Unveiled, the VW Caddy California

[Amarillo]

Okay i will
The Caddy Rio.

Looking again, Caddy Skegness might work.

 

[TripleBee]

Looking again, Caddy Skegness might work.

Could work, but I doubt VW will give it some UK names.

I used to drive a Golf 2 Pasadena.
You also had the Golf 2 Manhattan.
VW California.

Seems USA-ish to me...

 

[Karlos]

Looking again, Caddy Skegness might work.

Skeggy is not that bad although not been for nearly 30 years, should the new Caddy be the VW Calais

 

[andrejab1]

Honestly, hanging out with climbers, I have seen many much better and much cheaper upgrades. This variation does not impress me...

 

[soulstyledevon]

That really is rubbish...
Where do you store clothes and food...?

Volkswagen must have used the same design guy who did the Marco Polo. That guy loves filling the boot space with tables and chairs

 

[TripleBee]

That really is rubbish...
Where do you store clothes and food...?

Volkswagen must have used the same design guy who did the Marco Polo. That guy loves filling the boot space with tables and chairs

But in the MP they have electric rear seat. A longer van. An opening rear window. A pull out drawer under the sink. Possibility of a sun roof.

 

[Scoots]

Heinz needs the next size up in a shirt. And the next size up in a van.

 

[v-tec]

This would be better

 

[Prycey13]

How much is the caddyfornia? Don’t really get who it’s marketed at unless it’s much much cheaper than a California?

 

[hirsty]

I'm not particularly invested either way - and agree they could've done a better job to optimise it - but I think they'll sell quite a few of these across Europe to singles & couples who just need / want a van as a means-to-an-end to sleep closer to whatever activity they want to be near to the next day.

There are many inventive DIY versions on Instagram under #microcamper

Not everyone wants, needs or likes a Transporter sized vehicle & this'd be a considerable upgrade vs any tent I've ever been in if you came back to it cold, hungry and tired after being up & down a mountain all day.

 

[Jodalo]

I'm not particularly invested either way - and agree they could've done a better job to optimise it - but I think they'll sell quite a few of these across Europe to singles & couples who just need / want a van as a means-to-an-end to sleep closer to whatever activity they want to be near to the next day.

There are many inventive DIY versions on Instagram under #microcamper

Not everyone wants, needs or likes a Transporter sized vehicle & this'd be a considerable upgrade vs any tent I've ever been in if you came back to it cold, hungry and tired after being up & down a mountain all day.

When you see the Caddy side-by-side with a Cali there doesn’t seem to be much difference (especially the Maxi Caddy)., until you get inside. See pic below. They do appeal to some people but their popularity is not supported by the numbers you see on the road.

 

[Jay20cali]

@Jay20cali , i have a perfect good T5 so no need to upgrade

Just pointing out that using parts from a genuine California to upgrade a Caddy Camper , what was there allready sevral years , so a California badge can be added is not all that rocket sience imo.
And just mentiont the control panel as there are quite some issue's with it at present .
But if you want to discus that , search for the existing threads on the forum as thats off-topic here anyway

People always post negatives
My control panel is perfect so there’s a positive

 

[OGII]

My control panel is perfect so there’s a positive

Our Beach is perfect but the post is about the twee little Caddy not just one bit of your Ocean that you like.

The disappointing thing is that VW seem to think anything will be desirable if they stick a California badge on it. I'm going to send in a sketch of an Up California with a roof rack holding the Cali table and chairs and an Edition stripe on it and see if I can win one of their design awards.

 

[Amarillo]

I think it would appeal to hill walkers, fisherpeople and other couples who want an early start. I think trying to sell it as a four person camper with the optional tailgate tent and bedroom inner is a mistake. But as a two person overnighter I can see its attraction. I just think instead of the Cali’s table and chairs they should have tried to dual purpose the bed as a tailgate sofa.

 

[soulstyledevon]

This is aimed at single/couple of people. With the boot space no bigger than a walking rucksack, it’s useless to a family.

So therefore I question the need for rear seats.

A friend of mine has converted a Caddy van. It’s actually not bad and worlds apart from this rubbish.
Fixed bed in the back and a mass of storage underneath for outdoor equipment, clothes and cooking utilities...

Ex British Gas van too, so probably cheap as chips to buy, shame about the colour...

 

[OGII]

Ex British Gas van too, so probably cheap as chips to buy, shame about the colour...

Excellent for stealth camping, get it signwritten again. Not sure how effective that would be in Europe though

 

[soulstyledevon]

Excellent for stealth camping, get it signwritten again. Not sure how effective that would be in Europe though

He has had the BG logo removed, but you can still tell it’s one of their vans.

Bespoke colour

 

[OGII]

Seems like 6k does it. Helpfully there is part of a conversion left in the back. 30 minutes of headscratching to decide what features it has and we can send the VW Coventry Camper launch video to VW

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[Sp0_0k]

The only reason I would go for the VW Cali is a roof tent. The rest are toys that can be built DIY.

 

[Karlos]

When we were at Lake Como last year, there was a young Dutch couple next to us in a LWB Caddy which worked well as the weather was good but I can't imagine one being much fun in wet weather unless you only needed it to sleep in.

 

[SimonK]

A friend of mine has converted a Caddy van. It’s actually not bad and worlds apart from this rubbish.
Fixed bed in the back and a mass of storage underneath for outdoor equipment, clothes and cooking utilities...

Ex British Gas van too, so probably cheap as chips to buy, shame about the colour...

How many injectors does he go through a week?

 

[soulstyledevon]

How many injectors does he go through a week?

Not sure, why...
Do they have an issue?

 

[Elly Swanson]

When we were at Lake Como last year, there was a young Dutch couple next to us in a LWB Caddy which worked well as the weather was good but I can't imagine one being much fun in wet weather unless you only needed it to sleep in.

I agree, Karlos, but even just sleeping in it would be a trial in wet weather.

In our old Toyota Hiace to put the bed down I’d have to have my bum sticking out the side door. But then in the back there was space to get dry. Not even enough space to be half in with the Caddy And just have your bum sticking out. Then if it’s wet you’re straight on to the bed trying to get dry. Where would you even put your wet coat/clothes.

A single bed version for a very skinny person might work a bit better.

Personally, I don’t think this is well designed at all and suited only to fair weather camping.

 

[clarinetbcn]

Could work, but I doubt VW will give it some UK names.

I used to drive a Golf 2 Pasadena.
You also had the Golf 2 Manhattan.
VW California.

Seems USA-ish to me...

Too American? How about continental chic...Caddy Lac.

I grew up in Pasadena. My Spanish friends think it’s hilarious that my van is a California, ask me where I had the custom name tags and foot lights “done.”

 

[soulstyledevon]

I actually prefer this budget Peugeot:

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