Auto Express – July 30, 2019

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk SpecialIssue 89

LivingwithaVolkswagenCalifornia OURCARS

Running costs

32.6mpg (ontest)

£105 fill/£455 or 37%tax

Practicality

Max. towing weight

2,500kg

Tea’sup

With his kitchen

out of action,

the Cali has

been helping

Rich gethis

morning cuppa

Essentials

Volkswagen California

Ocean2.0TDI199PSDSG

Onfleetsince: April2019

Pricenew: £61,822

Engine: 2.0-litre4cyldiesel,

196bhp

CO 2 /tax: 195g/km/£455

Options: CupboardinDarkWoodwith

outdoorshowerconnection(£306),Awning

railandhousinginsilver(£654),Adaptive

CruiseControl(£414),DiscoverMediaNav

(£602),Removabletowbar(£672),Front

andrearparkingsensorsincl.rear-view

camera(£714),CandyWhite/CherryRed

paint(£2,604)

Mileage/mpg: 4,307/32.6mpg

Anyproblems? Nonesofar

*InsurancequotefromAA(08001070680)fora

42-year-oldinBanbury,Oxon,withthreepoints.

WE LIKEThereare so manygreat

hidden features inside our Ocean

model. Things likethe mirror in the

cupboardhaveproveduseful while

Rich’s house is out of bounds

WE DON’TThe DSG boxisthe

California’s weakest link. It’s alittle

jerky around town, causing the van

to lurch forwardifyou giveittoo

much throttle and it shifts down

WE’VEbeenmakingfulluseofthe

California’sversatileinterior,ashouse

renovationsforceourmanout.More

thanjustaplacetoretreatto,the

Volkswagencampervanisproving

tobeacapabledailydriver,too.

★★★★★

Verdict

Second opinion
“TheDiscoverMediainfotainmentisshowing
itsage:theclunky,button-heavylayout(and
small-ishscreen)doesn’tlookparticularlyfresh.
AtleastithasAppleCarPlayandAndroidAuto.”

John McIlroyJo Deputy editor

Ourfleet

INDEX

Audie-tron

Issue 1,579,1,585

BMW3Series

Issue 1,576,1584

CitroenBerlingoXL

Issue 1,579

CupraAteca

Issues 1,564,1,573, 1,581

DaciaDuster

Issues 1,561, 1,564,

1,572, 1,575, 1,583

Ford Focus

Issue 1,582

HondaCR-V Hybrid

Issue 1,576,1584

HyundaiSantaFe

Issue 1,575, 1,580

Kiae-Niro

Issue 1,569, 1,580

KiaCeed

Issue 1,567, 1,577,1,582

MazdaMX-5

Issue 1,573, 1,585

MercedesG-Class

Issues 1,565, 1,574,1,581

MercedesX-Class

Is 1,547, 1,557, 1,563,1,571,1,578

RenaultMéganeR.S.

Issue 1,581

SEATTarraco

Issue 1,574,1584

SkodaFabia

Issue 1,572, 1,582

VolkswagenCalifornia

Issues 1,578,1,583

VolkswagenTouareg

Issue 1,580,1,585

WHILEeditorStevewasintheAutoExpress

BerlingoXL(above),chiefreviewerSeanCarson

borrowedhisMercedes-AMGG63and–asthe

onlycaronourfleetwithatowbar–pressedit

intoserviceastheultimatetowcar,relocatinghis

lightweightsportscar,whichhadbeencollecting

alayerofdustinadimanddingylock-up.

Withalargetrailerthatwasprobablyoverkill

forsuchasmallcar,weighinglessthan500kg,

theG63shruggedoffthemeaslymassitwas

beingaskedtodrag–unsurprisinglyso,thanks

toits577bhp4.0-litretwin-turboV8enginethat

alsokicksoutacolossal850Nmoftorque.It

meantgettinguptospeedwasneveranissue.

Otherneatfeaturesincludeanoverlayonthe

reversingcamera’sdisplaytoshowthetrajectory

ofthetrailerwhenbackingup,whiletheG63’s

economywasn’tevendentedtoobadly,showing

18.6mpgoverthetimethetrailerwashitchedup.

Sevenup

OurBerlingo

has enough

spacefor the

fiveFowlers,

AuntyTracey

and friend

Mark on their

trip to Spurs’

newhome

Citroen BerlingoXL

WHENitcomestoafamilyfunday,fewcarsdoitbetterthanourCitroen

BerlingoXL;somuchso,infact,thatwenameditBestMPVattherecent

AutoExpressNewCarAwards(Issue1,583).

TheBerlingowastheidealchoice,then,foreditor-in-chiefSteveFowlerto

usewhenhisfamilywasinvitedforalookroundthenewTottenhamHotspur

Stadiumbyoneofhissons,Harry,whosefirstjobisasatourguidethere.

TheFowlerfiveplusAuntyTraceyandfamilyfriendMarkallboardedthe

CitroenforthejourneytoNorthLondon.Theverdict?Mostlypositive.

Steveenjoyedhimself;thecarisreallyeasytodriveandcomfortable

overLondon’sbumpsandpotholes,whiletherewasplentyofroomfor

thefiveadultsintheback,eveninthethirdrow.Butthehotweather

highlightedthefactthattherearenoairventsinthebacktokeepeveryone

cool.Andthoseslidingdoors,althoughabonusincarparks,didfoxsome

ofthepassengers,whosaidtheyweretrickytouse.Finally,thereardoor

issolargethatyoucanhardlyopenitifyoureverseintoaparkingspace.

Fleetwatch

Mercedes-AMG G63

Your ultimate

guide to buying

andowningan

electric car