VW Transporter tackles Toyota Hiace, Hyundai iLoad

Volkswagen has taken aim at the affordable end of the diesel van market -- and walked away from the declining petrol van market -- with the updated version of its T5 Transporter range released in Australia this week.

While the starting price for a Transporter has risen from $29,990 to $36,490 with the axing of the basic petrol version, the German maker has parked its entry level diesel model between the two biggest sellers in the class: the Hyundai iLoad diesel ($34,990) and the Toyota Hiace diesel ($37,340).

"Until now, we have typically been at the premium end of the van market, but with the new range we have plugged the gaps," says the director of Volkswagen Australia's commercial vehicles division, Phil Clark. "We are now priced where the bulk of the market is."

Clark said that even though Volkswagen still has by far the biggest van range in Australia (despite culling the Transporter line-up from more than 50 combinations to 42) it won't challenge the top sellers for outright sales honours.

"We expect to sell significantly more than the 2500 or so vans and people movers we currently sell each year, but we won't outsell Toyota or Hyundai," he said.

With a 5.3 per cent share of the van market in 2009, the Transporter ranked fifth in the van sales charts behind the Toyota Hiace (36 per cent), Hyundai iLoad (15 per cent), Mitsubishi Express (10 per cent), and Volkswagen Caddy (7 per cent) -- and slightly ahead of the Mercedes-Benz Vito (5.2 per cent).

But the new range, with super efficient diesel engines, improved safety and more comfort and convenience options, is expected to improve sales.

The updated T5 line-up is distinguished by a new bonnet, grille, front bumper and headlights to bring it into line with the appearance of Volkswagen's latest passenger cars.

It also benefits from numerous creature comforts from the passenger car range, including a revised instrument display and options such as touch screen navigation, rear camera, blind spot warning, cornering lights, hill start assistance and a heavy duty version of Volkswagen's twin-clutch automated manual DSG gearbox.

Volkswagen has introduced three all-new 2.0-litre turbo diesel engines rated at 75kW, 103kW and 132kW, which consume up to 20 per cent less fuel than the engines in the previous models. There will be a fairly even split in the popularity of the three engine types, the company suggests.

"The 132kW may end up being the most popular engine by a small margin, because a lot of fleets want the most power, but we expect owner drivers and smaller businesses will have quite a high take-up of the 103kW engine variants," says Clark. "If you look at where the 103kW variants are priced, it's not much of a stretch from [Toyota and Hyundai vans] and they should really bring buyers across to Transporter."

A quick scan of the pricelist by the Carsales Network (see below) shows that the cost of all new Transporter models has risen by about $1500 on average but some people movers have risen in price by up to $7000.

Notable options include $490 for cruise control on the 75kW and 103kW vans and the 132kW cab-chassis models, and, curiously, an extra $100 (bringing the cost to $590) on the new, single-spec Caravelle ($49,990), with its 103kW engine, nine seats and LWB configuration.

Front-seat side-impact airbags are a $690 option in vans and the cab-chassis models, and, inexplicably, an extra $200 dearer (bringing the cost to $890) on the Caravelle.

Passenger compartment side-curtain airbags are not an option on the latest Caravelle sold in Australia, according to the equipment list issued by Volkswagen Australia at this week's launch.

Cruise control and the full complement of front, side and passenger compartment curtain airbags are standard only on the luxury Multivan people mover models, which top the range between $49,990 and $77,990, the latter representing a $7000 price increase on the previous flagship.

Nevertheless, the new van range is better equipped than before (stability control is standard across all models) and has a higher payload (maximum 1.3 tonnes), while maintaining its two-tonne towing capacity (100kg ball weight).

And the new engines are the most efficient in the class; with a rating of 7.5 to 8.4L/100km for the front-drive Transporters, only the Hyundai iLoad and Mercedes-Benz Vito diesels get close, with ratings of 8.5 and 8.6L/100km respectively on some models.

The 75kW version of the all-new 2.0-litre turbo diesel has 250Nm of torque (the same as the previous model's 1.9-litre turbo diesel) but it is delivered at lower revs (from 1500 to 2500rpm instead of 3000rpm). It is only available with five-speed manual transmission.

The other two, more powerful 2.0-litre turbo diesel engines come standard with a six-speed manual gearbox and have the option of a seven-speed dual clutch automated manual DSG gearbox for $3000.

All-wheel-drive is also available on these two engine variants, with either the six-speed or the seven-speed transmissions, for an extra $3500.

The 103kW version has 340Nm of torque (from 1750 to 2500rpm) thanks to increased boost and a unique engine management calibration.

The 132kW version of the new 2.0-litre diesel engine has two turbochargers and produces the same 400Nm of torque as the old 2.5 single-turbo diesel engine, but peak torque is delivered between 1500 and 2000rpm, compared with 2000 to 2300rpm on the old engine.

To reduce lag and provide seamless power delivery, the 132kW engine has a low-pressure turbo with a large turbine and a high-pressure turbo with a smaller turbine.

Because the 132kW engine runs higher turbo boost pressures and combustion temperatures are increased, there are some hardware changes, including small channels in the engine block between each cylinder and two holes in the piston ring line to improve cooling.

The 132kW models also get larger, twin-piston front brakes for improved braking performance (340mm x 32.5mm front discs compared with 308mm x 29.5mm discs on the 75kW and 103kW models; rear discs are 294mm x 22mm on all variants).

The new T5 Transporter, Caravelle and Multivan range

Key to pics: Caravelle (grey), Multivan (silver), high-roof Transporter (white) and dual cab tray and low-roof van (red)

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