Going on holiday in a Campervan was once considered an economical way to enjoy some time off. Campervans could offer a decent night’s sleep and the ability to avoid hefty hotel costs, while enabling you to explore the Great Outdoors, perhaps with a camping stove and a couple of deck chairs. It also came with a bohemian edge which could ingratiate you with the full strata of society.
But the new VW California is a wholly different proposition. Aging hippies aren’t going to be impressed by this (unless of course they are the owner). They might consider the rising electric roof, which enables four to sleep in the van, a little too modern, as well as looking upon the two-ring hob and sink as trinkets that would prevent you from embracing al fresco gas stove cooking, or obtaining your water from the freezing local stream in the morning.
And who knows what they would say about the fridge, heater and wi-Fi hub?
The only thing that will keep you in touch with nature is the absence of a toilet.
But apart from that, the new VW California Campervan appears to have lost its roots entirely. But for most of us, that can only be a good thing.
But for nearly £50,000, one might expect a few mod-cons. Indeed, the boffins at VW seem to have thought of everything with this van. For example, when eating time comes, the front two seats swivel round and a dining table can be slid out. They’ve used every inch to the fullest.
With all these home comforts in-the-know van breakdown insurance customers might think that theCaliforniais a bit too cumbersome for easy driving, but the truth is it is no bigger than a regular VW van. And it’s powerful, too, so you won’t find yourself impeding an entire motorway’s worth of traffic. It boasts 178bhp, has a top speed of 117mph and does a pretty decent 37.2mpg (EU Combined).
Some people may lament the simplicity of earlier Campervans – that is, until they get behind the wheel of this one.