Brilliant review Marius, agree with your assessment. We have a 2007 Caddy Life TDi with 187 000km and can honestly not see myself forking out R600k on a new Caddy. Sure, the improvements over my Caddy are great, but not to such an extent that I would rush out to buy the new one. Oh yes, we have a 5 speed manual... 🤣
Thanks Anton - such superb cars hey! That’s a big issue these days with all cars is the replacement cost - scary! No issues with the manual at all - works well - but in this day and age & given the family / lifestyle focused users, DSG is crucial - not offering it this time really shifts the Caddy into the commercial corner when it’s a car that truly offers so much more!
Why exactly is South Africa not getting the DSG automatic? There seems to be loads of them in NZ and Australia. I don't believe the rubbish that the dealerships are saying. Is it because of the state of the SA economy? Other manufacturers are bringing in automatics. This is such a shame.
No Neil that’s not what dealers are saying, that’s the position of VWSA! They are not bringing the DSG to market - as I explained in the video, it’s viewed and sold as a commercial vehicle and their focus is on pushing the ridiculous ‘stylish’ crossovers with zero practicality and a hefty price tag. It’s a shocker - such s brilliant offering the Caddy has always been and they’ve essentially just hit the self destruct button. And they’ll be crashing and burning with the Amarok too - priced way above the Ranger 🙈
EVERYWHERE else in the world and with all the previous models, it’s just this latest version that the ‘clever’ people at VW decided not to bring it. Like I said, they want you to buy these hatchbacks that they are trying to market at crossovers 🙈
None of the rear windows open so to use it as a family car becomes a problem means you going to have to use the AC all the time increasing fuel consumption
I honestly don’t know anybody who drives with their windows open and the increase in fuel consumption using the aircon honestly is negligible. Would it be nice to have a pop out like they have in the Transporter? Sure…but it never felt like a big concern for me or my passengers when in the back. What is a concern is that there are no air vents in the back…THAT is something I forgot to raise!
There is a huge electronic lack of supply in all manufacturing at the moment, even some basic mechanical parts from some manufacturers is a problem 4 months for an Astra shock absorber is a joke
Horses for Courses…I too prefer a manual but it’s vehicle and application dependent. The Caddy, as a commercial or lifestyle offering is geared towards a driver spending more time on the road, dealing with traffic in the urban setting - an auto makes more sense from an operational perspective. Then you add in the fact that its a diesel - max torque at low RPM - means you changing gears all the time - auto always going to work better and more efficiently in that setting. The commercial vehicle market will be ok with the manual because it was also a cost exercise, but the lifestyle segment will want the DSG especially given that the previous generation was offered with one.
"Straight Torque" indeed, honest review👍🏿
Thank you for the message….sadly it seems that paid commentary is all you get these days
Brilliant review Marius, agree with your assessment.
We have a 2007 Caddy Life TDi with 187 000km and can honestly not see myself forking out R600k on a new Caddy.
Sure, the improvements over my Caddy are great, but not to such an extent that I would rush out to buy the new one.
Oh yes, we have a 5 speed manual... 🤣
Thanks Anton - such superb cars hey! That’s a big issue these days with all cars is the replacement cost - scary!
No issues with the manual at all - works well - but in this day and age & given the family / lifestyle focused users, DSG is crucial - not offering it this time really shifts the Caddy into the commercial corner when it’s a car that truly offers so much more!
Totally agree on the lack of Auto
Bought a Corolla Cross because this doesnt come in auto.
Why exactly is South Africa not getting the DSG automatic? There seems to be loads of them in NZ and Australia. I don't believe the rubbish that the dealerships are saying. Is it because of the state of the SA economy? Other manufacturers are bringing in automatics. This is such a shame.
No Neil that’s not what dealers are saying, that’s the position of VWSA! They are not bringing the DSG to market - as I explained in the video, it’s viewed and sold as a commercial vehicle and their focus is on pushing the ridiculous ‘stylish’ crossovers with zero practicality and a hefty price tag. It’s a shocker - such s brilliant offering the Caddy has always been and they’ve essentially just hit the self destruct button. And they’ll be crashing and burning with the Amarok too - priced way above the Ranger 🙈
Very funny as in New Zealand and you can get is DSG i have a Caddy van 90Kw 320Nm great on fuel and good power done nearly 20,000 Ks all good!
EVERYWHERE else in the world and with all the previous models, it’s just this latest version that the ‘clever’ people at VW decided not to bring it. Like I said, they want you to buy these hatchbacks that they are trying to market at crossovers 🙈
Really don’t like the rear end restyling
Thanks ❤🎉😂
None of the rear windows open so to use it as a family car becomes a problem means you going to have to use the AC all the time increasing fuel consumption
I honestly don’t know anybody who drives with their windows open and the increase in fuel consumption using the aircon honestly is negligible.
Would it be nice to have a pop out like they have in the Transporter? Sure…but it never felt like a big concern for me or my passengers when in the back.
What is a concern is that there are no air vents in the back…THAT is something I forgot to raise!
There is a huge electronic lack of supply in all manufacturing at the moment, even some basic mechanical parts from some manufacturers is a problem 4 months for an Astra shock absorber is a joke
Why the obsession with automatic transmission. Speaking for myself I definitely prefer a manual transmission.
Horses for Courses…I too prefer a manual but it’s vehicle and application dependent. The Caddy, as a commercial or lifestyle offering is geared towards a driver spending more time on the road, dealing with traffic in the urban setting - an auto makes more sense from an operational perspective. Then you add in the fact that its a diesel - max torque at low RPM - means you changing gears all the time - auto always going to work better and more efficiently in that setting.
The commercial vehicle market will be ok with the manual because it was also a cost exercise, but the lifestyle segment will want the DSG especially given that the previous generation was offered with one.
No dsg! Volkswagen SA what a bummer.
Oh come on as a van manual is fine as a car dsg is for people that don’t know how to drive
Generation 5 👎. Generation 4 🫶
Agreed
Ah Yeah!
A bit pricey for what you get!
Poor sound on your review, listening with earbuds. Music too loud between commentary, and switching from mono to stereo.