Why the new Volkswagen T7 Multivan PHEV is better than VW T6 Caravelle. Full review.

[@MuskVideo]

So excited to have ours on order. Seven seats was a must for us. We spent an age looking at various SUVs, but we’re constantly disappointed by boot space. Got the long multivan on order and having now test driven, it is perfect for us. I can’t wait for my children to see it, they’ll be so excited. Can’t see why you’d get an SUV over this. To me, this is a cooler choice, more practical. We’ll eventually move to 7 seat buzz I expect. But for now, this is the perfect family of five + car. PS. This is the best review by miles of the multivan.

[@simonjcelliot]

Same payments as my mortgage for a 3 bed house so I’m out 😂

[@gavinf2243]

@@simonjcelliot We got a Honda step wagon Japanese import-brilliant-same stylish box just missing the hybrid part but way cheaper!

[@simonjcelliot]

@Gavin Fancote il have a wee look as I’m driving a 2006 passat just now and it’s needing repairs every few weeks, luckily I do it myself or it would be a fortune

[@neilanderson2374]

Towing capacity is limited to small to medium sized caravans. They just need to get it up to about 1900kg and it would be perfect

[@StrattonOakmontProperty]

Was going 7 seats but changed to 6 as the middle row in 7 seat option doesn't spin round 🤷‍♂️

[@hughmarcus1]

Jonny at his best. A nice mix of the technical & the practical, all in a calm reassuring voice. Other reviewers take note. We don’t need you wetting your pants over a new car. 😉 Jonny’s point about the return of the MPV is well made. I’m now past the need for one, but I can really see the appeal. 20yrs ago I had a Citroen Synergie. It was quite frankly the most practical vehicle I ever owned. Similar idea to the multi van. I remember taking all the seats out & calling at IKEA on a business trip. The amount of stuff I put in the back was unreal. Next morning the kids were in the back & off to school.

[@spainter1985]

MPV's make so much more sense than SUV's for a family car, it's almost refreshing to see a new one come to market which should be attractive enough a proposition!

[@sholehan]

Oh look, weve gone full circle from MPVs, to them not being cool, to needing enormous SUVs that are not actually that practical or spacious inside, through attempting to use vans as cars, and were back at.... the 1983 Renault Espace!

[@JonathanEzor]

As a happy owner of a 7-seat 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid PHEV with an EV-only range of 30-ish miles, I can attest that this is a phenomenal form factor for hyperefficient and quiet local driving and carefree long-distance road trips.

[@mroctarine]

I think you're on to something with the practicality over the SUV. Could Renault make a comeback with an EV Espace and blow everyone away?

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

An EV Espace would be amazing.

[@DaleSteel]

The espace was great. Especially the v6

[@danielnightingale8085]

Agreed, it would have to have the mk1 styling for me 👍

[@DaleSteel]

@@danielnightingale8085 yes. How futuristic were they in the 90s

[@maxnewts]

I thought they could do that not gonna lie, with their partnership with Mercedes and lengthy EV lineage they could make a massive hit with it. Also MPVs with big flat floors could benefit drastically from in-wheel motor technologies or battery effectiveness. A Question though, would it have normal pivoting or sliding rear doors, and how big would it be - providing they also now have the Scenic in a similar category.

[@JayeOFarrell]

Economy figures so good you included the VT twice 😂 Even so I loved the review and it would be lovely to see a few of these replacing the sea of SUVs.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Ah. Yes. The perils of a swift edit turnaround. Sorry about that.

[@paulg2923]

So pleased someone else saw that. I was just about to rewind and watch from the beginning again to prove to my wife that I wasn't going mad, and it was in there twice.

[@AlienLivesMatter]

Thoughtful inclusion at no additional cost.

[@petersimpson5859]

Makes large SUVs seem redundant, as if they were ever necessary. Very clever and well thought out. Sharan for the 2020s.

[@dedasdude]

> Makes large SUVs seem redundant, they always have been redundant and meaningless.

[@AlanPeery]

Yes, even wider than my Volvo XC60. Should nicely knock the bushes back along country lanes for me, shame about the paint job.

[@Raw-Coffee-Bean]

Do you need to use a mobility scooter? Or are people with disabilities also redundant?

[@adithyaarun7255]

Yes. I see so many Alhambras now(and a few Sharans). This is a good step up

[@Beechcliffe]

I'm just waiting for Citroen to EV the Berlingo, much prefer the Van Derived Car shape to the SUV rubbish. Good review of this bus, looks perfect for camper van conversion. Edit - Citroen EV Berlingo is a thing, marvellous.

[@neverleftthe80s29]

The floor rails and these exact seats should have been fitted to the ID Buzz. For me it is the only thing that I do not like about the Buzz. Thanks Jonny.

[@monroesbro]

Agreed. The seats and interior utility of this are much better than the ID Buzz.

[@pedromanafaia]

None of these ideas are new, as they were fitted in several models quite a number of years ago.

[@gap9992]

Our kids have long flown the nest and we don't need the space or seats but I am going to get one anyway! I'll use the grandkids as an excuse I have always wanted a VW "Bus". I love hiring vans, I like going to the tip, I like mucking around with seats. I love the idea of having a car I can turn into a van I have had lots of fast sports cars over the years and got bored with every one of them within a few months but I have always loved the MPVs I have owned. This will be the best !

[@Zerofightervi]

I have seen so many Toyota Estima Hybrids on the roads you'd think they were an official Toyota UK product. They cost under 10k & are ULEZ friendly. Same with the Nissan Elgrand, a lot of car for the money, & the support for the Elgrand is really good here, particularly if you want to do a camper conversion.

[@chrisgavin]

They should make more of a 'thing' of the hybrid battery and add an inverter and some mains plug sockets. This would really push the versatility of the vehicle for both work and camping users. The battery is way bigger than most leisure batteries, so very viable for induction cooking or running power tools. Because there's the petrol engine too, there's no risk of getting 'stranded' when the battery gets used up. Add an option for a big solar roof panel for trickle charging the battery while camping for those that want it.

[@joebates640]

They might think that it would encroach on the appeal of the California, but it is a good idea because why not?

[@chrisgavin]

@@joebates640 Yes, Probably right. If even the £37K Hyundai Ioniq can have an inverter and some plug sockets, it really should become a pretty ordinary feature to make the battery more useful. Would make a whole lotta sense for this 'versatile' van.

[@simongray2533]

100% agree, Toyota do a self charging hybrid Alphard. There's a company in Scotland that convert them into campers and make really clever use of the hybrid battery. 😁👍

[@jicaley]

Love your show Jonny, good work. I drive a 2006 Honda Stepwagon and absolutely love how useful and comfortable it is. Why dont more people buy MPV's, they're so practical.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Stepwagon = 👌🏽. Shame we never got those in the UK.

[@deet4895]

Because they are too busy been sheep with their heads buried in the sand.

[@mroctarine]

I've been looking at the grey imports for a while, some nice packaging with the seats and access. 👍

[@simongray2533]

They're great things. Are they based on the CRV? I've got a 2008 Toyota Vellfire (now converted into a camper) really good value for money (imho). Only downsides are fuel economy and Japanese infotainment.

[@fastEdCanuck]

I've personally no use for a vehicle like this, but still find it interesting. The versatility of the interior seems pretty clever.

[@FreekHoekstra]

This actually hits a sweet spot, 31 miles thats often enough, and even if its not thats still 31 miles of cheap electric transport. for a contractor, who needs to usually drive short trips, frequently, but occasionally needs to pick something up 400 miles away, this is ideal. Sure I wish it had 50 miles electric range, but legitimately this is a perfect camping van, contractor vehicle, or just big family vehicle. I actually like PHEV's a lot, you can make 4 Phevs for 1 EV. and its better to convert have 4 Phev's then 1 EV and 3 combustion vehicles. and since we're battery production limited, its the best way to get the most EV miles from the same battery production.

[@badgersalesman5595]

It hits no sweet spot other than your pocket ( think !!!!! )

[@tomarse99]

I had a Passat GTE that did 31 and it was just that bit to low. 31 is only possible on flat roads going steady and without the A/C blastic. A hybrid with 50-100 miles would be a proper game changer for me.

[@adamlytle2615]

The PHEV v EV debate is very circumstantial... There was a study of PHEV owners that found most didn't even bother charging them which made their mileage worse. BUT, I think that's a byproduct of early gen PHEVs being pricey SUVs, which tend to be purchased by upper class twits who aren't paying attention to their petrol bill. So I think in the short to medium term for MANY parts of the world with immature charging infrastructure, PHEVs are the perfect compromise to allow for 90+% of trips to be done on EV only, while still allowing for road trips into rural areas that don't have high speed chargers. And you do raise a very good point about battery resources. 5x 15kwh batteries in 5 different PHEVs vs one 75kwh battery would *probably* do more to reduce emissions? I can't say for certain but that feels intuitively right to me, assuming the drivers of the PHEVs charge them regularly.

[@tomarse99]

@@adamlytle2615 I defo used mine for communiting locally when I could. However the principle of it was purely to have reduced company car tax.. 100%

[@adamlytle2615]

@@tomarse99 that's great that there was that tax incentive for you. Sadly, that type of thing is not a reality everywhere.

[@yourtubisfilled7164]

Would really appreciate liter per km consumption ratings shown as well mate. You've got a big non-miley following too :)

[@MartinStephenson1]

Great review, as always. I had a play on the configurator. It's quite easy to get it north of £66k with sensible options.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Yep, the options game is a dangerous game.

[@pstanyer1]

66k you can buy a house for that

[@lightningthunder5928]

@@pstanyer1 where!?

[@the.internet]

@@pstanyer1 shed maybe but yeah car prices are through the roof

[@kaiserruhsam]

@@pstanyer1 not anywhere most people would want to live

[@TonyJewell0]

So reminds me of my 99 Citroen Synergie. Abs loved that vehicle. Spacious, airy, sliding doors, twin sunroof, all passenger seats removable and reversible and front seats could rotate round - fantastic. Many a great venture. So sad it died with engine failure and I had to scrap it.

[@stephenballantyne]

Love the look of this. We recently got a Japanese import Nissan Elgrand E51, which ticks an awful lot of the multivan boxes in a really good looking package with an insanely good engine. Obviously lacks the technology and efficiency of a modern hybrid, but it was £8.5k with 40k miles. I haven't really got my head around how anyone justifies paying 6-7 times as much for their VW vans. I mean obviously that's not a fair comparison really, but they just seem (especially the ICE only version) like a lot of money for a van with a two tone paint job.

[@kiteless1]

Similar, I imported a Honda Stepwgn a few years ago and it's been excellent for all the practical bike-carrying, camping trips and tip runs. The Japanese have been doing this niche brilliantly for decades. 25mpg though so use our Leaf for everything else! Why on a £40k+ car-based van do you have to put up with those horrid sliding mini-windows in the back? The JDM stuff gets normal electric opening windows like a normal car.

[@battlingbats3040]

My kind of car, had a vw sharan for 10 years and had lots of family adventures in it. Thought I was done with the people carrier so moved onto Mercedes’ Cls etc but missed it so much I’m now the happy owner of a Seat Alhambra. This would definitely be top of my list as a replacement for that.

[@Dirty44harry1]

I just bought one last month ,waitng to pick it up next month

[@mikep2099]

We’ve had an Alhambra for the last five years and up until now there hasn’t been any cars that can replace it. As a family of five we need the space that only these kind of cars offer.

[@Dirty44harry1]

i currently drive a 2018 touran in Hong kong and will be moving back to UK this summer for good so obviously looked at touran and Sharan. Never considered Alhambra since they are never sold in HK. A shock to me was how more extra niceties you get with Xcellence trim compared to Sharan SEL. Coming up to my fifties and im not bothered about lack of appeal. I want to get stuff loaded in and out without the fuss of rearranging. Since i havemt been to UK for a while does anyone know if theres a problem parking in multi storey carpark? height and width of spaces

[@battlingbats3040]

@@Dirty44harry1 I have the top spec Alhambra and it’s a lovely place to be, full leather, pano sunroof, satnav, front and rear climate control etc and the 170 Diesel engine which is enough. Always had vw before but the Seat is just as good in my opinion. No problems in multi story car parks that I’ve been in

[@darrylmac6150]

As odd as it sounds, I absolutely love the original Sharan. I think MPV'S are fantastic, the amount of things you can do with them is just unreal. I am very excited to own one of these in 15 years 🤣

[@thebrowns5337]

In 15 years time t7s bought now will be needing a new battery... at £20k or something. The original owner will have benefitted from the mpg (assuming they use it for mixed driving - long trips there is no benefit).

[@NedNew]

That does sound a bit odd alright but I'll overlook it this time since you helped me with my sore knee recently

[@zakelijk1986]

In the future the battery's will be replaced bij higher density kwh packs.

[@adithyaarun7255]

Sharans are so cool and it's nice that it's got a very good upgrade

[@zapfanzapfan]

I like it but I'd like a slightly longer battery range, 50-100 km, and rapid charge capability. Very good that it can tow. Very smart interior features, I would definitely rent one for study trips. Only thing missing is 240 V outlets to plug a microwave or coffee machine into.

[@stumo8681]

Does the rear most seats fold flat into a bed? That's the best bit about our T5 Caravelle, it's a day van, short term Camper, tip run vehicle and people carrier. Being able to sleep in it would determine my interest in replacing the T5 with a T7

[@jazzywillo10]

I love hearing your take on new cars, your overviews are objective and I feel like I can trust your judgement

[@davebarton9301]

Your absolutely spot on about ride quality on commercials, my dad has an old VW Sharan and it is much quieter and more comfortable than the VW van even though its an old car. Interestingly the space in the back without the seats is huge, it makes a great bargain as it doesn't command the stupid vw van prices.

[@MarkGaudie]

Love that table Jonny. What a cracking useful vehicle for a larger family.

[@DrRogB]

Great review. I used to have a 2003 Grand Espace 3.5litre, I ran it until 2017 and sold it as fully working. Very similar size and seats to this. Lots of drama from the engine and similar triangles by the windscreen. The seats were seriously heavy and a lot of trouble to remove and carry into the house but the space they left was amazing. Its good to see those design features available again and in a car that goes a couple of times as far per gallon of petrol. If my kids were still home I would be very interested and may be anyhow.

[@jonathangould1255]

This is way bigger than a grande space. It’s really the same size as a transporter and a Caravelle. It’s actually taller inside by 2.5cm. Same floor space as the Caravelle. Only loses 2 cm in the rear opening but actually wider inside. The chassis is lower than a T6 but actually the seat height and dimensions are virtually the same inside if not slightly bigger. I had the multivan for a day and took it. Home to sit side by side next to my Caravelle t6 3 Motion. Measures everything to compare. Ours is on order.

[@loki9898]

Jonny's enthusiasm is so infectious. I went straight from this video to a configurator only to then realise I'm roughly £70k short 😢. In all seriousness though, I have been pining for a luxury MPV for years and really hopes this starts a bit of a renaissance. Luxury SUVs work for country families that want to mix a bit of off-roading with the school run but THIS is what every other family needs. Lastly, for me the panoramic roof and 7 seats is a must if you're committing to this body shape. The lack of these is a deal-breaker on ID Buz

[@mikadavies660]

The biggest thing that I can agree with is that much better to have a practical "multi-van" than an SUV. Renault Espace style is finally coming back as practical & trendy. Really looking forward to other versions from other manufacturers.

[@antonoat]

Great review as always Jonny, thanks. PS I've always felt the Transporters shortcomings were due entirely to it's commercial van roots, VW could have done something more like this years ago, they can be very lazy in their vehicle development, preferring I guess just to rake in the cash! This really seems to be just what all SUV buyers wanted and needed, rather than massive footprint with virtually no more space than a conventional estate car this really is a lifestyle vehicle that many of us have been waiting for! Great job VW.

[@Raigoor09]

the Sharan existed for years, do you see any of them on the streets?

[@williamstrachan]

That seat configuration is wild. I would probably (if running all 7 seats) put the middle seat forward with the middle row, and it would let the rear seat passengers in and out with the boot hatch. But realistically I'd ditch the rear row of seats entirely and just have extra boot space.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

I'd ditch the rear ones too, and keep them in the garage as back ups. Go big on boot space and cool box.

[@brettsta72]

The ability to configure the interior is awesome. Why does the Buzz have no configuration whatsoever? They’ve compromised the Buzz in my opinion to make this T7 a more compelling option. So disappointed in VW.

[@thewheelieguy]

@@brettsta72 I recall from Jonny's review of the iD.Buzz on this channel it does have /some/ of this same moving - sliding - folding action.

[@austrobok2958]

I'd ditch most of them and make a camper out of it. Would prefer the Buzz but this looks more adaptable.

[@Daytonafox1]

I'm very much a van person and the back seat config and design is really good. I'm very sold on this one.

[@joshbrailsford]

We recently did 2,300 miles down to the Dordogne and back in a T6 Caravelle, averaging low 30s mpg (diesel). France seems to have a pretty good charging infrastructure, but we mostly overnighted at charger-less locations. I'm not sure an ID Buzz would've suited the same trip, not least because of how we use the interior - 2 up front, dog and fridge in the middle, 3 on the rear bench - but this Multivan plug-in might well have done. The electric-only mode would've been great for morning boulangerie runs and trips into cities. I'd be interested to see if the 1.4 TSI could beat the 2.0 TDI's motorway fuel consumption. Looks like a smart evolution of the family van concept anyhow. Nice review Jonny, cheers.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Josh, many thanks for the feedback.

[@PlanetCypher_]

Really wish phev had at least 50 miles real range these days, double the battery size and add a 7kw charger. That aside it looks like an excellent but pricey vehicle.

[@bearhauscubly]

Great review thanks, I have the long hybrid on order and just received a June build week so quite exciting. I'm replacing an XC60 with it and considered the ID Buzz but would have needed the long version which I think is 2023. It's going to be used as a van Monday to Friday and as 7 seater family wagon at the weekends. Nothing else quite like it drivetrain and flexibility wise. Looking at the driving data on my Volvo my average trip is less than 20 miles so the eHybrid should work for us. I'm sure I'll replace it with a 400 miles range ID Buzz Long version 2.0 in 3-4 years!

[@noelhuggett8745]

That's a nice bit if kit, something for me to aspire to. Great review as always Jonny.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

My my own admission this wasn't my best feature Noel.

[@noelhuggett8745]

@@TheLateBrakeShow It was fine, don't be so hard on yourself, you will have another opportunity I'm sure. But seriously, it was all good.

[@liamedwards2517]

Best auto review show around. Well done! Love the Multivan too

[@twist_of_the_wrist]

Can just imagine how well the seats will move when the kids have filled the rails with sweets and crumbs.

[@Mr_Momentum]

My thoughts exactly they should develope covers for them if they have not already

[@yt_Ajay_]

I audibly gasped when he pressed a button and the centre console lifted.. that's so cool

[@UKMike2009]

In fairness, the Japanese have been doing this for years (albeit without the fuel economy), with the Toyota Alphard and Nissan Elgrand as two examples. More useful than an SUV and, for me, a far better buy than the Buzz which has a range I couldn't live with. I would go for the 6 seater "Conference" package I think.

[@dcbel]

Very interesting video! The Volkswagen T7 Multivan really is the Volkswagen's go-to 7-chair people carrier. Cannot wait to try it!

[@grayfool]

It has seven seats that full sized people with legs can use. You can put stuff in the back at the same time as bodies in the front. Sensible. Like it. I don't need it but it makes way more sense than any stupid great SUV. Does that stand for Stupid Ugly Vehicle ? It should. Another Good video with an interesting and different vehicles. Good ol' Jonny, he's the geezer to watch.

[@NunoMiguelDelgado]

Finally, Johnny! Thought I was the only one that thought the current Golf's face looked like it needed some antidepressants prescription... Also, it looks like a badly adjusted bra, but let's stick to the anthropomorphic analysis of the Golf's face. And I totally agree, this van seems a greats deal for some fun motoring out and about.

[@Triumphstreettriplewheelies]

I’m ordering one, Family of four with scooters bikes & endless bits! Seems legit to me👌🏻

[@TheRealFLX81]

Such a very good, well shot and in depth review. Imho this is VWs best car on sale right now, since I personally cant get over the ID Buzzs insane psycho clown face, which is thankfully toned down here. Also the physical buttons on the wheel are such a relief compared to the tactile touch button shitshow on other current gen VWs. I will definitely root for some of these joining our company fleet with the next upgrade.

[@alastairggbowers]

Thanks for the great video. The most informative I've seen yet on the Multivan.

[@sparky191]

This is us. Large family 95% short local trips but want the large space for family trips and utility of moving things around.

[@whitemoor66]

Love the interior flexibility of this. I hope that all the pushy, slidy, twisty, extendable and removable bits have durable mechanisms though. Remember many years ago looking at used Sharan and Galaxy (later models) and was shocked at how much stuff no longer worked as it should. Whilst this will be great for a specific type of customer, I still think it will struggle image wise at £55k versus an SUV, after all image is the reason most buy an SUV in the first place isn't it? I think lots will (incorrectly) dismiss this as a posh van, which is quite sad really. Great review as always.

[@MOSSFEEN]

Posh Taxi

[@stephenhill2404]

I had a Renault Grand Espace III from new, year 2000, 3 litre automatic. What a car! Travelled all over Europe in it with the wife and kids and all the baggage. OK, the seats were heavy to move in and out, but the car was so smooth at high speeds (200km/hour +) and also great around town. A bit lower (1.7m) than this VW so it fit OK in European underground carparks. So much better than an SUV because all the space was inside the car and not on the outside.

[@uncensored5104]

The Caravelle of old is actually a Multivan re-badged for the UK market. Good review, but I wont be rushing out to buy one any time soon. I personally like the ruggedness of the T5/6 as the whole underpinning is much more robust and longer lasting than the car platforms! To me this is just a £60k Hybrid Sharan!

[@shanewaller2864]

I have only just collected my brand new t6.1 high line dsg Lwb 204 kombi swamper camper in revena blue on Saturday, this van looks great but doesn't have the carrying capacity of my new t32 transporter. Something I would love is the fuel economy of the new multi van 👍not my cup of tea just yet but still a great effort from volkswagan 🇩🇪

[@harudos]

Nice to finally see the West catching up with what the Japan domestic market has enjoyed for decades!

[@dougdixonhull]

Would love one of these with one of those tent boxes on top. Just looks fun.

[@oliverstemp9132]

This is one of the best cars. I love how comfortable it looks

[@rjhandley556]

Great video as ever Jonny. I definitely think mpvs are finally cool, this is awesome. I’d love one of these. A small thing though… the name… multivan… they could’ve at least thought of something!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

The name is lame.

[@zapfanzapfan]

@@TheLateBrakeShow Swiss army van? 🙂

[@michaelwhittaker8219]

I'm 24. I don't have kids. I have no real need/use for this. But I love it and I kind of want one! It looks quite cool, especially with all the sliding seats/centre console etc. So much better than old MPVs which look so tragic and basically say "I've given up on life!"

[@stevemcmaster100]

Great video Jonny - thank you. I like the car, but, can't get past the fact that you can get a Citroen C4 Spacetourer, which has all of the same packaging, arguably better, at a quarter of the price. Yes, not a PHEV, but still capable of 50mpg and able to fit the entire house in it.

[@JohnCline]

For most of the purposes for which people are buying SUVs, a minivan would serve them MUCH better.

[@chandra11116]

Thanks!

[@zzhughesd]

Magic heated seats on tracks. So much to like. Buses have always been great. And this is the best bus date ?

[@rootube2015]

Were it not for towing a caravan, I would be waiting for a 7 seater ID Buzz. Other than that, you are on the mark regarding initial cost vs fuel savings. Retractable tow bar is also a great addition to the multivan.

[@coopsgti]

Great video! Need a follow up video on how the Goose turf war went down though

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

It got ugly. And loud. I moved along.

[@DragonEgg11]

Perfectly adapted for the short commute to work, remote cabin in America. It is soooo sad they don't sell it here :-S

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

I have to agree. The world has decided to assume that SUVs are the best solution for families, aspiring professionals and people who care about style. I tend to disagree, mostly on the basis that many are heavy, thirsty and with average interior packaging for their overall size. Automotive progress? Meh.

[@DragonEgg11]

@@TheLateBrakeShow Also, old caravan where not cool and vans are often too big. This is just the right size to balance energy usage and versatility, what families wants! Give us 110V/220V at 3 to 4 Kw for camping & powertool and this kind of electric or hybrid van does everything you need. Also whish the ID Buzz had the seat configuration flexibility like this Multivan!

[@peterscott1784]

Great review as ever, Mr S. As you'd say on t'podcast guys, guys, hey... can you put the seats back in t'othert way around, meaning facing each other. There's probably a health & safety thing saying no, even though facing rearwards has to be better in most crashes I'd think, but still, the only way to make this cool MPV cooler - to passengers - would be five seats facing each other. Just a thought, even if I came late to this review.

[@MrJordanwain]

Always loved MPVs. My parents had a Nissan Serena when I was younger, they are still produced for Japan and have been Hybrid for years. Hopefully this may prompt Nissan to bring the Serena back to our shores and as other day the Espace well that could be a rebadged Serena with minimal development costs.

[@chau778]

Great. This video reminds me of your review about the C4 Grand Picasso.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Gosh, that review for Fifth Gear? That was a long time ago!

[@jonathangould1255]

We test drove this last week. Currently own and previously owned 3 Caravelle since 2011. Current Caravelle 4 motion 205 bi-turbo. I liked the drive of the hybrid. It’s chalk n cheese compared with the Caravelle. The multivan is definitely more car like to drive and has less body roll and is much quieter. Not as fast as my 4 motion Caravelle and the gear box is not as responsive or as punchy. The multivan gets going well and gets up to speed very smoothly. Surprised us. This is the colour combo I’d like. The middle seats can’t face backwards? The rear of the seat doesn’t recline? I think we’re going to order one soon. I’ve heard from the dealer that the metal used Is from the Ukraine and supply has obviously stopped and the replacement steel is heavier spec. So the next build of these multivan are going to be heavier than first designed. Perhaps that will effect the range etc. overall I liked it. It’s only a few centimetres narrower across the tail gate but 3cm higher inside with the glass roof. Your driving through wansford! We test drove the peterborough vw dealer hybrid. In silver. I may wait for 4wd version? Or full electric.

[@quaaludes7898]

God I love that colour combination

[@timwilks666]

I love my T5 Kombi daily-driver, despite the w*nky VW 'scene' which I want no part of. It's unbelievably useful, mostly it's just a 5-seat 5-door hatchback but often it's a proper van with a couple of motorbikes in the back or a mountain of garden rubbish for the tip. This Multivan is the first modern vehicle to interest me in any way, and probably my way into eventual EV ownership. Cheers Jonny.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Tim, thank you for the feedback.

[@scud]

This is cool to see, but as someone who drives a Chrysler Grand Voyager I keep thinking that their Stow 'n Go seating is miles better than having seats on rails. I don't know how many times we've been out, ended up buying something larger than expected and not had a problem getting it home because we simply put the rear seats down into the floor and suddenly had a massive boot space.

[@wordreet]

Great review Jonny. What I don't understand with this type and size of vehicle is, why aren't they being offered with big batteries? I would prefer a hybrid where the battery is the main source of power and a diesel engine is just for backup.

[@timogronroos4642]

Just forget that diesel part of your dream van. It's not a good idea to get every heavy option into one vehicle. Rather take the three-cylinder 1.0L TSI from the Up to charge the batteries.

[@wordreet]

@@timogronroos4642 Which ever engine is less polluting, I'll take it.

[@thebrowns5337]

@@timogronroos4642 but if using an engine for drive a small petrol lugging a big battery around is so inefficient. This is why current phevs are not good environmentally. My diesel 2014 T5 (fully loaded) is about as good as this T7 (48 vs 50) in mpg terms on a long journey.

[@austrobok2958]

They should at least make the batteries swappable because battery tech is changing fast. In other words the same size battery could be good for 100km in a few years.

[@KS-wr8ub]

Oh, I so would’ve liked to be able to buy this PHEV in a 4Motion version. I know it’s not for everyone and probably a relative small market, but up here in Northern Europe that 4M option would be extremely popular.

[@davidbillberg2203]

I saw one of these in Sweden last week where I live. They look very good!

[@bchurch19]

The Schloer and Bottle Green got me. The classic middle class picnic 😂

[@davidscamerajourney]

I miss the Seat Alhambra/VW Sharan (same thing), started at £25,000 vs the £47,000 on this. You seem them all over the place, a perfect family car.

[@key2adventure]

You use the paddles when driving in mountain areal for motor breaking. It makes perfect sense, except if the regenerative breaking can do that job just as effectively.

[@simongooden-husbands168]

That's a great looking car which I'm really excited to see that a manufacturer producing something that people need (practical comfortable) rather than what they are told they want (bloated suv). I actually drive a 7 seat car with 5 removable seats leaving a flat floor, it also has heated seats, cruise control, heated front windscreen, integrated headrest dvd media system, it's also an automatic but my car is a 2005 model Ford galaxy. It to my knowledge was the last car based 7 seater that could have seats removed rather than a fold flat into the floor, that is a critical factor to me as my wife uses an electric wheelchair so I need the low boot sill plus flat floor. It seems that those hugely practical cars that drove really well somehow got left out for the last 15 years, I also only paid £1500 for it last year with one owner history and verified 75,000 miles. It's powered by the fantastic vr6 2.8 24v so performance is still relevant today and super refined, value for money and more environmentally kind than a new land rover.

[@fabvee]

I have no interest in the T7 however I had to watch this as I always learn something from JS’s reviews, . . simply the best informed and thorough reviews on KZbin. Classic Jonny. Thanks JS.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Paul, you are too kind. Thanks for watching.

[@jbt82se]

You should have mentioned that the payload is only 430kg, which is extremely low for a van that's supposed to be able to carry 6 passengers and their cargo.

[@thebrowns5337]

Ouch. That is poor. That 430kg divided by 6 people means the average weight should be 71kg per person. No luggage with that. So you won't be using this to ferry 5 rugby playing teenagers to a game! Not without invalidating your insurance anyway.

[@arthurdardalis]

We had the Caravelle GL in the mid-80's, extremely practical and we used to travel annually from London to Athens loaded to the hilt. Today however, how many families can afford 60k for a family car, however good the car is.

[@MarkWebster404]

Could you get a second centre seat and make it an 8 seater?

[@jamiebrookes6240]

Jonny the new caddy is the same, I've got one of the first one in the country, 400 miles the main screen broke. AC was stuck on because you can't change it because it all goes through the touch and slide.... it took 4 weeks for the fix but on the upside I've done over 30k and it drive amazing

[@stevennorth6484]

brilliant revue of a useful family 'car'. Has a lot in common with my old Renault Scenic, versatility wise. Except the price....

[@bylucien]

Man I would love a smaller, really boxy MPVish car - near the supermini class that has seats on a rail system like that. 4 seats when needed, back seats out for a micro cargo carrier when I need to carry loads. All the ability of a bigger car in two separate modes in a much more compact platform.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Agree, me too. The small Stellantis MPVs based on vans are often really neat. The Peugeot one in particular is brilliant.

[@deet4895]

Sounds like you want a Japanese Kei car.

[@adamlytle2615]

VW: please bring this to North America. Especially Canada. There is a real dearth of hybrid minivan options here.

[@HawkMillFarm]

VW doing some really clever design stuff, love it.

[@Senna-xi1gr]

The great outdoors, The great Johnny 👍🏆🇬🇧

[@petercollett4608]

Another top review. With a few laughs thrown it. Need some merch now 🤣

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

😉

[@rogeryoung3587]

I would be interested to know the difference in terms of driving distraction between using a mobile phone (illegal) and operating touch controls on a display screen. Due care and attention and all that, officer.

[@ollianddelphine]

I agree, big screens are totally distracting, as well as touch sensitive buttons. Hoping it's a "fad".

[@MrAdopado]

I notice the backrests of all the seats seem to be curiously deep ... slimmer versions would surely add useful extra internal space. Odd that the Buzz doesn't have this degree of internal flexibility. This seems better in that regard.

[@jarthurs]

It's like a posh version of my 2006 Citroen C8, seats on rails ✔️, electric sliding doors ✔️, it even has the same sunroof configuration as my '93 Nissan Serena (confirmed at the Safari park that the rear sunroof *is* big enough to admit an entire giraffes head). Vive le MPV!

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

There's no such thing as a new idea...

[@SimonH69]

Really disappointed that the SUV took over from MPV. A MPV is such a better car than all these fake SUV.

[@jamiemiller7752]

Would be perfect for us. I was keen on an SMax hybrid. Just need life to get a bit cheaper so I can afford one. The modular seats are a genius idea.

[@willflack]

Looks good but as I've got used to plugging in the Buzz would be my choice. Is it time for a new Zafira if MPVs are "cool" again?

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Vauxhall has the EV underpinnings with its Vivaro, so no reason why they can't make a more stylish bus.

[@chinabluewho]

Does it come from the factory with solar on top to charge the batt pack on days when you don't drive it or when you have it parked at work? With that much roof space you could easily get ten to twenty miles a day of free charge from the sun.

[@100toeface]

I wanted to know about the ability to use climate control while stationary without the engine coming on every hour (like it does in a prius hybrid for example) for something like camping, and does it have a built in 1500w inverter like the toyota Rav 4 prime has?

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

Man if the id.buzz had these toys in the background with the sliding banks and stuff. Damn damn

[@Littlemosslad]

It’s nice. Like a massive Golf GTE. I like the look of the tops of the doors inside, where the old elbow goes. Noice

[@Littlemosslad]

Yep, I’d have one.

[@TheLateBrakeShow]

Elbow pads were a good touch, and one I think I forgot to mention. Whoops.

[@mikejf4377]

Nice video, like to see more full electric in all there models. I’m a VW fan, still driving my MK3 Jetta. Looking at a MK5 in my future.