Can a van be a motorhome?

Volkswagen Crafter is a solid car designed for hard work. Ample loading space, a large number of available variants, wide doors, low loading edge - these are important advantages in a transport company or on a construction site. But at the campground? Will such a car work as a motorhome?

The Crafter was launched in 2006 as a result of Volkswagen's collaboration with Daimler AG and was closely related to the Mercedes Sprinter. 10 years later, Volkswagen presented the second generation of the Crafter, which has virtually nothing in common with its predecessor. The car finally looks like a "purebred" Volkswagen and even before it went on sale, it won the "International Van of the Year 2017" title .

By the way, it is worth mentioning that the Crafter is made only in one factory built especially for it in the world. It is located in Września near Poznań.

Crafter as a two-person motorhome

The new Crafter was so warmly received by the market that even before it went on sale, there was already speculation about what it would be like to make it a home on wheels. The rumors quickly came true. It turned out that the large size, spacious and functionally designed interior combined with modern engines and security systems make a good base for camping .

The basic Crafter in the Wind & Water version measures 5,986 mm in length and 2,040 mm in width, so it is significantly longer and wider than the famous Californi Beach, built on the basis of the Transporter (4904 mm - length, 1904 mm - width).

There are four places to drive in the car . The cushioned driver and passenger seats rotate 180 degrees, allowing you to sit in front of the people at the table, sitting on the L-shaped couch. When the table is lowered, the couch can transform into a double bed . There is a panoramic window above the sleeping and dining area, and there are plenty of practical cabinets and storage compartments throughout the cabin.

In the further part of the vehicle, behind the sofa, there is a kitchen. Despite the small area, there is a sink, gas cooker and even an Indel Webasto refrigerator with a capacity of 90 liters. There is also a coffee machine and a microwave. Coffee in the morning, even from your own espresso machine, will allow you to start the day with good energy, and if you do not want to cook yourself, we will be able to reheat the ready dish.

Behind the kitchen is a bathroom with toilet, shower and foldable sink . In a vehicle less than 6 meters long, a comfortable kitchen and bathroom need not be a matter of course.

A car for any weather

We have no reason to complain about the equipment available in the Wind & Water version. There is even a TV system and a satellite dish in the car, so even when the weather is not encouraging for walks, we can have a good time - even without leaving the house on wheels.

With the autumn and winter cold in mind, a Webasto Dual Top heating system with a water heating boiler and a system for distributing warm air throughout the vehicle was installed. In addition, the manufacturer thought about the thermo-acoustic insulation of the living area - so the car will be warm and quiet. However, during summer trips, we can use air conditioning and a roof roller blind.

As standard, the car has LED lighting , 12V and 230V sockets. The on-board voltage converter will be a pleasant surprise. In the tourist Crafter, we can also have solar panels with a reading panel in the cabin.

The fact that it is a car for active people is proved by a bicycle rack designed for two two-wheelers.

It stands out positively

Volkswagen Crafter is more than a camper-van. Thanks to the rich equipment, the touring Crafter can easily compete with the vehicles of producers specialized in the production of camping cars. It is also important that Wild & Water has been adapted to all-year-round use .

If we add to this modern, 2-liter TDI engines with power from 102 to 177 HP and optional all-wheel drive (4Motion), then it turns out that we are dealing with a very interesting offer.

The package also includes something else - originality. In a market where most vehicles are based on the same chassis, a camper van in the body of a large van with the Volkswagen badge will definitely stand out positively. This is a big plus, although originality is only a nice addition to the serious advantages of this large van with camping equipment.