The T6.1 is only available with 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel engines. Related: We review the Hyundai H-1 Elite - Just hop on the bus, Gus! If you’ve got money to burn, the Transporter Sportline is the top choice here – although not everyone will like the way it looks. Company Number: LP003328 Registered Office: Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DT. This new system makes the steering feel both effortless and accurate, being light and lazy at low speeds without compromising stability when going faster. What a strangely uninspired name for a surprisingly capable minibus. Be advised there is no ‘limp home mode’ and the engine will refuse to start once the AdBlue has completely run out, although you will have ample warning that it's getting low. Related: Find out more about the Mercedes-Benz Vito range here. Meanwhile the new We Connect system works with the built-in SIM card to add further anti-theft features. 0-62mph takes a quoted 9.1sec, and with that great lump of torque (pulling power) arriving at just 1,400rpm, it feels even quicker. True, the Ford Transit Custom remains more rounded to drive, while the rear-wheel-drive Vito feels that bit more assured than its front-wheel-drive sister, but the handling in both is sharp and the extra weight over the front axle adds more directness to the front-wheel-drive Vito’s steering. 845898). For this reason, it earns its second place in this comparison. As tested with the top-dog 204hp engine and kombi, the Sportline's basic ex-VAT price is an eye-watering £37,415 (at the time of writing). This is Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' most popular model, by a considerable margin. This is a boon over some rivals - including the Transit Custom - where secondary controls have been scattered all over the cab. With all these advantages, the H-1 Elite’s price premium starts to make some sense. With its appealing combination of image, practicality and choice, the VW Transporter is a van that should always be in the running for your money, and the T6.1 facelift has only made an already great van even better. The first place just has to go to the Hyundai H-1, however. True, the Ford Transit Custom remains more rounded to drive, while the rear-wheel-drive Vito feels that bit more assured than its front-wheel-drive sister, but the. © Copyright 2020 The Car Trader (Pty) Ltd. While the 161bhp 2.1-litre diesel is the most frugal engine option (at least officially) and the 188bhp 2.1 is certainly the most powerful, it’s actually the 113bhp 1.6 (badged 111 CDI) that we would opt for. Sadly, if you do want a petrol-powered T6, you'll now have to search for a secondhand example as they were dropped from the UK pricelist in autumn 2018. What’s more, the 1.6 is a quieter engine than the 2.1. Being a petrol there’s no AdBlue tank. Which rather undermines the premium experience. On top of which, petrol tech is lighter than diesel, giving you around 30kg more payload capacity and hinting at a better driving experience. Official fuel economy for the T6.1 ranges from a claimed 29.4mpg (the 199hp model in its least efficient specification) through to 39.2mpg (the most efficient version of the 90hp van). Our contenders are all profiled towards passenger-carrying duties, with a strong slant towards private-user appeal, rather than the public transport angle pursued at the other end of this market segment. We've sampled every engine available in the latest range, and driven the updated van around town and on the motorway at home in the UK and abroad. is part of Haymarket Automotive, a division of Haymarket Media Group © Haymarket Media Group 2019, Compact, Long and Extra Long body lengths are available, but unlike many of its rivals, including the Citro. Though the Transporter has never been a bad van to drive, the T6.1 facelift of 2019 has brought a number of improvements. For example, the T6.1 can be fitted with lane keeping assist, a side protection system, adaptive cruise control, tyre pressure monitors and trailer assist. This is the least-expensive passenger van in the Kombi family, with the most basic trim level. In 2017 VW added a choice ot two 2.0-litre TSI turbo petrol engines to the Transporter range, offering either 150hp or 204hp. Another bonus of the petrol engine is that it's quieter inside than the diesels, though there is still some strange vibration at low engine revs. You can also get a 230v socket for this under-seat area, situated within a locker - allowing you to secure items such as laptops while you charge them. The large Sportline wheels and the lack of any kind of bulkhead in the kombi are presumably the major contributors to this. Airport shuttle services love them, and so do large families who value a modicum of comfort and can afford to pay for the privilege. Mercedes-Benz Vito. Peak outputs of 125 kW and 441 Nm, sent to the rear wheels through a 5-speed automatic gearbox, makes for much more lively performance than either the Vito or Kombi could muster, in spite of a much heftier kerb weight. Step up to the 102hp model and there is a world of difference. While the VW Transporter may not sell in such high numbers as the Ford Transit Custom, it remains a very popular choice among small and large fleets, and with individual buyers. The Transporter is a great all-rounder - perhaps only bettered in this respect by the Ford Transit Custom, and even then many buyers may prefer the VW's design, driving experience and safety credentials. Backing up that reputation for good build quality, it consistently ranks in the top three vans in the UK for reliability in the annual FN50 fleet reliability survey. You get a three-year, 100,000-mile warranty as standard from new, which isn't as generous as some rivals. So may not be suitable for all uses. The conclusion will surprise you! degree of customisation, thanks to the ability to assign driver profiles and the way you can shift things around within the menus to suit the way you use them. These are intriguing power units - while they can't match the fuel economy of their diesel equivalents, they are quieter, super-smooth and urgently enjoyable to drive. Since you have to go all the way up to Highline in order to get air-conditioning and an alarm system as standard, arguably the best-value Transporter as of 2018 is an entry-level Startline with the Business Pack. However, the petrol Transporters were shortlived, and not only were they discontinued from the UK pricelist in autumn 2018, VW has chosen not to continue with any petrol-engined models in the revised T6.1 range. Alternatively, you can still have rear-wheel drive, combined with Mercedes’ own 2.1-litre diesel in 134bhp, 161bhp or 188bhp forms. H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No. And when we say basic, we mean it: if you want something as simple as a USB port, you have to pay extra. Included in that price is a warranty for 2 years with no mileage limit, as well as a service plan for 5 years or 120 000 km. Few of these competitors provide the breadth of choice the VW Transporter offers, however. Related: The Volkswagen Kombi/Transporter/Caravelle line-up is quite complex, but this article explains the model hierarchy. However, though Trendline was discontinued when the facelifted T6.1 model was introduced, this is still worth seeking out if buying used as it includes cruise control and rear parking sensors as standard – both useful features in a working van. This includes: The resulting vehicle, sometimes known as the Transporter Business Edition, is intened to appeal to those looking for maximum value. Apart from its obvious appeal as a cargo transporter, the boxy shape of a minibus also makes it ideal for carting people around. In fact, it can be quite tricky to work out what’s best for your needs, so here are a few pointers. At the basic level this allows you to carry out various tasks related to the vehicle's health and remind yourself where you parked it. Check out mustard.co.uk for a VW Transporter insurance quote. Don’t fret. Key changes The good news is that the basic Composition Colour system now fitted as standard features a 6.5-inch screen and can mirror your smartphone, allowing you to use some apps on the move. If you can afford a Vito 111 CDI bus, your budget can surely stretch just that little bit further to get a whole lot more value for your money. However, we've done day-long, pan-European journeys in these Transporters, and they always seem to pass without causing the driver any aches and pains. Which should also help keep lease and other finance rates down, reducing monthly payments. There aren't many 10+ year Transits or Sprinters because the Sprinter only begun sales in 1998 along with the Vito. Manual and automatic gearboxes are available, plus both front-wheel drive and 4Motion four-wheel drive. But if you're planning to use finance this may actually work in your favour - since it also hold its value really well, monthly payments can prove surprisingly affordable. Even if it can be a bit abrupt at lower speeds. The luggage compartment is impressively large as well, thanks to generous exterior proportions. Fixed intervals come every year or 10,000 miles, while the variable intervals are once every two years or 18,000 miles, or whenever the vehicle detects it needs attention. This desirablility continues with the T6, which combines the solid and reputable underpinnings of the previous generation Transporter with some of the latest driver aids and safety systems from the Volkswagen passenger car division. Realistically, you’ll either need to have no running cost concerns at all, limited annual mileage requirements or be an ardent diesel hater (or petrol fancier) to choose this TSI over the TDI equivalent. For what it's worth, not a single thing went wrong with our T6 long-term test van over 8,000 miles of very hard driving. Hilariously fast, for a van. * Manufacturer's official claimed figures. Engine-wise, there’s yet another deployment of the Volkswagen Group’s 2.0TDI engine, tuned for a modest 75 kW and 250 Nm. On top of this, however, more lifestyle-orientated versions have been added: the Sportline (from late 2016) and the Edition (from 2017). Meanwhile, a completely redesigned dashboard is supposed to make it feel more like a car inside, supported by improvements to the driving experience and the option to add VW's very latest multimedia infotainment systems, which run on touchscreens up to 9.2 inches across. This latest Vito has been built to change the negative perceptions, though, with front-wheel drive variants and the option of a smaller engine that makes the starting price much cheaper. Looking for the ultimate sporty medium van on sale in 2017? A unique offering in the medium van sector in the UK, these were aimed at buyers concerned about diesel emissions, those who do shorter journeys, or those who simply prefer smooth petrol performance. Given the choice, we'd spend the extra on the 110hp model to ensure enough performance in these situations.