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Grand California 600

FROM £72,745

  • 17"x6.5J Silver alloy wheels
  • Discover Media Navigation system with 8" touch-screen
  • Climatic air conditioning
  • Leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, heated
  • Park distance control in front and rear

 

600

Grand California 680

FROM £75,238

  • Leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, heated
  • Driver assistance pack A includes front and rear parking sensors w/ side protection
  • 17"x6.5J Silver alloy wheels
  • Discover Media Navigation system with 8" touch-screen
  • Climatic air conditioning
680

From £72,745.00

or from £515 per month

For bigger adventures

A night under the stars. An unforgettable summer weekend festival with friends. A beach house, ski chalet and return ticket, all in one. The all-new Grand California motorhome is Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ latest addition to its proud story of building freedom on four wheels. Featuring a comfortable, spacious interior, cutting-edge technology and a platform taken from the proven Crafter, the Grand California motorhome expands upon previous generations of camper van.

Personal Contract Plan

3 monthly payments on us when you finance a Grand California on Solutions Personal Contract Plan2

Drive away in a Grand California on Solutions PCP and we'll cover your first 3 monthly payments. With 3.6% APR Representative, a 4 year care package and £2,400 (incl. VAT) worth of factory options on us.

Representative example based on a 48 month, 10,000 mile per annum Solutions Personal Contract Plan agreement2

Grand California 600 2.0TDI 177PS 8-speed automatic
Payment profile 48 months/10,000 miles
On the road retail cash price £72,745.00
First 3 months of £0 followed by 45 monthly payments of £515.00
Customer deposit £17,734.68
Optional final payment £39,218.40
Option to purchase fee^ £10.00
Total amount payable by customer £79,623.08
Total amount of credit £55,010.32
Representative APR 3.6% APR
Rate of interest 3.6% fixed
Excess mileage charge (incl. VAT) 7.2p per mile

2. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. Ordered by 03/01/21. Minimum 1% deposit required. Minimum 46 month agreements only. Indemnities may be required. ^Payable at the end of your agreement. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Financial Services.  

UK retail customers age 18+. Factory options subject to availability. All factory options must be ordered at the same time as the vehicle. Options to a value of £2,400 or (if lower) value of options ordered by the customer. Customers must meet additional cost if they order options in excess of £2,400. Grand California service plan terms: Service plan covers first four consecutive, scheduled services, limited to x2 interim services, x2 major services and 1x MOT. Services must be taken in line with recommendations (see service manual for details) at participating Volkswagen Van Centre. Exclusions apply, including accidental damage and work identified as necessary as part of servicing checks. Warranty restricted to 120,000 miles. Vehicles to be ordered by 03/01/2021. Subject to availability, participating Van Centres only. Offer must be redeemed at time of order. Offer may be altered or withdrawn at any time. Exclusions, restrictions and T&Cs apply to service plan and warranty – please consult your Van Centre for further details. For details of our Roadside Assistance, including applicable exclusions, restrictions and T&Cs, please see our handbook: https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ra_handbook Solutions Personal Contract Plan terms and conditions: At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 1% minimum deposit required. 18s+. Subject to status & availability. T&Cs apply. Ordered by 03/01/2021 and delivered by 31/03/2021 from participating Van Centres. Grand California only. 36 to 49 month agreements only. Agreements with a term less than 46 months may receive a contribution less than the equivalent of 3 monthly payments however you will not be required to be make a monthly payment for the first 3 months. Indemnities may be required. Not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be withdrawn at any time. Accurate at 09/2020. Freepost Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Financial Services.

Hire Purchase

Enjoy 2.9% APR Representative on Hire Purchase3

Drive away in a Grand California on Hire Purchase with 2.9% APR Representative, a 4 year care package and £2,400 (incl. VAT) worth of factory options on us.

Example is based on a 36 month, non-maintained Hire Purchase agreement3

Grand California 600 2.0TDI 177PS 8-speed automatic
On the road retail cash price £72,745.00
Customer deposit £38,428.08
35 monthly payments of £995.00
Option to purchase fee^ £10.00
Total amount payable by customer £74,258.08
Total amount of credit £34,316.92
Representative APR 2.9%
Rate of interest (fixed) 2.9%

3. Indemnities may be required. ^Payable at the end of your agreement. Minimum 1% deposit required. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Financial Services. See below for full terms and conditions.

1. UK retail customers age 18+. Factory options subject to availability. All factory options must be ordered at the same time as the vehicle. Options to a value of £2,400 or (if lower) value of options ordered by the customer. Customers must meet additional cost if they order options in excess of £2,400. Grand California service plan terms: Service plan covers first four consecutive, scheduled services, limited to x2 interim services, x2 major services and 1x MOT. Services must be taken in line with recommendations (see service manual for details) at participating Volkswagen Van Centre. Exclusions apply, including accidental damage and work identified as necessary as part of servicing checks. Warranty restricted to 120,000 miles. Vehicles to be ordered by 03/01/2021. Subject to availability, participating Van Centres only. Offer must be redeemed at time of order. Offer may be altered or withdrawn at any time. Exclusions, restrictions and T&Cs apply to service plan and warranty – please consult your Van Centre for further details. For details of our Roadside Assistance, including applicable exclusions, restrictions and T&Cs, please see our handbook: https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ra_handbook Hire Purchase terms and conditions: Ownership transfers once the customer pays all charges and payments including the Option to Purchase Fee. With Hire Purchase. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. Terms and Conditions and exclusions apply. Offer available when ordered by 03/01/2021 and delivered by 31/03/2021 from participating Van Centres. Minimum 1% deposit required. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication [09/2020]. Freepost Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle Financial Services.

Available paragraph headlines for vehicle: 0 - By Line 1 - Ten Second Review 2 - Background 3 - Driving Experience 4 - Design and Build 5 - Market and Model 6 - Cost of Ownership 7 - Summary Available photo URLs for vehicle: 0 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820(2).jpg 1 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820(3).jpg 2 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820(4).jpg 3 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820(5).jpg 4 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820(6).jpg 5 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820.jpg 6 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820int(2).jpg 7 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820int(3).jpg 8 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/big/volkswagengrandcalifornia0820int.jpg Available scores for vehicle: 0 - category 1 - categoryshort 2 - subcategory 3 - id 4 - isdefault 5 - performance 6 - handling 7 - comfort 8 - space 9 - styling 10 - build 11 - value 12 - equipment 13 - economy 14 - depreciation 15 - insurance 16 - total Here, Volkswagen has set itself the target of producing the ultimate motorhome. Jonathan Crouch tries the Grand California

Here, Volkswagen has set itself the target of producing the ultimate motorhome. Jonathan Crouch tries the Grand California

performance
60%
handling
70%
comfort
70%
space
60%
styling
90%
build
80%
value
70%
equipment
70%
economy
70%
depreciation
80%
insurance
70%

By Line

Here, Volkswagen has set itself the target of producing the ultimate motorhome. Jonathan Crouch tries the Grand California

Ten Second Review

Volkswagen's Grand California brings car and LCV manufacturer expertise for the first time to the business of building a really large motorhome. It's based on the Crafter large van and designed to give the kind of travelling freedom a typical owner would crave. There's nothing quite like it.

Background

By and large, motorhomes are built by companies that borrow van manufacturer engineering, then build luxury quarters around it. Or at least some of them do. Since 1988, Volkswagen has been offering the California, a four-berth motorhome based on the Transporter van, which in more recent years has been challenged by the Mercedes Marco Polo, a V-Class/Vito van-based contender of the same size. Many motorhome buyers though, want something larger than either of these models. And you'd certainly need something bigger if you wanted a proper bathroom in your motorhome, a feature that would give you real go-anywhere freedom in using a vehicle like this. That's what this model, the Volkswagen Grand California, provides. Launched in early 2020, it's only direct rivals come from motorhome companies basing a living structure on third-party large van - usually a Fiat Ducato or a Peugeot Boxer. Volkswagen reckons that designing and producing the complete vehicle itself produces a much more complete end product. Are they right? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Because of its sheer size, the Grand California is a more challenging thing to drive than Volkswagen's regular California model - and of course it's much heavier too, which is why the 2.0-litre TDI 177PS diesel engine that all variants of this model share takes nearly 16 seconds to reach 60mph from rest and longer still to get itself through the gears. Overtakes will need to be planned well in advance but once you're up to speed, the plump 410Nm torque figure keeps you there without undue bother. All derivatives use an 8-speed DSG automatic gearbox which changes sweetly through the ratios and facilitates quiet cruising. Body roll is actually pretty well kept in check for a vehicle of this size but of course you won't be wanting to throw any sort of motorhome about and the stability system here is programmed to make sure that you don't. On this '680' variant, there's the option of Volkswagen's 4MOTION four-wheel-drive system, which might be well worth having for slippery campsites or if you're venturing to rural destinations. The suspension set-up achieves a good balance of ride quality. And your view out and ahead is excellent thanks to the high seating position. Manoeuvring of course can be difficult with a motorhome this big; we think you'll certainly need the optional rear view camera. Bear in mind too, that to drive this Volkswagen, your driving licence will need a C1 rating allowing you to pilot something this heavy. If you passed your test after 1st January 1997, that might be a problem.

Design and Build

With the Grand California, Volkswagen has for the first time entered what the motorhome industry calls '6-metre' class and added in a bathroom to a vehicle of this kind. If you know the Wolfsburg brand's LCVs, you'll recognise from here at the front that it's based on the company's biggest van, the Crafter. Which means it's big - particularly in this '680' form, the figures designating a 6.8m length. There's also a slightly smaller '600' model measuring in at 6m for those with smaller driveways. That alternative '600' model offers the option of an upstairs sleeping area. A Grand California '680', in contrast, is very much based around luxury accommodation for just two folk. So, let's take a look inside the living area, access to which is gained by a large offside sliding door, below which a motorised step slides out to help you in. You immediately come across a two-person rear bench seat. At meal times, this can make up one half of a four-seat dining area when a table is inserted in front and the cab area chair swivelled round to face those at the rear. Heading backwards down the vehicle, there's a kitchenette on one side with two-burner cooker, work top, sink and refrigerator. And, on the other side, this Grand California model's most unique inclusion - a fully fitted-out wet room. The latter feature is crucial because it means that owners won't be tied to camping sites with toilet and shower facilities and therefore can roam more freely. The shower in this wet room draws water from a 110-litre on-board freshwater tank and drains it into a 90-litre waste tank. There are some lovely touches here which come with Volkswagen's ability to design and create the whole vehicle itself. Things like smart optional ambient lighting strips around the classy cupboard doors. And this wall-mounted tablet that allows you not only to adjust cabin heating and ventilation but also to deploy the optional roof-mounted satellite dish. You can choose to heat the cabin either using gas (the vehicle can store two big bottles of it) or electricity. The main bed is at the rear and is a comfortable size for a couple of adults - as you'd hope it would be in a vehicle this big. Bluetooth speakers around this bed allow someone at this end of the vehicle to listen to a different kind of music from that playing in the cab. If you do need to sleep more than two people, there's the option on the 600 model of an extra berth over the cab, which slides cleverly in and out and could be used by a couple of kids or small adult. As you'd expect, the front cab area is pretty much exactly as it would be in a well specified Crafter van and includes an 8-inch 'Discover Media' navigation system touchscreen incorporating the brand's 'App-Connect' smartphone-mirroring system, Bluetooth and a 4-speaker DAB audio system.

Market and Model

Let's try and guide you through the Grand California range. All models use a 2.0-litre TDI 177PS diesel mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. If you go for the shorter 6m-long '600' variant, there's a choice of two vehicle weights; either 3.5 tonnes (which at the time of this test in mid-2020 cost around £73,000); or a 3.88-tonne '600' variant costing around £600 more. For this test though, we chose the longer 6.8m '680' model, which is only available in 3.88-tonnes guise. '680' prices start at just over £75,000. For around £7,000 more, you can get a '680' derivative complete with the brand's 4MOTION four-wheel-drive system. As for options, well if you want to sleep more than two people in a Grand California, you'll need the smaller '600' model, which alone offers the £2,500 option of an over-cab bed with an access ladder. Most buyers will want an awning, available in either black or white; and probably also features like a roof-mounted satellite dish, a Wi-Fi LTE hotspot data server and a stationary air conditioning/roof air-conditioner. You can also add in a couple of extra windows in the vehicle's side panel, an auxiliary heater, solar panels, ambient lighting, toilet ventilation and a heating system for water and interior powered by mains electricity or diesel. You might also want a rear view camera, a heated windscreen, power-folding mirrors, a rear bicycle rack and a towbar. There are various optional 'Driver Assistance' packs which give you features like Lane Keeping Assist and a Blind Spot Monitor: and you can add in full-LED headlights with High Beam Assist stop. Side and curtain airbags also cost extra.

Cost of Ownership

You might expect that you'd need deep pockets to run a vehicle this big and heavy. As it happens, you might be surprised. Let's take a look at the WLTP figures. The '600' series model can manage up to 24.8mpg on the combined cycle and up to 298g/km of CO2. This '680' front-driven variant can manage up to 24.6mpg and 301g/km of CO2. For the '680 4MOTION' variant, the top figure is 22.8mpg and up to 324g/km of CO2. A 3 year / 100,000 mile warranty is included - and it can be extended at extra cost. Volkswagen offers a range of insurance plans and also fixed priced servicing and a fixed cost maintenance programme.

Summary

When it comes to motorhomes, space is the ultimate luxury. And since this Grand California has so much of it, that's enough to make it feel very luxurious indeed. It's initially a bit shocking to find that a vehicle as big as this only sleeps two in standard form. But that's what the retiree market it's aimed at want - and on the 600 model, there is the chance to pay extra for an extra high bunk if owners want the option of bringing along the grandchildren. You have to know what you're buying here of course. This model won't be as easy to adapt to on the road as the brand's smaller Transporter-based standard California model. And of course it's much pricier to. If though, you want the most complete, most comprehensively engineered motorhome there is, this could very well be it.

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