Happy holidays! The Volkswagen Caddy California is a flexible, practical, compact camper van and looks to be spot on for staycations in the UK. It's versatile enough to use daily between your holidays as it has five seats, car-like equipment, and is small enough to manoeuvre easily through busy cities. It could be your weekday workhorse and the right toy to get from A to B when touring our remarkable country.
Bed
The Caddy California 1.5 TSI 114 PS Manual is the entry-level model. Standard features include a foldable bed that has cup springs and a ‘high quality’ mattress, the motor manufacturer emphasised. During the day, the bed can be stored toward the rear of the camper van. It sits half way between the floor and the roof.
At night, you can easily manoeuvre the bed into the sleeping position. Fold the rear seats flat to get started. The seats can instead be removed if you want more storage. Either way, the bed then unfolds forward and measures 1,980mm by 1,070mm. It is supported by two legs at its front and rails on the camper’s sides.
Kitchen
The Volkswagen Caddy California 1.5 TSI 114 PS Manual has additional camping features. It has a rear kitchen that includes two draws, for starters. The lower draw can store your cutlery, frying pans, and food. The top draw incorporates a single gas burner and a windshield. While cooking, the tailgate becomes a roof that protects you from the sun, rain, and other harsh weather.
You'll also get foldable chairs, a collapsible table, interior lights, and blinds for the rear windows that double as storage pockets. Standard equipment includes air-conditioning that keeps you cool, driver-assist features that keep you safer while travelling, black rails that can support your roof box, and alloys.
Cost
The Volkswagen Caddy California 1.5 TSI 114 PS Manual costs from £29,965. You can pay far more for a higher spec, though. The 2.0 TDI 122 PS Auto is more powerful and eliminates any need to manually change gear. All from £34,699. There are also long wheelbase vans that have more interior space. The Maxi 1.5 TSI Manual costs from £31,285. The Maxi 2.0 TDI Auto starts at £36,019.
Accessories
An Option Pack is one of the accessories. Among other things it adds a central armrest that contains cup holders, a three-pin socket that can power household items, and dark tinted rear windows. Other options include a tent that increases space. It is free-standing, so it can be pitched then left behind if you take your camper on a day trip. A staycation has never been so much fun.