2024 VW Crafter Kampervan review

The Volkswagen Crafter Kampervan is a diesel-powered, all-wheel-drive mega van, with an amazing features list and comfort that promises to make it a great getaway bus for a couple, or a young family.

49

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing and features
• Living with it
• Amenities
• Driving
• Should I put it on my shortlist?

Pricing and features

It would almost be easier to tell you what’s not included in terms of campervan fitout stuff, but let’s cover off some of the important stuff.

You get a toilet, shower, hot and cold water, air-con, a removable TV, picnic set, and a seriously impressive power management system with a dedicated 400Ah house battery, 3000W inverter and 60A DC charger, a 200W solar panel and an additional solar blanket with Anderson plug to juice things up.

All told, VW reckons that’s enough to go off-grid for up to three days if you’re not running the air-con.

49

The kitchen area is well fitted out, with a sliding drawer-style fridge for access inside and out, a microwave, two-burner gas cooktop fed by a 9kg bottle at the rear of the van, and a sink with cutting board cover, and a heap of loose item storage under and above the workbench.

Storage is a big consideration in the habitat area, with overhead boxes and a pair of long cupboard areas nearby the bed, while under the fixed sleeping area is a trundle drawer and plenty of additional storage. Under the body of the vehicle at the rear there’s a spare wheel, too.

And the bed itself is a queen-width (but 180cm long) inner-spring mattress, which is different to the first take on the Kampervan-for-Aus theme, which had a configurable seating/sleeping area. This apparently is made to be more comfortable as a permanent option for bedding down.

⬆️ Back to top

49

Living with it

I spent the night in the Kampervan ... and I slept well.

I mean, not as good as those who had the glamping tents and king-size beds as part of the launch, but, still, I was “camping” and “roughing it”, after all.

What was great about the setup is the blockout blinds at the rear of the van and on the side window, which can be left open if you prefer to just have flyscreens zippered. There are shaded or screened windows in the rear quarters, too, which you can open for cross-ventilation. Also offered is a set of window blockouts for the front cabin area, which suction onto the glass.

49

Furthermore, there is a pair of fans and positionable reading lights in the back, and charging ports are nearby for your devices.

Plus the diesel heater system, which I needed parked by the chilly shoreline of Phillip Island, worked a treat, with the controller positioned close to the bed, and the outlet pointed out from below the sleeping area and blowing warmth around the cabin. If it’s warmer outside, there’s an air-con system dedicated to the living space.

There’s a bench seat in the back with two seatbelts for additional riders, and it can be used as a dining bench with the removable table in place (and front seats swivelled around). It has two top-tether points to fit kid seats, too.

Plus if you really need to, you can turn that bench into an additional berth for another sleeper by flattening it out and using the driver’s seat base as part of it, but it’s better left for littlies.

⬆️ Back to top

49

Amenities

Yes, if you need it, there’s a cassette-type toilet system, and a shower in that bathroom zone as well, but it does take up a lot of space in the middle of the van.

I didn’t dare, er, partake in a full-blown test of those elements of this test vehicle – I didn’t want to be the one to christen it.

It has a 120-litre fresh water tank and an 80-litre grey water setup, too.

⬆️ Back to top

49

Driving

It drives way smaller than it is. At about 6.8 metres long, more than 2.0m wide and more than 2.9m tall, it isn’t going to fit in any underground car parks, but it does shrink around you when you’re on the road. With a GVMass of 4300kg and towing capability up to 2500kg, that’s impressive.

What’s great about it is the diesel powertrain, which offers easy progress and smooth shifts, with a clever logic to the transmission when you're descending steep hills, using engine braking to take the burden off the brakes a bit.

The steering is excellent, with the same leather-lined steering wheel as a Golf and easy drivability in the bends, so long as you’re mindful of the huge 4490mm wheelbase.

49

I drove both the Style grade and the All-Terrain, which gets a different wheel and tyre package and raised suspension, plus underbody protection, and for me, the Style made more sense as it’s easier to clamber in and out of, and has a more settled ride on the road.

However, if you’re heading out into the great unknown, the All-Terrain might make more sense.

Plus the cabin usability is brilliant, with a touchscreen, smartphone mirroring, digital speedo and heaps of storage, and armrests for those longer days on the road.

⬆️ Back to top

49

Should I put it on my shortlist?

If you can justify it, and if you can secure one, it could well be worth the money. You’re getting a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance, and the backing of the VW and Jayco networks nationwide.