• Smart dashboard with high-quality controls
• Lots of storage space and cubbies
• High driving position, solid build quality

The California is blessed with great forward visibility thanks to its high seating position – it’s high for a van, let alone a car or SUV – and all the secondary controls are sensibly laid out and clearly labelled, regardless of whether you’re in a pre- or post-facelift model. We find the steering wheel position a little ‘bus-like’, however, meaning the wheel is more horizontally angled than in many conventional cars.

There is a vast amount of useful storage within an arm’s reach of the driver, from the double-decker door bins to a variety of cup and bottle holders. The updated dashboard in the California 6.1 takes this even further, despite having an even smarter and car-like appearance.

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We had more trouble remembering where we’d put something rather than struggling to find space for it in the first place. The big drawer under the rear seats is ideal for camping kit such as power cables and awning accessories.

Interior upgrades for the 2019-onwards California facelift

Volkswagen made a number of detail improvements to the California’s interior for the 2019 facelift.

The one that stands out to us is the new dashboard, which looks much sharper with its newly integrated infotainment screens running VW’s MIB3 software and complete with voice control, on-board Wi-Fi and other connectivity features. We’re not so keen on the loss of the physical volume knob for the stereo, but that’s not unusual these days.

Ocean models get a second screen called the Digital Cockpit in place of a conventional instrument cluster. And although we find this is a touch harder on the eyes, the customisable manner in which information can be displayed here and on the central touchscreen means it’s easy to see everything we wanted to at a glance.

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Speaking of screens, on top models you’ll quickly notice that there’s now another one lurking above the rear-view mirror. This controls all the camping functions, including the pop-up roof, the auxiliary heating, the lighting and the fridge.

It also has a set of digital levels to help you park the California as level as possible and stop things rolling across the cabin. We can confirm that the more level the van, the better you’ll sleep at night, too. However, the latest Mercedes Marco Polo update (from 2024) one-ups this by offering optional air-suspension that can level the van for you.

Refinement

We generally use this section of a Parkers review to talk about noise, vibration and harshness – NVH as automotive engineers like to put it – but in the VW California you will experience this in a different way to almost any other vehicle on sale. Which is to say the most distracting thing about driving it is the sound of all the pots and pans and other cooking paraphernalia rattling around in the back…

This aside, there’s a bit of engine noise when accelerating hard. It’s better suppressed in facelift models, but entirely acceptable in both instances. Wind noise is well-controlled, too, which is impressive considering the California’s brick-faced design. Unseemly vibrations aren’t really an issue; VW’s latest diesels are smooth, and for a big hollow structure, the California is impressively stiff.

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Comfy seats up front, loads of legroom in the back

The front seats are comfortable and highly adjustable (they even swivel round to create a lounge-like interior when you’re parked); the standard rear bench – which converts into a bed remember – isn’t quite as comfy on the posterior, but we do appreciate that you get loads of legroom.

There are Isofix mounting points on the rear bench, allowing you to fit two chlidseats.

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