Volkswagen Crafter 4Motion Review

We're already huge followers of the Volkswagen Crafter right here at Auto Express. It's our present Van of the Year, and now VW is making it even better by launching a variety of recent transmission and drive layouts, together with this 4Motion model. The Crafter 4Motion provides four-wheel drive to the mix, and is designed to give extra traction for van customers who venture off tarmac. Within the UK, 4Motion will probably be supplied on 3.5 tonne panel van, single cab and crew cab variations of the Crafter. Prices begin from just over £33,000. This can be a reactive 4-wheel-drive system, so in regular working a hundred per cent of engine energy goes to the front wheels. But when the Crafter's electronics sense a loss of traction, they'll instantly send energy to the wheels with essentially the most grip - entrance or rear. In excessive conditions, up to 60 per cent of drive can go to the rear wheels.

As talked about, the main advantage of the 4Motion system is further traction quite than off-street skill, as the van's journey height has been left unchanged. From the skin, the only difference between the Crafter 4Motion and the usual mannequin is the addition of 4Motion badges. Inside, it's standard Crafter fare, so whereas the cabin is lined in onerous-wearing materials, it is nicely constructed and options plenty of passenger automotive equipment, reminiscent of cellphone connectivity, touchscreen infotainment including sat-nav, and a cushty driving place. On the road, you would be onerous-pressed to inform where the 4Motion is any completely different from the 2WD Crafter. On dry tarmac, energy will nearly at all times be fed to the entrance wheels, and even within the wet it can need to be very slippery under the tyres earlier than the system activates. Luckily the roads of the Austrian launch event had been identical to that, and we are able to affirm that the 4Motion feels more positive-footed within the wet.

On a series of hairpin bends, the Crafter felt like it will virtually tip over earlier than it gave up grip, and that is unlikely to ever happen with a full load on board. We additionally tried 4Motion in a quarry, the place once more the extra grip of all-wheel drive meant the Crafter bounded up steep, wet, muddy slopes with out breaking a sweat. And with hill descent management included, there's no reason why the Crafter could not tackle all kinds of ungraded highway or forest track. 4Motion is offered within the UK with a six-velocity guide gearbox on the 140PS (138bhp) version of the 2.Zero TDI diesel, whereas the 2.Zero BiTDI 177PS (175bhp) engine comes with an eight-pace auto field. This gearbox is a torque converter auto, relatively than the DSG twin-clutch field you'll discover in VW's automobiles, and it's a silky-clean performer. The one indication of an upshift is a change in engine revs, as there is not any shunt from the transmission as it swaps gears. And it's the identical story in the event you kick right down to speed up or if you are coming to a halt - it is a easy performance that solely makes the Crafter even simpler to drive. Do you suppose 4Motion is an efficient addition to the VW Crafter? Allow us to known in the comments beneath.

The fourth Volkswagen Golf Mk7.5 variant making its debut in Malaysia is the Volkswagen Golf R. The mannequin was launched alongside the Golf GTI and Golf 1.Four TSI Sportline/R-Line versions. The refresh brings about styling revisions - on the front, the facelift will get a brand new bumper, a revised decrease grille intake design (a rectangular pattern replaces the earlier horizontal slats) and new Advanced Adaptive LED headlamps with dynamic light help. The rework also introduces LED tail lights and a revised four-slat diffuser on the rear as well as 19-inch Pretoria Black alloys - and 235/35 profile tyres - for the native specification car. The unit is paired with a seven-velocity, wet dual-clutch DSG transmission, and energy is applied to all 4 wheels through the automaker’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Performance figures include a 0-a hundred km/h time of 5.1 seconds and an electronically-restricted 250 km/h prime pace. Inside, the automotive features Vienna R leather-based inside upholstery, an R sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, brushed stainless steel pedals and illuminated scuff plates. It additionally options a 9.2-inch touchscreen Discover Pro infotainment system with a gesture management function. Apart from an eight-speaker audio system, there’s a 10 GB jukebox on high of the usual connectivity features, which incorporates App-Connect, which gives smartphone display screen mirroring performance through Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or MirrorLink. Other items include park distance control and a rear-view digital camera. Like the GTI, the R comes with entrance/rear fog lamps, driver profile choice, cruise control and automated headlights/wipers and keyless entry lock/start, among other issues. Safety-sensible, the automotive is equipped with seven airbags, ESC and a Proactive Occupant Protection System. Three colours can be found for the Golf R, Lapiz Blue, Pure White and Deep Black.

Volkswagen has lastly launched the new technology of the Passat in India and it's priced at Rs 29.99 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The Passat might be obtainable in two variants and sadly there is no plug-in hybrid variant introduced yet. First unveiled at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the Volkswagen Passat followed the design language of the brand new age automobiles from VW. The large stance and the sharper design made it look higher than earlier than. Though the automobile shares its underpinnings with the Skoda Superb, both cars look worlds apart. The new-gen Passat has taken nearly three years to come back to India but the launch has been a much awaited one. We say this because we've already driven the automobile and know exactly what it's all about. Volkswagen Passat gets a sharper design language over its predecessor. Compared to its predecessor, the proportions are higher with an extended wheelbase and a decrease body. Characterized by horizontal traces, it features a crisp and angular shape.