Quick Silver
Volkswagen’s metallic silver, 3.5 tonne Crafter van records a sterling performance on our Scottish test route. John Henderson discovers plenty of hallmarks on this swift and spacious contender. IT’S HARD to believe that 34 years have passed since Volkswagen’s entry into the main UK van market with their sturdy and reliable LT model. The aptly named Lasten-Transporter, or cargo transporter in English, saw various upgrades, refinements and sales of almost a million units before being replaced with the Crafter range in 2006. Our model for testing is currently the largest van produced in the Volkswagen range, with gross vehicle weights available from 3,000kg to 5,000kg. Customers have the choice of a standard panel low roof, high and extra high roofs, alongside wheelbases from 3,250mm to the maxi as offered for our trial at 4,325mm. Although it had space inside for five euro pallets, the CR35 long wheelbase maxi high roof model supplied by Volkswagen at Milton Keynes was all about volume (17 cubic metres of it) with its 3.5 tonne gross weight. The good people at the manufacturer’s press and public relations department had kindly loaded the shining silver motor with a full ton bag of sand and this looked lost in the back, securely strapped to some of the eight standard fit load lashing rings. Incidentally there’s 1,369kg of payload available on board which includes allowances for a full tank of fuel and a driver. As with most vans offered for test, I had the pleasure of the Crafter’s company for a whole week and mid way through this period it was subject to our ‘full Scottish’ trial. Quick Silver, as it soon became known, took up three car parking bays, so although the neighbours liked the look of it and thought it would make a good motor home, they were also, I suspect, secretly delighted to see it go, returning the road space to normal in our small cul de sac! Last September saw some fine settled weather after the generally poor summer and for once I had the luxury of picking a day with a good forecast for the standard Transport News 198 mile run. Making my way across to the start point at Abington services, I mulled over just what kind of cargoes this van would perhaps be best suited for. Obviously high density, low weight goods such as loft insulation, boxes of crisps and perhaps even car tyres were amongst a wide assortment of potential loads identified. Filling the 75 litre tank with diesel before the off I spared a thought for all Britain’s hauliers, as at that time diesel prices were at an astronomical high. With a much lighter wallet, I joined the M74 north and soon settled down to cruising at 70mph, remembering to adjust my maximum velocity to 60mph when on the dual carriageway sections later. Like most modern vans today, the Crafter’s luxury car spec interior does not give the sensation of travelling at speed. Perhaps that was why I was passed by so many vans on the first leg which were obviously ‘way over the permitted limit and whilst I’m sure there are a lot of responsible and professional drivers out there, it’s easy to see why vans often get a bad press. The interior black and grey fascias are complemented by Inca art upholstery on the double passenger and single chauffeurs units which offer a welcome small splash of colour. There’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering column to optimise your driving position and with the gear change neatly fixed to the centre console, cross cab access is swift and easy. Volkswagen have raided their car spares bins for the controls and steering wheel and that’s no bad thing, as the cab’s fixtures and fittings have a real quality feel, with no rattles ever detected on my seven day loan. Storage space in the cab and door bins is adequate rather than voluminous and I particularly appreciated the document slots on the top side of the dashboard. Almost all the switches are within easy reach with the exception of the radio on/off switch which I found a bit of a stretch. Visibility front and rearwards is generally good and our CR35 had the optional front and rear parking sensors fitted. This made manoeuvring the lengthy motor a lot easier and its sounder, together with the colour graduated warning lights built into both exterior mirrors, were relied upon often. Enjoying quiet roads and a higher than usual cruising speeds, the time seemed to pass quickly up to the first of the two Perthshire timed hill climbs. Even running just a shade short of fully loaded, Quick Silver barely noticed the up slopes and the only challenge on Cairnie Brae was a couple of slow moving agricultural tractors and trailers bringing in the grain, as a late harvest was in full swing on the day. The Crafter is offered with a range of four engines, all based on a new Volkswagen 2.5 litre, five cylinder TDI unit producing either 88, 109, 136 or 163hp. Our van had the top output and the common rail power plant developed 350nm of torque at 2,000rpm. The engine was smooth and responsive at all times and the well insulated interior let just enough sound in to inform what’s happening below. The turbo gave off a pleasant whine under load but this was not really a comfort or sound issue. Fuel consumption for the day was carefully measured on a tank to tank basis, using the same dispensing pump and worked out at an average of 28.5mpg. This was achieved by careful driving and an avoidance of sharp acceleration or deceleration, as the Euro 4 overhead camshaft engine is nippy to say the least. Naturally anyone wanting to push the unit hard will suffer accordingly at the pumps. There were no worries about available parking space this time as I entered Kinross services for the lunchtime halt. As is the norm with van appraisals, sandwiches and a soft drink were enjoyed from the passenger side, followed on by a snooze across the seats. Who says our tests are not just like real life! Out onto the Kingdom circuit next and a chance to test the gear changes and suspension units to better effect with the regions interesting and undulating carriageways. The Crafter comes with a six speed gearbox as standard and a Shiftmatic automated manual change system is offered as an option on the 109 and 136hp units. As noted previously the gearstick mitres nicely into the centre console fascia and falls easily to hand when driving. I found all the changes slightly notchy, but this was probably down to the van being fairly new with just a few miles on the clock and this situation should indeed improve with a bit of wearing in. The ratio spacing was generally fine for all occasions and I never once questioned the set up. Cushioning the ride on Scotland’s ever changing tarmac surfaces, was a rear driven axle equipped with longitudinal springs alongside the usual shock absorber/anti roll bar configuration. Up front the independent suspension took it all in its stride and constantly delivered good feedback on the van’s inertia intentions. With a fairly large mass I wondered about the handling capabilities of this Crafter, but it proved itself accomplished in any situation, particularly when crossing the Forth Road Bridge, where even a gentle breeze can be magnified quickly when overtaking large HGVs and their resultant air displacement. After another stress free uneventful sector, the stop at the south side of the crossing was brief with just the usual facts and figures to record. This halt is often a good comfort barometer, as by then a few hours have been accrued behind the wheel and I must admit to having felt as if I’d done the run so far in a comfortable Volkswagen car, not a van! On to the final sector returning down the Biggar road to Abington services and this is where I normally put an increased focus on steering, tyres and brakes. The Crafter’s power steering is smooth and well graduated in operation with just 3.3 turns from lock to lock. Variable assistance levels see light rotational feedback delivered when manoeuvring in tight spaces and firmer turning required at speed. These graduations worked well and I had to concentrate hard to notice any power fluctuations, which is always a good sign. Bringing the optional alloy wheels and 16 inch tyres to a halt was an exceptional hydraulic, dual circuit braking system. The operation of the all round discs was one of the best stopping systems I’d ever came across and little pedal effort was required, whatever the retardation requirement. Every Crafter comes with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and brake assist. This useful duo recognises the speed at which the centre pedal is pressed and in an emergency stop increases retardation pressure and applies the ABS. Thankfully no such actions were required in my loan week, but it’s reassuring to know that such a good slowing mechanism comes with hi tech back-up. Safety and security feature well on Volkswagen’s van ranges, with a driver’s airbag and electronic immobiliser fitted as standard and a host of other options as extras. All Crafters come with a three year warranty and a 12 year anti corrosion guarantee and thanks to electronic engine monitoring, service intervals are determined by a built in sensor that measures oil quality. A week in any vehicle is enough to give the driver a detailed insight of what a full time life would be like behind its wheel. I have to admit that I was reluctant to hand back the keys of the Volkswagen Crafter! It’s comfortable, flexible and so easy to live with. Drivers with experience of small cars only may well initially baulk at the size of the maxi roof long wheelbase model, but once acclimatised with the CR35 they’ll soon enjoy the comfort, technology and safety features whilst on board. With UK van sales now slowing up in line with car and truck registrations, The Volkswagen Crafter’s performance, quality and reliability will play an important part in keeping its market share ricking over. Light commercials like Quick Silver are a shining example of these essential qualities!