Road Test: Volkswagen T5 Kombi 2.0 TDI DSG

The iconic Volkswagen Kombi – preferred transport of legions of hippies moving to a different beat throughout Europe, the USA and to a lesser extent South Africa – was the forerunner of the MPV boom and, by the time that really got underway, the Kombi was rapidly dated.

Officially the Kombi was discontinued some years back as the Volkswagen range underwent a number of changes with the T5 Microbus emerging as the replacement and, while other MPV’s became more and more luxurious and technical, the Microbus continued to find favour with fleet operators, tour operators and hotel groups as reliable people movers.

Keeping the Kombi name down was never really an option and even though officially a T5, it is the Kombi – and it has recently been given a refresh that included revising the front end to fit in with the VW family look of its passenger car cousins, such as Golf 6 and Polo.

With the revision, all the turbo-diesel (TDI) engines have been replaced by a completely new generation of Euro III engines with the latest common rail injection.

There are three new 2,0-litre TDI four-cylinder engines with output values of 75 kW, 103 kW and 132 kW – our test unit being the 103 kW version. Across the board, the new engines offer significantly greater dynamic torque characteristics and improved acoustics, combined with an average reduction in consumption and CO2 values of 10%.

The 103 kW TDI engine, combined with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox, has a maximum speed of 172 km/h and an average fuel consumption of only 8.0 l/100 km. Maximum torque is 340 Nm from 1 750 r/min, remaining constant up to 2 500 r/min. Exhaust CO2 emissions are 211 g/km. As an aid to more frugal driving, the new Kombi features a gearchange indicator in the revised dashboard layout.

The interior of the T5 range has been revised and now boasts seats with improved comfort, a new steering wheel and numerous new electronic components, while the instruments themselves have been redesigned. With sliding doors on both sides, access to the rear seating is easy and safe, especially if the vehicle is being used for business purposes – passengers can disembark onto the pavement, irrespective of which direction the vehicle is facing.

The revised seating is more comfortable and for the driver the ‘view from the top’ is of easy-to-read instrumentation leading to a good view of the road ahead. The Kombi ‘walkthrough’ that runs from the front seats to the rear bench also means rearward vision is largely unimpeded.

The Kombi is fitted with the semi-automatic Climatic system that controls the temperature automatically depending on the setting, with air distribution and blower adjustment the only manual operations. There is one dial for the temperature, a second for the fan and a third for the air distribution. The buttons for features such as the heated rear window, recirculating air function and off/on (AC) have been integrated above these. Kombi is equipped with an air-conditioned headlining and also has nozzles in the rear.

The latest generation Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) is a standard feature in the Kombi models and its range of functions has been enhanced to create a network of security features that VW claims is unparalleled in this segment. Another new active safety feature in the T5 range is a rapidly flashing warning brake light during emergency braking, which alerts vehicles behind to the dangerous situation ahead.

ESP now also counteracts the danger of tipping over during emergency manoeuvres. The control unit compares the engine torque against the actual acceleration, and thereby calculates the current vehicle load situation (unladen, semi-laden, fully laden), allowing it to control the ESP intervention point with optimum effect.

A feature of the VW Kombi has always been its ease of use. The new T5 Kombi has grown quite some since way back when, but it has lost none of that simplicity of operation – the dashmounted gear lever is within easy reach and the DSG gearbox provides slick changes. The floor-mounted handbrake requires a bit of a stretch to reach, but otherwise the ergonomics and quality of the cabin are good.

Even though it weighs 3-tonnes, the Kombi 2.0 TDI certainly does not have to hang its head in shame and holds its own with all traffic situations, highway or otherwise. Cruise control provides progress that is even more effortless over the long haul.

Big as it is, the Kombi has above average road manners for a vehicle of almost 3 tonnes. It responds well to steering inputs and is capable of cornering harder than one might expect. The brakes provide reassuring stopping power too.

All Kombi models come standard with a 3 year/120 000 km manufacturer warranty and 5 year/60 000 km AutoMotion Maintenance Plan. All models have a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty and 15 000 km service intervals.

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