Living with a Volkswagen Multivan: REVIEW

The new Volkswagen Multivan promises to be one of the most versatile vehicles on sale, but what’s it like to live with?
Read more at Auto Express:
New 2022 Volkswagen Multivan review: aex.ae/3O3LaVU
New 2022 Volkswagen Multivan details and specs: aex.ae/36y9KNU
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With the MPV market now all but killed off by SUVs, buyers in need of multi-seat practicality have two options. The first is to buy a seven-seat SUV and deal with the compromises that a smaller body requires, or you can choose a van-based model.
But now, there’s a third alternative. The Volkswagen Multivan is an MPV from the German brand’s commercial vehicles division that won’t get a van equivalent. It replaces the Caravelle, and under the skin is a platform using MQB underpinnings, so plug-in hybrid drive is also available. With its innovative, modular interior, the Multivan might just be the ultimate all-purpose machine - but what’s it like to live with? Nicola Hume puts it to the test in this review, and finds out that it’s the perfect vehicle for a barbecue. Almost.
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[@georgimihalkov4781]

She said "Push" so many times and with such authority, people passing by probably thought that she's delivering a baby in that van.

[@jamesbester85]

Did anyone else freak out when they a) saw both Ethan and Jack in the video and b) when they then realised that Car Throttle, CarBuyer and Auto Express are all the same company?

[@georgegillett6059]

Didn't know all three companies are under one umbrella! Wisdom 👍

[@MrSammcauley]

Double take time

[@hilmiwali]

i just knew it

[@jonburnell532]

Yep, had to do a quick Google search. Great little discovery though

[@GrahamReid34]

Evo is part of that group too

[@naferemix]

I feel like we’re witnessing the birth of a new genre; Car Comedy. Brilliant 👏🏻

[@naiboz]

Who needs Doug Demuro etc when you’ve got our Nicola

[@dkpirie]

Doug who?

[@shivanshvikramsingh]

Definitely

[@kennymaclaurin3683]

Doug Demuro 😃

[@EdgarRenje]

VW will probably never convince me. The design looks like they didn't get finish in time and the controls are poor. But at least Nicola makes me watch videos about it.

[@dkpirie]

I love her. That was easily the best ever road test any motor journalist has ever done. Brilliant & funny.

[@stubones]

I love her style. She brings a sense of humour and fun to what has been traditionally a more serious, often dour channel.

[@mtlsi]

You really bring a fresh perspective on the cars that you review. Thank you.

[@jamgou]

LOVE Nicola! So entertaining. Great reviews!

[@q3b26]

Hands down one of the most entertaining reviews I've seen. Seeing Nicola struggle with the chairs was hilarious and so relatable.

[@andyneocleous]

she is the best automotive journalist currently out there - well done!

[@abbielindley123]

And she's lovelyyyyy

[@TrickyWoo109]

Fantastic, honest and funny review! Nicola is awesome! ☺️

[@davidhayes4814]

30 mpg with a light person in an empty (ish) van ….. you get my drift…..

[@rankbadyin4147]

Exactly! But it's got tech that will pack in after about 3 years. Definitely getting "Mystery Machine " vibes from the 2 tone

[@Louis-dt7dw]

Long time no see, enthusiasm 😍

[@user-xw7ui8wv7o]

Wow, its Ethan & Jack. Did not freak out when I saw them 🤣🤣🤣

[@cannygrowabeard]

With Ethan and Jack, I felt like I was watching a sitcom crossover episode 😂

[@NashvilleUK]

Yooooo what’s Ethan doing here? And are he and Alex both sponsored by McDonald’s or something? 🤣

[@samuelbarford2249]

So funny. Great job Nicola! Very real 👍

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video Review. One of the best Large Family MPV’s

[@Theratron]

That was fun to watch :) But the back of that van is so incredibly boring I have to suppress the urge to kick a few dents in it 😅

[@onaips]

Good job 👏 loved the funny entertainy vibe of the whole video! The journalist reminds me a lot of my wife, who has ADHD, such fun and joy to be around with

[@menbal81]

Love the review! Honest, funny and enjoyable. She’s great!

[@Fuzzarr]

Amusing video :) wonder how long it'll be before Nicola joins in on a CT cheap car challenge?

[@SnakeyUk08]

Good quirky review from Nicola and took me a while to realise Jack and Ethan were sat in the back at the end lol............just wondering how the long the original edit was when Nicola was trying to figure the seats out?

[@nicolahume]

Let’s just say…..a lot had to be cut🤣

[@nahidrahman]

11:11 Ethan & Jack!! Just realised CT & AE are both under Dennis Publishing iirc

[@Tackyauto]

Wasn’t expecting to see Ethan lol

[@jonathanmellish4439]

Nice alternative to the normally boring reviews. Amusing and honest. I am not tempted to buy one. Btw thanks for calling it a van rather than other channels who think it’s a car ! More like a minibus really.

[@crumbeater]

I'd literally watch anything she reviews

[@battycowboy]

I love the cubbie’s just appeared like magic for her :)

[@rajjy1976]

Hey I know those two guys!!!!

[@elevul]

I'm quite liking this presenter, her humor is amazingly entertaining!

[@misterhoeflak]

Jeepers Nicola, should have been a midwife! "Push, PUSH!" That was hilarious, thanks guys. The laugh I needed.

[@fbiopenupdropyourgun]

Only the chair with seat belt is reversible. 😂

[@rg6982]

Ahahah shes just the best!!!! Not like all the other car presenters, fantastic review

[@Theratron]

To be fair though, Matt Watson's reviews are always entertaining as well. A bit too long maybe. But Matt and Nicola are definitely the most informative *and* entertaining car reviewers out there right now. Imo, of course.

[@rg6982]

@@Theratron 100%% agree, i believe they will be great hosts together! Their banter isn't cringe worthy

[@Theratron]

@@rg6982 exactly! 😉

[@FrankiDeano]

Hahaha this is an adorable fail with turning the chairs around

[@christianludwig2045]

Which color is the tested Multivan? Mono-Silver or Reflex-Silver?

[@philmonk8422]

Always good to see Ethan and Jack. Soccer mums can have multiple origami vans.....Push

[@interceptor-ss8kb]

It's like a kitchen appliance you wouldn't give it a second glance

[@LCOF]

What a lovely view.

[@PetrolBeast]

This styling is clearly saying: "I have no interest in emotions" xD

[@garybrown5769]

Bet this costs a mint with all those pilot chairs, would take a lot to tempt me out of my Spacetourer, once you’ve had independent rear suspension on a van/MPV it’s hard to go back Also , I’d say you are probs the best presenter out their atm

[@peter.russell]

Great "review". One piece of advice, RTFM and if you don't know, it's what pretty much every equipment manufacturer says to their customers who then totally ignore the advice.🤣

[@nicholaselmslie6055]

Another example of a van being sold at an extortionate price because they bunged some extra seats and windows in it....and then told people it was an aspirational luxury item.

[@colinpercy2028]

Well fit.

[@EngineerLewis]

I wonder if you (Auto Express that is) have ever looked at Japanese Honda Stepwagons which had a lot of tricks built in for years. Our 20 year old one has front seats that turn around and a table built into the middle seat as well as sliding and folding seats and tinted windows. It also came with an auto box and a great i-VTEC engine to boot it along. Pity Honda never officially imported these to the UK and we think they missed a trick - they were well ahead of VW!

[@SquareoftheyearFM]

My 20yr old T4 multivan has rear facing middle row with a table that comes out the side, tinted windows, 2.8 vR6, auto box etc

[@ziongeeratz9963]

Who is she! Great review. Didn’t expect it to be this good tbh.

[@Naeromusic]

My one disappointment for this vehicle is the smaller interior height compared to t6 and t5.. makes it harder for disabled people to get in on their bulky electric wheelchairs

[@Pedros2327]

Jack and Ethan are moon lighting. Where is Alex 🙈

[@jonathangould1255]

I wish Nicola knew everything about the car? She comes across like it’s complete guess work. If that her technique then fine but I want to feel confident that what she is telling me is fact rather than hear say. Feels like her husband is the actual journalist and he was poorly that day so she did the review for him having only seen some things he’s done in the past? I see a lot of people liked the review and her style but for me it all felt like guess work and this 3as her first ever car review? Maybe it is?

[@MichaelWilliams-ub3ow]

Lewes to Seaford via Chailey Common...that's interesting 😂. Perhaps your Multivan didn't have SatNav? Lucky you only had to back track 3 miles to get McD's.

[@RoobehTunes]

That's ethan and what's his face from the other one.

[@abbielindley123]

Nicola you are LOVELYYYYY!

[@MiniEggs1999]

Hopefully you finished this review with the sane number of digits you started with!

[@rororp]

I would be in the market for one of these, but it's a massive miss on two counts. Firstly, it doesn't have 8 seats. Why VW did the caravelle with 7 and this beast with 7 as well is beyond me, when the V Class and the Tourneo have 8 seats. Secondly, it is woefully underpowered. Why the pathetic 150ps diesel when again the V and Tourneo come with much more powerful engines? Silly old VW!

[@athollmcnicoll1028]

Must remember if parked up on a beach front and see Nicola trying her dampest to light a BBQ not to get involved but watch with amusement. Nice van but too big for my needs unless it could be converted to a camper-van? VW what is your take on that idea?

[@EinkOLED]

9:04 Alex Kersten Gesture.

[@boketto888]

The engine choice for this is horrific. It's 2022 and it's got a 0-60 of 12.2 secs and mpg worse than my '97 Elgrand and come to think of it worse than my '90 Westy Multivan

[@leejordanful]

The MPG is rubbish and is inexcusable in today's world. What's wrong with a diesel engine? Otherwise it is a hugely entertaining video. I have see the next presenter of Top Gear 😀

[@kingofalldoughboys]

Fast forward to 4:48 guys! Trust me!!

[@alunjones2550]

And I bet if it had a less stressed 2 litre engine, you'd still get the same (or better) mpg.

[@christiank4139]

Did Ethan taste the milk tho?

[@CanonKind]

Cool van, nice review wouldn't have taken you for a tramp stamp tattoo, that was a surprise.

[@nicolahume]

17 year old me thought it was a good idea at the time🤦🏻‍♀️

[@polopowered]

4:47 Peaking at 5:00 Nicola got some Cake.....

[@garethdawes4022]

I watch reviews about cars I have no interest in because Nicola is just so entertaining!

[@markuslc1888]

well prices way too high, quality way too low...sadge considering it's cleverness

[@john64791]

I literally leaned nothing from this review. The ditsy vibe wasn’t a vibe. 12 seconds to 100km with 1 driver! Imagine fully loaded!

[@iljajekimov4997]

These middle row seats have safety thing, when you turn them around spring will not release for back rest to go up.Its because these seat don't have safety belts, you can see plastic covers. VW has downgraded to its competitors that now have fully rotational seats with seatbelts for less money. Sad... Also VW T7 has no ventilation seats.

[@LCOF]

You can option second row seats with integrated belts.

[@iljajekimov4997]

@@LCOF why is this option not other way around? It cost a lot that way.

[@trefod]

Well apparently it's confounding to live with.

[@Eggosj]

I am wearing my sophisticated hearing-aids, but I still can’t understand all the words. Is that because of the soundtrack or the pronounciation I wonder? Ad than the “clumsy act”. Doesnot look very professionel.

[@Sache0190]

With current gas prices. Driving an internal combustion engine car is utterly stupid. Why would I buy a new ICE car?!

[@AHarker100]

I always find reading the manual helps. Very irritating watching you struggle.

[@puneetkumar4688]

what a review hahhaha, i was watching this to see what WV offers not what you are discovering, but yeh these naughty ooouch and iiiiches were dramatic..

[@derekgiffen8711]

The seats on the 7 seat version can't be reversed and put fully upright. Only on the 6 seat model can this be done, as the middle row two seats on the 6 seat version have built in seatbelts, to allow them to be used fully upright in reverse mode. Why on earth Volkswagen won't put those seat types in the 7 seater is a mystery. So, you can only buy a 7 seat where they all face forwards, or a 6 seat with reversible chairs. Make zero sense as to why not having a 7 with 2 reversibles available to buy.

[@kaynehr]

There is a vis-a-vis option for the 6 and the 7 seat configuration. Maybe it's named differently in other countries. Just look for the seats with integrated seatbelt. They can be reversed the others not.

[@derekgiffen8711]

@@kaynehr HI, what is the vis-a-vis? Are you suggesting a 7 seat option with reversible seats can be bought from Volkswagen directly? In the UK configurator, this doesn't seem possible and the local van centres cant find an option to allow it. Would be great if I could get a 7 seat with 2 reversible ones.

[@kaynehr]

@@derekgiffen8711 Oh you're right. In the UK store I can't find the vis-a-vis option (reversible seats) for the 7 seater. In Germany it got available with the introduction of the diesel engine.

[@derekgiffen8711]

@@kaynehr I have the 7 seater on order and was hoping to be able to order the reversible seats separately via parts department to get the configuration I ultimately want. I wish they would make it an option for the UK market. Thanks for the replies. Glad to hear it's an option somewhere, that will hopefully eventually be a uk option

[@derekgiffen8711]

UPDATE: In the UK, the Multivan can now finally be configured with the 7 seats where the 2nd row is reversible. “7 seat conference package” 👍

[@andrewlittle250]

Well Nicola, I’m normally a big fan of your road tests. You are normally very fair and informative. However this time I’m awarding you an F. Why I hear you ask? I’m a disabled driver and I have been waiting for the new Multivan for years as it is due to be one of the few vehicles that I can fit an underfloor side-entry wheelchair lift to. I was really hoping that you would give the Multivan a sensible road test. Might I respectfully suggest that you retake the test, possibly in a plug-in hybrid version and try to improve your mark.

[@christopherballard8184]

Whilst this was funny to watch you struggle with the seats, I don't understand why you wouldn't do your research first to make this more factually correct. Sorry but feel like I've just wasted 12 minutes learning very little about the car.

[@salisalsero219]

Ffs do all these guys talk about this girl? Talk about the f van!

[@MRVSKIN]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RobbyRob1761]

irritating

[@Tom_Roberts]

Not worth the money - better to buy a campervan for this price.

[@philipwatkins8157]

Dreadful, tedious and annoying review of a generally good car.

[@cristescuionian]

A smart Van? Maybe A dull and ugly inside and outside? Definitely. I'll skip on this generation of the VW vans. Soooo.... you won't have my money this time, VW.

[@mathewrichards7309]

Worst review ever

[@cesarfurtado7541]

What a depressing beach…

[@Batmandarkknight.]

She’s too annoying to watch the full video

[@Ahmedharrazz]

Too bad, she cannot do anything … no one else available to do a recent review or does she know someone important 😅

[@kingphiltheill]

A display of incompetence. I'm sorry guys, I know this was supposed to be funny and all but how are viewers supposed to take women serious in typical male dominated fields like everything concerning cars when all the presenter does is not to know how or if things in the presented car work? The old car was much more versatile, had more room and more options like all wheel drive and a million accessories to choose from. Putting the new car on MQB was a really bad idea. The only thing it does is save money in production. Time to buy a Citroen/Peugeot/Toyota.

[@jb-nn8sk]

This presenter is bloody annoying - please replace her before I smash my computer screen.

[@godzuks]

To much messing about, felt like you had the multivan for an hour,with no instructions, and where clueless on the seat permutations..not really a review more a poor comedy sketch review!

[@VSS1]

Did she have to do the "woke" "vegan" burger nonsense? I thought she was better than that.

[@nicolahume]

I haven’t eaten meat in over 3 years, getting maccies means I have the vegan burger. Nothing woke about it, I just don’t eat meat🤷🏻‍♀️

[@VSS1]

@@nicolahume I'd rather eat meat than the collection of oils, toxic proteins and starches. I would consider it unless ultra-processed compared to a piece of meat. However, it's up to you. Good luck.

[@nicolahume]

@@VSS1 That’s the joy of life, we make our own decisions. My husband still eats meat and gets no judgement from me. You do you and I’ll do me 👍🙃