T7 Multivan Style Hybrid - precursor for the Hybrid California.

[WelshGas]

After a trip to Bristol today some observations.
I’ve driven vehicles with ACC before, but not one like this.
Normally when switched on you can select speed, distance and acceleration type.
On the Multivan you set up distance and acceleration type BUT when switched On the ACC comes on with the default speed limit for that road automatically. ( You can manually adjust it if you wish ).
Thereafter the ACC speed limits adjusts automatically as the road speed limit changes but even more interesting it adjusts automatically to temporary speed restrictions as for roadworks etc.
So travelling from Newport to Bristol via the M4 and M49 the ACC speed limit started off at 70 mph to the west of Newport, dropped automatically to 50 mph passing Newport ( Welsh Assembly reduce pollution experiment) then upto 70 then 50 then 40 through the roadworks on the Seven Bridge then upto 60 on the M49 slip road, 40 for the roundabout and then back to 70 mph on the M49. All these changes were automatic.
Is the T6.1 ACC like this? I don’t remember it being mentioned by anyone.

 

[wildslammer22]

After a trip to Bristol today some observations.
I’ve driven vehicles with ACC before, but not one like this.
Normally when switched on you can select speed, distance and acceleration type.
On the Multivan you set up distance and acceleration type BUT when switched On the ACC comes on with the default speed limit for that road automatically. ( You can manually adjust it if you wish ).
Thereafter the ACC speed limits adjusts automatically as the road speed limit changes but even more interesting it adjusts automatically to temporary speed restrictions as for roadworks etc.
So travelling from Newport to Bristol via the M4 and M49 the ACC speed limit started off at 70 mph to the west of Newport, dropped automatically to 50 mph passing Newport ( Welsh Assembly reduce pollution experiment) then upto 70 then 50 then 40 through the roadworks on the Seven Bridge then upto 60 on the M49 slip road, 40 for the roundabout and then back to 70 mph on the M49. All these changes were automatic.
Is the T6.1 ACC like this? I don’t remember it being mentioned by anyone.

That is both clever and very useful. Before I bought my T6 I had rented a couple of 6.1’s and I’m pretty sure the ACC worked just the same as earlier models.

 

[Hawthorn37]

No, the T6.1 is a fairly standard, well used VW system. We had the same on my wife’s Golf (7 years ago), with the only difference being the undertaking control updates at the border. What you describe sounds great, and maybe more similar to Tesla (wash mouth out with soap!).

 

[Hawthorn37]

Another thought/ question is, the speed sign recognition on the 6.1 (an option) is not foolproof - we’ve had lots of occasions when it shows the wrong limit, like sticking at 50mph miles after roadworks have ended. Hopefully yours is also next generation, and more ready for autonomous driving.

 

[Agnes_Cali]

Wait until your van identifies wrong speed limit from side road or reads a sign on a lorry. Then you may not be happy, when it brakes suddenly.

New technology and EU killed any pleasure of driving new cars. Now you are driven by your car.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

That sounds simply brilliant @WelshGas
The 6.1 can’t do that level of ACC. It can read speed limits, usually quite good, and give audible warnings if you wish.
The target speed is all user controlled though.

 

[kurienp]

After a trip to Bristol today some observations.
I’ve driven vehicles with ACC before, but not one like this.
Normally when switched on you can select speed, distance and acceleration type.
On the Multivan you set up distance and acceleration type BUT when switched On the ACC comes on with the default speed limit for that road automatically. ( You can manually adjust it if you wish ).
Thereafter the ACC speed limits adjusts automatically as the road speed limit changes but even more interesting it adjusts automatically to temporary speed restrictions as for roadworks etc.
So travelling from Newport to Bristol via the M4 and M49 the ACC speed limit started off at 70 mph to the west of Newport, dropped automatically to 50 mph passing Newport ( Welsh Assembly reduce pollution experiment) then upto 70 then 50 then 40 through the roadworks on the Seven Bridge then upto 60 on the M49 slip road, 40 for the roundabout and then back to 70 mph on the M49. All these changes were automatic.
Is the T6.1 ACC like this? I don’t remember it being mentioned by anyone.

That's interesting WG.

Can you set a threshold , say 5% above speed limit and then it adjusts to the set speed limit accordingly?

 

[WelshGas]

Another thought/ question is, the speed sign recognition on the 6.1 (an option) is not foolproof - we’ve had lots of occasions when it shows the wrong limit, like sticking at 50mph miles after roadworks have ended. Hopefully yours is also next generation, and more ready for autonomous driving.

Standard on the Style. Has warned of road junctions, sharp bends with reduced advisory speed limits etc: so far. Can have visual or visual+ audible warning.

 

[WelshGas]

That's interesting WG.

Can you set a threshold , say 5% above speed limit and then it adjusts to the set speed limit accordingly?

No. You can set a visual or visual/audible warning for speed limits separately, 1,3 or 5 mph over.

 

[Elmo3]

Same system as on my ID3. Most of the time, it works well. Does the MV have the (really annoying) lane assist that you have to switch off every time?

 

[WelshGas]

Same system as on my ID3. Most of the time, it works well. Does the MV have the (really annoying) lane assist that you have to switch off every time?

Yes. Not had any problems so far. One warning to stay in centre of lane but I was avoiding a pile of mud left by a local farmers tractor. That time of the year around here.

 

[Elmo3]

Yes. Not had any problems so far. One warning to stay in centre of lane but I was avoiding a pile of mud left by a local farmers tractor. That time of the year around here.

You’ll know when it ‘doing its stuff’ as the car will literally steer in the opposite direction! Very annoying, almost dangerous on country or narrow roads. It’s why all these vehicles now have electric steering, so the computer can control it!

 

[willwander]

That ACC sounds great, I wonder, does it work by reading road signs with cameras or by some sort of gps/sat-nav connection like google maps or Waze.

 

[WelshGas]

That ACC sounds great, I wonder, does it work by reading road signs with cameras or by some sort of gps/sat-nav connection like google maps or Waze.

I've got a feeling it is possibly both GPS and signs.
On the A48 westwards the speed limit is 60, but on the dual carriageway Cowbridge bypass they've introduced a 50 limit. ACC drops to 50 but if you take the slip road into Cowbridge it goes back to 60. There are no speed signs until you get to the town outskirts when it drops to 20 and there is a sign. The speed limit on that road is 60 and there are signs coming out of Cowbridge changing from 20 to 60mph.

 

[pluc99]

Same system as on my ID3. Most of the time, it works well. Does the MV have the (really annoying) lane assist that you have to switch off every time?

The T6.1 system gets confused by curves, which it sees as a narrowing of the lane resulting in annoying alarms. I have mine turned off. According to VW, the T7 system has evolved to be happy as long as you are anywhere in the lane. I'll be interested to hear from @WelshGas once he has gained a bit of experience with it.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Having recently started to do the long drive to the Alps and spent 15 summers on French motorways, I’ve seen how they are a lot better and worse. Often it’s great with empty motorways and lovely views. But often it’s two lanes which can get quite stressful when everyone is going very fast in the outside lane. Changing lanes feels very risky, fitting into small gaps. The lack of lighting at night and no cats eyes with barely visible white lines in the rain made part of my drive to Dijon horrible this Easter.

Also French motorways go through much more pronounced bends than British ones I feel. UK ones barely have bends at all. Does ACC ‘know’ the limits of a big heavy van and slow down for bends?

 

[WelshGas]

Having recently started to do the long drive to the Alps and spent 15 summers on French motorways, I’ve seen how they are a lot better and worse. Often it’s great with empty motorways and lovely views. But often it’s two lanes which can get quite stressful when everyone is going very fast in the outside lane. Changing lanes feels very risky, fitting into small gaps. The lack of lighting at night and no cats eyes with barely visible white lines in the rain made part of my drive to Dijon horrible this Easter.

Also French motorways go through much more pronounced bends than British ones I feel. UK ones barely have bends at all. Does ACC ‘know’ the limits of a big heavy van and slow down for bends?

Not sure but on the one occasion where a 40 mph speed limit on a slip road off the M4 curves to join an A road with a sharpish bend with a Sign of bend and 28 mph under it the ACC did drop to 28 from 40 and back to 40 after the bend but at the time I was following a HGV that took the bend at 20mph which was the speed I was doing.

 

[WelshGas]

The T6.1 system gets confused by curves, which it sees as a narrowing of the lane resulting in annoying alarms. I have mine turned off. According to VW, the T7 system has evolved to be happy as long as you are anywhere in the lane. I'll be interested to hear from @WelshGas once he has gained a bit of experience with it.

Driven some windy roads around here and it's been faultless so far.

 

[WelshGas]

Further observations - about the drive system



So those are the Technical Specifications and I thought you would be driving on the battery until virtually depleted and then the IC engine would kick in. Totally wrong.

You can select EV and it will run until down to 10% battery and then the IC motor kicks in or Select Hybrid mode from the start.
You can select, which is memorised, a battery range from 90 down to 10% which it will attempt, very successfully to maintain throughout the journey.
Note there is only a 6 speed DSG and it seems the EV is always used for start off or in reverse, also for acceleration and kick down. But the battery is then recharged via Regenerative Braking, IC engine overrun when foot off accelerator and when unto cruising speed on the IC engine then the engine starts charging the battery automatically, very obvious when on ACC.

The vehicle doesn't come with a Type 2 Charger for the domestic supply, £400 Option but was advised by the Salesman to get one off Amazon.
So when I drove to Bristol with the EV battery at 10% I managed to put back 10 miles , about 3KW , into the battery.
Change from EV to IC is seamless not even the usual noise of a starter motor. Mind you I haven't identified an alternator under the bonnet yet, maybe a combined unit, but you done really know which you are using, EV or IC, except from the information on the Infotainment screen, a clever graphic showing where the drive force is coming from and which direction the electrical flow is going.
According to VW sales using 50% Battery setting would give the best overall consumption on long journeys and means you start the return with 50% battery. We'll see, but it does accelerate very well, as good as my former 180.

Charging from a Domestic socket takes 4 hrs. Ive got my charger from Amazon now.

 

[WelshGas]

Another observation. The rear seats are very easy to remove. No sliding to end of rail or removing end covers. Fold flat using a black strap, one hand under front of seat and pull red strap at rear and lift up and out. Heavy but seems less than 20kgms , certainly less than a holiday suitcase in the aircraft hold.
Each rear seat has a pull out draw accessed from rear or push down little leaver in front and lift up seat squab to access from above.
Deep pockets in sliding doors, x2 in front doors. 2 x compartments in Dashboard in front of passenger. Bottom one large , top one just under 50%. Non slip shelf for 2 phones above 2 x usbc connectors . Large storage compartment with touch lid on top of Dashboard. 12v socket up front and one in boot.

Also has Easy Open function on sliding doors and Tailgate. Not sure how useful this will be.

 

[pluc99]

Easy close would be more useful...

 

[WelshGas]

Easy close would be more useful...

Does that as well.

 

[WelshGas]

Some more observations.
You can set a Departure time and when plugged in it will ensure
A. Car is fully charged by that time
B. The vehicle is warmed up to the selected temp.
If not plugged in it will just warm/ cool for that time.

Also it charges the engine battery when plugged in.

The engine battery is located under the floor L hand side on the Hybrid and is, apparently a Workshop job to change. So unless faulty I may never see it as its being recharged each time I plug in.

 

[willwander]

Does it rattle?

 

[WelshGas]

Does it rattle?

No. But then neither did my T5.1.