Versatile should be synonymous with Volkswagen Multivan. Now it comes with an electric motor support, like eHybrid. We have already tried it
We have gotten behind the wheel of the new Volkswagen Multivan eHybrid, based on Volkswagen’s modular MQB system, which is also used for compact models, which houses the latest electronic assistance and the most modern infotainment system.
design and interior
The seats in the Multivan are very comfortable: at the front with comfortable armrests, good contours and padding, at the rear they are luxuriously built and grouped “individually”.
We loved that all four seats in our test Volkswagen can be unlocked and removed from their guides in a jiffy, and they’re not particularly heavy.
Of course, there is also plenty of room for luggage. A volume of up to 3,672 liters is available for really big transport tasks. Impressive is the huge, two-part, tinted panoramic roof.
Typical for cars in MQB and thus now also typical Multivan: the digital cockpit with a large touch screen in the center console. Operating it while driving is difficult, you need to know the hidden shortcut commands and study the menu structure in detail in order to get along with the infotainment stress-free.
Engine and behavior
Volkswagen Multivan Outdoor, 5 virtues and 2 defects
When driving, the Multivan is really quiet. Logically, thanks to the electrical support even completely silent, because the E-mode allows you to buzz purely electrically (depending on the brand, up to 60 kilometers). In the test, however, the Multivan only managed 28 kilometers of autonomy.
When the powerful 150PS 1.4 petrol engine and 116 electric motor are put to work together, the 2.2-tonne vehicle feels smooth, quiet and relaxed.
A little pressure on the accelerator pedal is enough to feel a good boost, however, if the battery power is running low, the small displacement petrol engine has to do the main work, so it feels rougher and more strained .
The result is jerky transitions soon after starting, the Multivan frantically responding to throttle requests, the combustion engine roaring as it turns and straining under full load, gear changes sometimes jerky and spiky.
For the rest, the comfortable suspension chassis, stable brakes, a wide-awake ESP and other assistants work perfectly. What we liked best: The Multivan has every conceivable driver assistance system available.
Doing the dodge on the cone course the heavy weight becomes apparent and tends to slide on the front wheels early on and then the body leans a lot. But even sudden changes of direction at high speeds are never complicated or dangerous.
Overall, the T7 eHybrid is designed to be more comfortable than powerful: the electric trailer hitch can only be loaded with a meager 1.6 tonnes.
Factors to decide the purchase
The gasoline engine becomes rough when there is no electrical support, and the management of the control elements is very cumbersome unless you study it before. The positive aspects: a lot of comfort and driving safety.
Conclution
The best
Interior space, performance, ride comfort, assistants
Worst
When only the gasoline engine works, it becomes somewhat rude