Used Review: Volkswagen Transporter T6 (2017)

While today’s T6 might not have the nostalgic appearance of the T1, it’s a practical, comfortable and stylish, making it a great choice for those in the market for a van.

Size Matters

The Volkswagen Transporter T6 keeps the same loading dimensions from the previous-generation T5. The standard-sized van still offers 1,410mm in height, 1,626mm for the medium and there’s still a huge 1,940mm of height offered in the high roof spec model.

The T6 range offers a variety of capacities - from 5.8m³ to 9.3m³ - and the loading space has a width of 1,175mm across the entire range, ensuring very practical space indeed.

City Motor Group stock a wide selection of commercial vehicles, and within their range the T6 stands out as a very practical and robust workhorse, in particular our test model with its long wheel base and twin sliding doors.

Interior

Like with many vans, the interior of the Transporter T6 is fairly basic and uses lots of hard-wearing plastics. Our model included a factory reverse camera, and although it was reasonably small at just five inches, it’s still a valuable safety feature to have. There are also parking sensors that aid in maneuvering in confined spaces, along with mirrors that are quite substantial and offer a good field of view.

For convenience, there are a myriad of small pockets scattered around the van - the longer one situated in front of the passenger seats, is ideal for storing your phone securely, and above in the roof is a perfect storage area for storing sunglasses. Buttons on the steering wheel also allow you to control things like the stereo and driver information display from the steering wheel.

A convenient 12V socket and a USB port for charging are available to the left of the gear stick, along with three well-sized compartments on the passenger-side with a lockable glovebox. Two cup holders can be found at either side of the dash, although they’re not the biggest nor the deepest.

The seats are supportive and sit high, meaning if you have longer legs you’ll be just fine. This gives the driver a fairly relaxed driving position, allowing them to sit well back from the front window.

The seats are finished in a durable two-tone grey cloth fabric, and because the passenger side seat is in a bench seat form you can travel with three occupants up front, offering some extra flexibility.

Potent Pulling Power

The Volkswagen Transporter T6 we tested was equipped with a 2.0-litre, four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. These power plants range in output, however, our test model was equipped with a 103kW engine with 340Nm of torque, providing plenty of up and go. If more power is a necessity, 2017 variants were also available in a 132kW option which packs a beefier 400Nm of torque.

The power is fed to the wheels via the swift Volkswagen DSG transmission.

When unladed, the combination of the frisky engine and dutiful transmission actually made for a far more ‘car-like feel’ than we expected. If you happen to run out of space in the van, it’s not really the end of the world, as the Transporter T6 can also tow quite a bit of weight with a 750Kg unbraked and 2,000kg braked towing capacity.

Wheels and tyres are as you would expect – they’re simple and do the job. The 16-inch steel wheels aren’t glamorous or low profile, but they get the job done.

The Transporter T6 is frugal, too. Despite its size, it only consumed 7.9L/100 km, and during our testing we were close to reaching this figure. With an 80-litre fuel tank, you won’t be frequenting the petrol station often.

Verdict

Volkswagen has come a long way since the T1, and have had over 50 years to perfect their formula for a commercial van. They’ve done an awesome job, and the Transporter T6 should certainly be on the shortlist if you’re in the market for one. If you’re looking for a van to spend a lot of time in and still maintain good levels of comfort, then the T6 is worth a look, especially when compared to other vans with more cramped cabins (of which there are many).

Safety features include:

• Rear Vision Camera with Graphical Parking Display
• Brake Assist
• Keyless Entry
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Stability Control
• Traction control
• Daytime running lights

For more information on safety ratings visit rightcar.govt.nz

Choosing your next used car?

A good start is to find a used vehicle that has had an AA Appraisal. Cars that have had an AA Appraisal have received a 43-point mechanical check by the AA, which focuses on the mechanical and safety aspects of the car and gives an overall evaluation of the vehicle.

Click here to learn more about AA Appraisals.

Get total peace of mind with an AA Pre Purchase Inspection

When you buy a used car, you may have a number of questions about its condition and safety. An independent AA Pre Purchase Vehicle Inspection will give you complete peace of mind with a comprehensive 100+ point vehicle check by an experienced mechanic.

Click here for more information on AA Pre Purchase Inspections.

Thank you to City Motor Group for supplying us with the 2017 Volkswagen Transporter T6 for review. For similar listings, click here.

Find out more on how the AA can help you when buying a car 

• AA Preferred Dealers - aa.co.nz/preferred
• AA Pre Purchase Inspections - aa.co.nz/inspections
• AA Valuations - aa.co.nz/valuations
• AA History Report - aa.co.nz/vehiclehistory
• AA Money - aa.co.nz/money
• AA Insurance - aa.co.nz/insurance
• AA Car Reviews - aa.co.nz/car-reviews

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