There are vehicles that naturally invite you to hit the road. The Volkswagen California is one of them. Now based on a new technical base, more modern and more generous in size, this emblematic van retains most of what gives it its charm: driving without a program, with everything you need within reach. To gauge this, I headed to Switzerland and Liechtenstein for a five-day road trip, made up of mountain roads, discreet bivouacs and awakenings facing the peaks. Here is the story of this rolling interlude, between driving impressions, life on board and the simple pleasure of having your home on four wheels.
But before accessing all this, you should not hesitate to put your hand in your wallet. I’m telling you about this from the start because, as you will see, many criticisms can be linked to the price. Because if the Volkswagen California starts at €68,400 in Camper finish, it only has a mini-kitchen in the back. For a complete kitchen, it’s straight away €76,850 in Coast finish. But for a total experience, my California Ocean test model starts at €84,000 and all options take it to €93,276. Luckily, a converted van being considered a VASP, in the same way as an ambulance, it escapes any penalty!
The departure was from Paris, heading east, deliberately avoiding the highway to better savor the journey and take advantage of the first hours on board. This first day stretched to Germany, in Baden-Württemberg, where we found a quiet corner in the forest to spend the night, away from a road with little traffic once night fell. For this type of stop, an application like Park4Night quickly proves essential: it lists places to sleep, but also well-located refueling points or parking lots. This is all the more useful as legislation on wild camping varies greatly between countries and regions. Thanks to comments from other travelers, you can avoid unpleasant surprises: unfriendly residents, police checks or hefty fines. As for driving, long distances can be covered without excessive fatigue. The high command post offers a good view of the road and an appreciable feeling of safety. Up to around 110 km/h, soundproofing is controlled; beyond that, some air noises are heard, but nothing prohibitive. The California is now based on the Multivan platform and no longer that of the Transporter, and this is felt: the behavior is smoother, more typical of a minivan than a van. The damping then remains rather decent on long stretches, and if you can, the DCC controlled suspension is probably a must. Then on this type of journey, the DSG7 box shines with its discretion and smoothness. But once stopped, it is above all an opportunity to deploy the electrically lifting roof for the first time, to discover the space on board and to begin to get to grips with everything it has to offer us.
For this new generation, the Volkswagen California has made several notable developments. Its length now reaches 5.17 m, or 27 cm more than the previous model, with a wheelbase extended by 12 cm; enough to offer more space on board and allow several people to stand up without difficulty. The two sliding doors, one on each side, provide more flexibility depending on the location chosen to stop. Inside, the traditional bench seat gives way to two individual sliding and removable seats, easier to adjust or remove as needed. The side kitchen has been redesigned: the stove and sink are integrated into a more compact unit, the refrigerator adopts a 37-liter drawer format, and the storage layout has been revised. The front seats swivel as easily as ever, to quickly transform the space into a dining or lounge area. The van also has numerous powerful LED lights, with adjustable intensity, which allow you to adapt the atmosphere at any time.
The second day begins early, calmly, with the singing of birds as a wake-up call. Coffee, cupcakes, quick toiletries: everyone makes their mark, and already they have to make choices. Traveling in a van for just a few days also means accepting not to see everything in order to better savor what you discover. We cross the Swiss border through the canton of Schaffhausen. The famous Rhine Falls – the largest waterfalls in Europe – catch our eye, but that’s for another time. Head to Arenenberg Castle, perched above the lake, where Napoleon III spent a large part of his youth. The place is superbly preserved, filled with period furniture, bathed in an almost intact atmosphere. Then, the road gently follows the shores of Lake Constance, dotted with small villages where I can only advise you to stroll. For my part, I choose to make a long-awaited stop: the “autobau erlebniswelt” museum, a treasure for automobile enthusiasts, nestled in a former industrial hall. We then take advantage of the neighboring town, for a late afternoon stroll along the water’s edge.
With the days getting longer and the weather nicer, vanlife takes on its full meaning. At the end of the day, we find a nice, discreet spot not far from Lake Zurich, at the edge of the mountain. Aperitif in the fresh air, the folding table and chairs cleverly stored in the tailgate are quickly installed. We then prepare a nice hot meal: that’s the advantage of having a kitchen on board even if it has to make do with just one fire. Damage ! On the other hand, the new sliding door promised access to the kitchen from the outside, but in reality, the cover blocks the whole thing. Only a retractable shelf (good idea!) allows you to cut a few tomatoes outside. Fortunately, the fridge is very practical for organizing food or drinks inside.
Head to Liechtenstein for this third day. On the way, a first stop is at the village of Werdenberg, with its wooden houses lined up on the edge of a small pond and its castle perched on the hill. The place, calm and photogenic, is worth the detour. Then, in Vaduz, the pocket capital, we quietly discover the castle of the princely family on the heights, then the government palace and the Saint-Florin cathedral in particular. Less than 40,000 inhabitants live in this small country, which can be crossed in a day if you don’t stay too long for hiking or skiing in winter. For our part, the hilly route continues gently between the pretty towns of Triesenberg, Steg and Malbun, before descending to the foot of Castle Gutenberg, bathed in beautiful late afternoon light.
For our third night, we return to the Swiss side and climb a little further in altitude. The snow is still there, on the peaks, and we find ourselves almost alone in the world, under the gaze of a few deer. On board, some criticisms appear: no mirror to get ready, a touch screen that is slow to start up and turns off automatically after five minutes without interaction; However, it is essential to consult the status of the tanks (29 liters of clean water, 22 liters of waste water), the battery (2x LiFePo 40 Ah), or to manage the lighting. We also regret the absence of a solar panel, which would somewhat limit the dependence on travel. This does not prevent the California from having advantages: the integrated blackouts (blinds and magnetic shades at the front) make it easier to darken, and despite a first impression of a lack of storage, we find our way there. The small spaces scattered under the seats, along the walls or above the trunk allow you to organize a lot of things. The front seats turn around even more easily, and the cabin retains a nice feeling of space once installed. Perhaps for a slightly longer trip, the loss of storage would be felt more.
The mountain routes are on the program for this fourth day, even if many passes still closed at this time complicate the organization a little. So no major Alpine crossing, but beautiful roads all the same, punctuated by stops at the Devil’s Bridge in Andermatt, at Flüelen on the lakeside, or at the Einsiedeln monastery. Normally, I can only recommend that you go up to the Saint-Gotthard Pass, observe theabandoned hotel Belvédère at Furkapass or even climb to the famous Lake Oeschinen. The fact remains that this type of layout is perfect for judging the road qualities of the California. Under the hood, a small 2.0 TDI with 150 hp, associated with a 7-speed DSG gearbox. Not so “small” after all: the torque of 360 Nm allows you to restart without stress despite the 2.5 tonnes empty, including on slopes. Note that a 245 hp plug-in hybrid version with all-wheel drive is just making its appearance. The management, precise and reassuring, participates in the approval. We are obviously not trying to establish a time, but everything remains sufficiently alert not to become a burden on the road. On the other hand, the absence of engine braking requires using the paddles, especially when going downhill. Fortunately, the braking system copes well with the pace. In terms of consumption, this small diesel unit remains frugal: over 2000 km of testing, I noted an average of just over 6 l/100 km, with extremes of 5.5 l/100 on secondary roads, 7 l/100 on the motorway and, certainly, a little over 8 l/100 in the mountains.
Then it’s already time for the last night. We spent the entire stay sleeping on the upper bed, more comfortable thanks to its real box spring and its more generous dimensions (1.14 m wide by 2.05 m long). If there are only two of you, the lower bed can act as an extra bed or be useful on colder nights, once the seats are folded (1.06 mx 1.98 m). For this, the integrated stationary heating is of great help, with simple configuration. Be careful though: it takes a little agility to go up or down upstairs, especially if the bed is already occupied. Access is narrow, although the jacked base makes installation very easy. Finally, on sunny days, the openings on the canvas allow you to sleep almost entirely under the stars or to be bathed in light, air or simply to enjoy a lovely view.
Before heading back to the capital, we took the time to discover two charming Swiss villages: Bremgarten and Lenzburg, whose castle dominates pretty period villas. Enough to gently conclude an escapade which will have allowed us to better understand what this new generation of the Volkswagen California offers. I haven’t mentioned the driving position so far, but it remains very close to what we find on other models of the brand, with a clearly readable Digital Cockpit, a fluid and complete 10-inch touch screen, ergonomics that are not always intuitive and all the expected driving aids, including a reversing camera which is very useful when parking. This California is both more spacious and more pleasant to drive than the previous one. The Multivan platform indeed brings a real gain in comfort and maneuverability, without denying what makes the charm of this type of van: real freedom of movement, the possibility of stopping almost anywhere and autonomy that we do not shy away from. Some details could still be optimized, such as the addition of a second fire for the kitchenette, a small interior sliding table, a more generous water tank and larger storage spaces. But overall, with its equipment, its well-thought-out modularity and its manufacturing quality, this new California retains this mixture of comfort, practicality and desire to escape which has made its reputation.
Photo credits: Thomas Donjon (Fast Auto)Volkswagen France (interior photos)
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