handling front, the electro-mechanical power-assisted steering is decent, and despite the size of Crafter, you can easily manoeuvre the van in tight spaces. Also, while carrying cargo, the chassis handles the load very well and doesn't get bumpy over roads. Likewise, the handling remains composed and confident. 

Volkswagen Crafter is available with two engine choices, two transmission options, and three drive systems among all three grades. The available range of choices can help you tailor the Crafter Van to match with your day to day needs. To begin with, the 2.0L Turbocharged Direct Injection engine comes with only front-wheel drive and is available with only Crafter Van. It can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This engine can produce a maximum power of 103 kW at 3,500 rpm and torque of 340 Nm at 2,000 rpm. You can also pick the more potent and durable 2.0L bi-turbocharged direct injection engine. This engine is available among all the grades and can be paired with front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and 4Motion all-wheel-drive configurations. You can also match the engine with a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox. In terms of performance, the bi-turbocharged engine can produce a maximum power of 130 kW at 3,600 rpm and torque of 410 Nm at 2,000 rpm. 

Crafter gets you the standard brake assistance features across the lineup. You’ll get ABS, EBD, ESP, and Brake Assist to support the van while applying brakes. Apart from this, the disc brake configuration varies as per powertrain. With 2.0L turbocharged engine, the base grade comes with the 303 mm ventilated disc brakes in the front wheels and 300 mm ventilated disc brakes in the rear. When you go for the 2.0L bi-turbocharged engine, then all the grades of Crafter comes with 300 mm ventilated disc brakes in the front wheels. While in the rear, the base and middle grades get 300 mm ventilated disc brakes, and Dual Cab gets the 303 mm ventilated disc brakes. Moreover, to plunge Crafter as the best van in the segment, Volkswagen has equipped it with many standard safety features. It comes equipped with front, side and curtain airbags, autonomous emergency braking, crosswind assist, driver fatigue detection, cruise control with speed limiter, and multi-collision brake assist. While some of the critical driver assist systems are optional. It includes rear traffic alert, active lane keep assist, hill descent assist, and mechanical differential lock. 

Volkswagen Crafter is indeed more than a white box. It gets potent powertrain, comfortable interiors, and ride quality that keeps care of the passengers as well as cargo. Crafter gets better with the latest safety and driving assistance features. However, being available in three different sizes, it should have had the standard blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, and lane change assist.