In terms of creature comforts the modern VW Caravelle is a far cry from the humble old Kombi loved by surfer dudes and hippies but, in essence, the basics haven't changed.
It's still the boxy, super-spacious, people-carrier of old with the bus-like driving position. More modern MPV's have come along with glamorous aerodynamic styling but the latest Veedub bus' only concession to modernity is that the once flat nose has been elongated and the headlamps are clear-lens projector types.
It's beneath the van-like skin that the biggest metamorphosis from hippiemobile to luxury bus has taken place.
The cabin oozes luxury with its fitted carpets and classy teutonic trimmings and there are enough buttons and switches to make Captain Kirk's head spin.
But the big thing, if you'll excuse the pun, is the space. Its boxy shape makes the Caravelle roomier than rugby ball-shaped MPV's such as the Chrysler Grand Voyager and Mercedes-Benz R-class, both in terms of headroom and luggage space.
VW's bus seats seven adults comfortably in its three rows and loading them is made simple by having a sliding rear door on each side.
The cargo bay holds a giant 1208 litres, expandable to 4525 litres with the seats removed - you could just about park a Polo in there.
In terms of pure roominess and versatility the Caravelle is more fairly compared with panelvan-based buses such as the Opel Vivaro and Hyundai H1.
Apart from oodles of room there are air-vents for the middle and back rows so every passenger can determine their preferred climate.
The middle row slides back and forth to adjust legroom and the rear row performs the same trick except that for some reason you have to fold down the backrest first so you can't do it while seated.
All the backrests adjust for angle so you're not stuck into one spine-stiffening seating position on a long trip, while the middle seats can be swivelled to face the rear. As I said, versatile.
The bus has surprisingly little onboard stowage space though. Apart from door pockets in which things noisily rattle around and a cubbyhole, there's no handy storage nooks to stash small items such as keys, cellphones or wallets. Odd, as there looks to be plenty of room available for a stowage console between the front seats and still leave space for walk-through room to the back.
The Caravelle is available in three versions, all powered by the same 132kW/400Nm two-litre turbodiesel and, if it was my money, I'd probably spend it on the six-speed manual. The DSG automatic we tested had some turbo lag issues and underlined the fact that auto gearboxes and TDi engines don't always make the happiest partnership at high altitude.
The initial take-off is lazy with a frustrating pause before the turbo spools up and then delivers a sudden slingshot of pace. Once you're rolling along the 132kW engine hauls the big bus along quite effortlessly and is in perfect harmony with the smooth-shifting DSG seven-speed 'box.
At sea level I suspect the initial turbo lag will be minimal. We didn't test altitude figures on the bus but VW claims 0-100km/h in 11.3sec at sea level and a 191km/h top speed.
EASIER THAN IT LOOKS
Fuel consumption averaged 9.8 litres per 100km, which makes for a fairly good range from the 80-litre fuel tank. Not bad for such a behemoth but I spent most of the time as the Caravelle's single occupant; the economy won't be as good with a full load od passengers.
As for piloting such a big piece of hardware, it's a lot easier than it looks. You sit in a commanding position, looking down on other cars and, as large as it is, the Caravelle's fairly easy to manoeuvre thanks to its short nose and good all-round visibility, while the power-assisted steering requires little physical effort. Squeezing it into parking bays is eased by a reverse-parking sensor.
Four crash bags and antilocking brakes comprise the safety gear and in standard trim the Caravelle 2.0 BiTDI costs R564 230.
Comforts include auto aircon, an audio system with steering-wheel controls, reach and height adjustable steering column and front seat armrests, among others.
VERDICT
The original people mover continues growing up, boxy and proud of it. Versatile, comfy and spacious, it's still one of the ultimate soccer-mom vans.