• 680 has longer bed, 600 has more berths
• Standing room throughout
• Lounge not the largest

Layout

Both Grand California models have similar layouts. At the front of the van, you’ll find two swivelling cab seats and two belted travel seats behind them. There’s a dining table that clips between these (which straps to the rear bed for travel) and the sliding door is on the UK nearside, a product of this being a European van. An electric step permits easier ingress and egress.

Behind the seats and partially covering the door, you’ll find a wetroom cubicle containing swivelling cassette toilet, foldaway sink and a shower. Opposite is the kitchen, which extends partway across the sliding door opening and has a 70-litre pullout fridge with freezer compartment, two gas hobs and a small sink. There are worktop extensions either side for a little extra prep space, and drawers underneath.

The rear of the van houses the main bed. On the 600, you sleep across the width of the van – the bed measures 193cm by 136cm, so taller adults may need to curl up a little. The 680 has a lengthwise bed with a small cutout at the feet – it’s 167cm wide, 200cm long on one side and 190cm on the other. Both beds can fold up to leave the rear of the van free to carry bikes or larger loads, but they don’t have any means to make them up into a secondary lounge as some layouts do.

28

On 600 models there’s also a second bed. It sits over the cab and pulls out, with a ladder occupying the gangway between kitchen and bathroom. It measures 190cm by 122cm. Happily, this ladder doesn’t block the washroom door, so all four potential parties can use the toilet at night if needed.

Power sockets are plentiful. There are four 12V sockets in the cab, plus two USB-C ports. Two USB-A ports by the rear seats accessible from the upper bed, a further two in the rear bed area. There are two 230V sockets in the kitchen, one under the rear seats and a further one accessible from a fold-down flap accessible when the sliding door is open – along with a further two USB ports.

Seating

There are four belted travel seats in all Grand Californias. The front two are the standard VW cab seats – they adjust in all directions, have twin armrests and swivel to face the rest of the van. The rear two are better suited to children, and they’re a bit narrow for two adults – and rather upright. There are, however, Isofix points on both.

Storage

Cupboard space is good, though it could be better. The kitchen has a large cutlery drawer and two square drawers, while the 680 gains an additional drawer and a large cupboard. Without the added length of the 680, the 600 suffers with a lack of large storage – there’s nowhere obvious to keep a big frying pan or capacious kettle.

Upper lockers line the rear of the van and give plenty of storage for odds and ends, though none of them are racked for plates or cups. The 600 has a short hanging rail above one corner of the bed, while the 680 has a proper wardrobe cupboard. Every locker and drawer locks positively – with posh-feeling catches on the drawers, and rather flimsier plastic catches on the upper lockers.

28

Shorter campers beware that a lot of these cupboards are quite a stretch to reach, particularly those over the bed. A step stool is a welcome investment.

Larger items can easily be stored in the rear, and taller ones such as bikes can fit when the bed is folded up out of the way. The outdoor chairs and table store neatly on the rear barn doors – but storage for the main dining table, strapped to the rear bed, seems like an afterthought.

Cab storage is good – you get four cupholders, triple-layer door bins, a large glovebox and two overcab storage areas.

Is it easy to park?

The Grand California is no wider than a regular Crafter, so it will fit in a regular parking space – though you may need to occupy two for length. Be aware of the 600’s bulbous roof, though – it’s 2.97m high, so will struggle to fit in many car parks.

Sensors and a reversing camera are worthy optional extras to be ticked, but all Grand Californias get great two-part side mirrors with a wide-angle lens covering the rear wheels.

Safety

The VW Crafter base vehicle scored Silver in Euro NCAP’s latest batch of safety assist tests. A large amount of driver assistance tech is available, but almost all of it is optional. The list consists of:

• Blind spot monitor
• Rear traffic alert
• Lane-keeping assist
• LED headlights
• Road sign display
• Adaptive cruise control
• High beam assist
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Driver attention alert

For safety’s sake, you’ll need to secure all loose items before driving – a tin of beans is one heck of a missile in a crash. The dining table should also be removed and securely fastened in the rear.