T7 owners - Is everything easy to use?

[Robert85]

I've recently taken delivery of a T6.1. I've spent a few days using it and getting to know the van.

I'm finding some of the things quite a chore to do.

Is everything easier on the T7?

Moving the 3 seater bench back and forth is tough. I would think the individual seats on the T7 make this easier.

Are the swivel seats improved?

It is easier to close the boot?

Is the pop top easier to use?

I'm finding these things a bit of a chore on the T6.1. Maybe I'll get used to it but they do seem more difficult than what they should be. I'm an average size man, I don't know how some people manage.

The lack of footrest on the T6.1 is straining my knee. My legs have to be quite close together.

There is a lot I love about the van, it's smooth and easy to drive, it feels similar to a car, the high up driving position is nice.

I have 30 days to take it back, I am considering changing it for a T7. One of the main reasons would be to footrest issue.

 

[Ian in Leicester]

To

I've recently taken delivery of a T6.1. I've spent a few days using it and getting to know the van.

I'm finding some of the things quite a chore to do.

Is everything easier on the T7?

Moving the 3 seater bench back and forth is tough. I would think the individual seats on the T7 make this easier.

Are the swivel seats improved?

It is easier to close the boot?

Is the pop top easier to use?

I'm finding these things a bit of a chore on the T6.1. Maybe I'll get used to it but they do seem more difficult than what they should be. I'm an average size man, I don't know how some people manage.

The lack of footrest on the T6.1 is straining my knee. My legs have to be quite close together.

There is a lot I love about the van, it's smooth and easy to drive, it feels similar to a car, the high up driving position is nice.

I have 30 days to take it back, I am considering changing it for a T7. One of the main reasons would be to footrest issue

To answer your specific questions: pop top opening/closing is easy, rear seats move very easily and can be removed easily as well, swivelling is much easier, boot still requires effort to close. Very comfy to drive and I do use the footrest. There are other obvious positives such as two sliding doors and tech upgrades and better fuel economy. However, many people still prefer the T6.1 for various reasons so you better try both!

 

[Californication69]

T6.1 driving position was awful for me and my bad back.
Had a multi van for two weeks last year and driving position is 95% improved.
T7 ocean 4m on order. Due 1st August.
Single seats are a breeze to move.
Tailgate is easier.
Pop top hatch cover is flat in t7 with no wiggling to shut.
So I think the answer is yes. Try the t7.
All IMHO

 

[Corradobrit]

I've never tried a Multivan Cali in person but from what I can tell listening to owners and reviewers is that the ergonomics are greatly improved in the new version. You just have to decide if the benefits of the T6.1 are worth giving up in exchange for a little more convenience.
I also consider myself an average sized person and there are definitely some niggles that irritate me like the pfaff to close the headliner cover. Fortunately I have a EU spec LHD Coast so some of the issues you mention like the foot rest and difficulty spinning the front seats is not so much an issue. I only spin the right hand seat (passenger) and I can do this without going outside and the handbrake doesn't get in the way. The T6.1 takes a little getting used to but once mastered these 'issues' become non-issues. I'm just happy I don't have to deal with the missing footrest. Seating for my size and mass is actually quite comfy. No backaches even after 8 hour drives. YMMV.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[dspuk]

I've recently taken delivery of a T6.1. I've spent a few days using it and getting to know the van.

I'm finding some of the things quite a chore to do.

Is everything easier on the T7?

Moving the 3 seater bench back and forth is tough. I would think the individual seats on the T7 make this easier.

Are the swivel seats improved?

It is easier to close the boot?

Is the pop top easier to use?

I'm finding these things a bit of a chore on the T6.1. Maybe I'll get used to it but they do seem more difficult than what they should be. I'm an average size man, I don't know how some people manage.

The lack of footrest on the T6.1 is straining my knee. My legs have to be quite close together.

There is a lot I love about the van, it's smooth and easy to drive, it feels similar to a car, the high up driving position is nice.

I have 30 days to take it back, I am considering changing it for a T7. One of the main reasons would be to footrest issue.

Wowser. Wait till you decided to put up a drive away awning.

Technically everything is a "chore" on a camper van. It's the chores and the beer at the end of them that help make up the camping experience.

For sure the T7 will be a little more refined in drive etc. Less of a chore? It's still a campervan. You still have to move the seats, put out the bed, raise the pop top. Attach the EHU. Etc etc.

For balance I've never really thought any of those things are hard. There is a knack to them all, but hard? Nah.

Changing a 6.1 purely due to a footrest?

I think you need a Grand or something a little more plug and play.

 

[Robert85]

T6.1 driving position was awful for me and my bad back.
Had a multi van for two weeks last year and driving position is 95% improved.
T7 ocean 4m on order. Due 1st August.
Single seats are a breeze to move.
Tailgate is easier.
Pop top hatch cover is flat in t7 with no wiggling to shut.
So I think the answer is yes. Try the t7.
All IMHO

Thank you.

How long did you have a T6.1 for? I really can't see myself getting used to the lack of foot rest. All the small hatchbacks I've driven have a bigger footwell.

 

[Corradobrit]

I really can't see myself getting used to the lack of foot rest. All the small hatchbacks I've driven have a bigger footwell.

There are aftermarket solutions for the lack of UK left footrest for DSG equipped T6's

EZM Steel Footrest Replacement Dead Pedal for VAG Vehicles R Gti Gtd Vrs Cupra Fr - Etsy

This Car Accessories item by ezmods has 36 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from United Kingdom. Listed on Mar 24, 2025

www.etsy.com

 

[Corradobrit]

Or this which is from the T6 forum (currently down)

 

[Robert85]

Wowser. Wait till you decided to put up a drive away awning.

Technically everything is a "chore" on a camper van. It's the chores and the beer at the end of them that help make up the camping experience.

For sure the T7 will be a little more refined in drive etc. Less of a chore? It's still a campervan. You still have to move the seats, put out the bed, raise the pop top. Attach the EHU. Etc etc.

For balance I've never really thought any of those things are hard. There is a knack to them all, but hard? Nah.

Changing a 6.1 purely due to a footrest?

I think you need a Grand or something a little more plug and play.

The footrest is the main issue. I'm sure I would get used to moving the bench and rotating the seats. I have torn cartilage in my left knee, that may be why it's causing me more problems than others.

For me, basic comfort is a necessity for any vehicle, we'll be using this for long journeys, I can't imagine driving this thing. Buying this vehicle is a big commitment, it needs to be right. I'd rather waste a bit of time and a few hundred pounds now than regret it down the line.

I can see on the T6 forum that its an issue for other people, some have changed back to the T6 or fashioned some kind of footrest to improve the situation.

 

[Mr B]

I never knew that a 6.1 didn't have a foot rest. The above seems like a good solution though!

 

[Mr B]

The footrest is the main issue. I'm sure I would get used to moving the bench and rotating the seats. I have torn cartilage in my left knee, that may be why it's causing me more problems than others.

For me, basic comfort is a necessity for any vehicle, we'll be using this for long journeys, I can't imagine driving this thing. Buying this vehicle is a big commitment, it needs to be right. I'd rather waste a bit of time and a few hundred pounds now than regret it down the line.

I can see on the T6 forum that its an issue for other people, some have changed back to the T6 or fashioned some kind of footrest to improve the situation.

I get massive back pain in the T6 but have found that a very good lumber support resolves it. The seats are not ergonomic for my body shape.

Then again I am 3ft, and 340kg. /s

 

[Californication69]

Thank you.

How long did you have a T6.1 for? I really can't see myself getting used to the lack of foot rest. All the small hatchbacks I've driven have a bigger footwell.

Had a 4 month old ex demo from Bristol, bronze & white ocean for 6 months and sold it for £11k profit in Feb 2021.
Then had new black 4M ocean in July 2023.
Sold it in July 2024 as the seat crippled my back and made my leg numb.
Had the MV Sept 2024. Ran for two weeks and loved it. But it was 1 year old and previous owner smoked like a Scottish kipper smoker shed.
So had to hand it back under the 30 day hand back warranty.
But it was a bit crashy, needed extra weight (3 lads at 14 stone each) inside and then It drove nice.
So with the weight of kitchen and battery 23kWh and 2x electric motors I have high hopes for a perfect ride !

 

[Robert85]

Had a 4 month old ex demo from Bristol, bronze & white ocean for 6 months and sold it for £11k profit in Feb 2021.
Then had new black 4M ocean in July 2023.
Sold it in July 2024 as the seat crippled my back and made my leg numb.
Had the MV Sept 2024. Ran for two weeks and loved it. But it was 1 year old and previous owner smoked like a Scottish kipper smoker shed.
So had to hand it back under the 30 day hand back warranty.
But it was a bit crashy, needed extra weight (3 lads at 14 stone each) inside and then It drove nice.
So with the weight of kitchen and battery 23kWh and 2x electric motors I have high hopes for a perfect ride !

You do the right thing. If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.

I once bought a bed for £5k, I slept on it for one night and then changed it for another bed.

This T6.1 footrest issue is crazy. You don't realise how important something is until it's gone.

 

[sticky1]

I've recently taken delivery of a T6.1. I've spent a few days using it and getting to know the van.

I'm finding some of the things quite a chore to do.

Is everything easier on the T7?

Moving the 3 seater bench back and forth is tough. I would think the individual seats on the T7 make this easier.

Are the swivel seats improved?

It is easier to close the boot?

Is the pop top easier to use?

I'm finding these things a bit of a chore on the T6.1. Maybe I'll get used to it but they do seem more difficult than what they should be. I'm an average size man, I don't know how some people manage.

The lack of footrest on the T6.1 is straining my knee. My legs have to be quite close together.

There is a lot I love about the van, it's smooth and easy to drive, it feels similar to a car, the high up driving position is nice.

I have 30 days to take it back, I am considering changing it for a T7. One of the main reasons would be to footrest issue.

I had the T6 and now in the T7, so not exactly the same experience, but if driver comfort is important then the T7 is astounding.
I feel confident saying that after a drive from East London to Cheddar Gorge to get to a campsite before the 8pm deadline, so I couldn’t afford to stop and take break.
The traffic was appalling and I ended up in the seat for 4 hours non stop and jumped out feeling fine.
I really like the T7 design I think VW have done an incredible job and built a new campervan category of sub-van campervans.
It’s definitely not a car but it doesn’t feel like a van.
I think all your other questions have been answered, but opening the pop top is super easy, swivel seats take seconds and I think the rear sliding seats is worth losing the under bench storage, the rear door is technique more than difficult I suspect.

 

[ThomasHJ]

The footrest is the main issue. I'm sure I would get used to moving the bench and rotating the seats. I have torn cartilage in my left knee, that may be why it's causing me more problems than others.

For me, basic comfort is a necessity for any vehicle, we'll be using this for long journeys, I can't imagine driving this thing. Buying this vehicle is a big commitment, it needs to be right. I'd rather waste a bit of time and a few hundred pounds now than regret it down the line.

I can see on the T6 forum that its an issue for other people, some have changed back to the T6 or fashioned some kind of footrest to improve the situation.

Taking delivery of a T6.1 and thinking about giving it back within 30 days to switch to a T7.....-because of a footrest-. Wow. I'm not English so I might come across a bit forward, but I mean well. But..... isn't this something you check -before- you buy a camper? You say yourself that it's a big commitment, which most peopele would agree with. Or is the system of buying cars in the UK so much different from mainland Europe that you can just receive and give back a car that easily? As if it is a pen you just bought?

Anyways, the layout of the VW California seriously changed with the introduction of the T7, for the first time in decades really. No serious changes in all the previous years/models. So I'd think that choosing between the T6.1 and the T7 should make you seriously compare the two because they are completely different and that can seriously influence the camping experience you'll have and one, or the other may not suit you. Much bigger, decisive differences then a footrest.

 

[WelshGas]

Taking delivery of a T6.1 and thinking about giving it back within 30 days to switch to a T7.....-because of a footrest-. Wow. I'm not English so I might come across a bit forward, but I mean well. But..... isn't this something you check -before- you buy a camper? You say yourself that it's a big commitment, which most peopele would agree with. Or is the system of buying cars in the UK so much different from mainland Europe that you can just receive and give back a car that easily? As if it is a pen you just bought?

Anyways, the layout of the VW California seriously changed with the introduction of the T7, for the first time in decades really. No serious changes in all the previous years/models. So I'd think that choosing between the T6.1 and the T7 should make you seriously compare the two because they are completely different and that can seriously influence the camping experience you'll have and one, or the other may not suit you. Much bigger, decisive differences then a footrest.

Yes you can return a new vehicle within 30 days for minimal cost relating to milage covered.
The T7 is a superior drive compared to its predecessor and as far as storage more than sufficient for a campervan used as a campervan rather than a mini motorhome .

 

[Robert85]

I had the T6 and now in the T7, so not exactly the same experience, but if driver comfort is important then the T7 is astounding.
I feel confident saying that after a drive from East London to Cheddar Gorge to get to a campsite before the 8pm deadline, so I couldn’t afford to stop and take break.
The traffic was appalling and I ended up in the seat for 4 hours non stop and jumped out feeling fine.
I really like the T7 design I think VW have done an incredible job and built a new campervan category of sub-van campervans.
It’s definitely not a car but it doesn’t feel like a van.
I think all your other questions have been answered, but opening the pop top is super easy, swivel seats take seconds and I think the rear sliding seats is worth losing the under bench storage, the rear door is technique more than difficult I suspect.

Thanks. 4 hours is a long slog.

Its nice to see someone who loves the T7. It seems to get a lot of criticism.

I have test driven one. I would say it feels like driving a people carrier. It felt a bit floaty but comfortable.

 

[Robert85]

Taking delivery of a T6.1 and thinking about giving it back within 30 days to switch to a T7.....-because of a footrest-. Wow. I'm not English so I might come across a bit forward, but I mean well. But..... isn't this something you check -before- you buy a camper? You say yourself that it's a big commitment, which most peopele would agree with. Or is the system of buying cars in the UK so much different from mainland Europe that you can just receive and give back a car that easily? As if it is a pen you just bought?

Anyways, the layout of the VW California seriously changed with the introduction of the T7, for the first time in decades really. No serious changes in all the previous years/models. So I'd think that choosing between the T6.1 and the T7 should make you seriously compare the two because they are completely different and that can seriously influence the camping experience you'll have and one, or the other may not suit you. Much bigger, decisive differences then a footrest.

I bought a used vehicle from the VW dealership. When buying from an individual you can't return it.

I had test driven the T6.1 but living with it for a few days is very different to a 10 minute drive.

I'm hindsight, I probably should have done what everyone on here recommends, which is to hire one for a few days. I just didn't think that the driving position would be like that, I've never driven anything like it. Even the small hatchbacks I've had over the years have been more comfortable for my leg and back.

 

[Californication69]

Taking delivery of a T6.1 and thinking about giving it back within 30 days to switch to a T7.....-because of a footrest-. Wow. I'm not English so I might come across a bit forward, but I mean well. But..... isn't this something you check -before- you buy a camper? You say yourself that it's a big commitment, which most peopele would agree with. Or is the system of buying cars in the UK so much different from mainland Europe that you can just receive and give back a car that easily? As if it is a pen you just bought?

Anyways, the layout of the VW California seriously changed with the introduction of the T7, for the first time in decades really. No serious changes in all the previous years/models. So I'd think that choosing between the T6.1 and the T7 should make you seriously compare the two because they are completely different and that can seriously influence the camping experience you'll have and one, or the other may not suit you. Much bigger, decisive differences then a footrest.

Just imagine when you want to buy a £150k Merc MLT580 4x4
You cannot get a test drive in one, anywhere in the UK before purchasing / PCP / lease.
You have to bite the bullet.
Awful I reckon.
And then with VW to hire one for a week to see if you’re happy with driving position, it costs a fortune too !

 

[ThomasHJ]

Seems it is quite a bit different.

Still, I would suggest, that besides your focus on the footrest, which is obviously an important feature to you, you also focus on the other differences between the 2 models, to make sure you don't end up with a van with a good footrest, which you dislike for other reasons, like camping, storage, etc. But if you do compare them well, hopefully you come to the conclusion that the T7 is the best choice for you and not just because of the footrest.

 

[Californication69]

*MultiVan, I would say that drives more like and MPV.
Totally get the language differences I work around Europe and it does make me and the customer chuckle about how we get things mid matched just by words.
But hand signals, man, they just work
When talking about machines

 

[Winston Rumfoord]

Yes you can return a new vehicle within 30 days for minimal cost relating to milage covered.
The T7 is a superior drive compared to its predecessor and as far as storage more than sufficient for a campervan used as a campervan rather than a mini motorhome .

Disagree, for the beach the storage is significantly impaired and in my opinion no longer an option to be used by a family as a camper van.

 

[WelshGas]

Disagree, for the beach the storage is significantly impaired and in my opinion no longer an option to be used by a family as a camper van.

If you ever did Back Pack camping or camping using a car then the T7.has more than enough storage . No tent, no mattress, no gas cooker, no water container to carry on your back . You adjust accordingly.
And if you use it all year round and as a daily driver then the driving experience becomes more important, not is there room for a collapsible fire pit or a chandelier for the drive away awning .

 

[Robert85]

Just imagine when you want to buy a £150k Merc MLT580 4x4
You cannot get a test drive in one, anywhere in the UK before purchasing / PCP / lease.
You have to bite the bullet.
Awful I reckon.
And then with VW to hire one for a week to see if you’re happy with driving position, it costs a fortune too !

Exactly.

In 2019 I bought a Tesla model 3 online before the show models were available to see in person in the UK. I wanted a smaller electric car with a long range, that was the only option at the time.

The car was right from day one, the more I drove it, the more I liked it. I still have the car today and love it. Unfortunately, I am going to have to sell it to make way for the Beach.

The T6.1 right hand drive is an anomaly. To my knowledge it's the only transporter / california that doesn't have a footrest. I've never driven a car without a footrest and don't know of any. It's bizarre.

 

[Robert85]

Disagree, for the beach the storage is significantly impaired and in my opinion no longer an option to be used by a family as a camper van.

I'm sure the mini kitchen in the back can be removed. If you don't want to take out the whole thing, it looks like it's just a normal cabinet where the drawers can be removed by anyone, you can then use that space inside to store things.

I agree that it's not ideal but there is an easy work around.