• Seven seats as standard, five with Isofix
• Roomy in all three rows, rear very flexible
• Long version has more luggage space

How much space is there?

The VW Multivan’s available in two body lengths: Standard and Long. The two models share the same wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) but the Long version has more rear overhang, meaning there’s more bodywork sticking out behind the rear wheels.

Whichever you choose, you get a highly flexible interior with seven seats as standard, typically set out in a 2-2-3 layout. A six-seater option with captain’s chairs in all three rows adds a further layer of luxury. Accessing the third row is easy, with the centre seats sliding well out of the way.

All the rear seats are on rails and each can be removed entirely relatively easily, adding to the flexibility; while we’ve found the seats light enough for a single person to lift out, it’s probably more sensible to carry them between two.

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There’s also a useful sliding storage unit, which provides cupholders and stowage for smaller items. This mounts on the centre rail and can go all the way through to function as a centre console between the front seats, or you can position it in the back and use it as a table – the top rises and upfolds to facilitate this.

You can even set the middle seats facing backwards for a more convivial lounge-style seating arrangement. Though not all models come with this capability and you do need to fully remove the seats to rotate them.

Legroom and headroom are good in all three rows, and there’s space for three adults to sit across the rear – though if they’re burly, you can slide the middle seat back slightly to prevent shoulders bumping together.

Boot space and storage

Luggage space with all seven seats in place is a little limited. Though it’s quoted at 469 litres and 763 litres for Standard and Long versions respectively, that’s when loaded right up to the roof – space under the rear window is rather less generous. Certainly, it you’re regularly planning to load the van up with seven adults and their luggage, you’ll want the Long model.

If in reality you’ll rarely have that many people on board, we’ve always found the flexibility of the seating arrangements means there’s plenty of boot space in practice, and the Multivan will easily swallow a pushchair without it being folded down if you aren’t burdened with too many suitcases. A shelf in the boot offers split level storage up to a reasonably generous load capacity, but we’ve always just taken this out and stored it to make the most of the overall volume.

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Take all the seats out and you’ll liberate a cavernous 3,672 litres, or 4005 litres in the Long model. There’s a maximum load length of 2.43m and 2.63m as well. The totally flat floor throughout adds to the practicality.

There’s plenty of more personal storage inside the cabin, with the large glovebox complemented by smaller cubbies on the dashtop. Stacked door bins provide space for odds and ends, including large drinks bottles, and there’s a cupholder available for every rear occupant.

Is it easy to park?

The Multivan’s usefully square dimensions at the rear, big mirrors and good visibility make reverse parking easy, aided by standard parking sensors and a rear-view camera. The front is a little trickier to judge, with a more substantial bonnet area than its Caravelle predecessor that’s not especially easy to see from the driver’s seat.

Opt for the Style model and you’ll get Park Assist, which is capable of parking the Multivan with no driver input. Regardless of variant, this is a large vehicle, so just finding a parking space large enough is sometimes the biggest challenge. That said, VW has consciously kept the height under 2m to make it easier to get into most car parks.

Safety

• Full five-star score from Euro NCAP
• Adult and child protection exceptional
• Rates highly for safety equipment

Large MPVs don’t come much safer than the VW Multivan. When tested by Euro NCAP in May 2022 it received the highest-possible five-star rating, scoring exceptionally well in three out of four categories, with a marginally weaker score for Vulnerable Road Users possibly due to the car’s bluff frontage.

Ratings of 90% and 89% for adult and child occupants respectively are highly impressive, with less common features including a centre airbag between driver and front passenger to stop them banging into each other in a crash. A score of 87% in the Safety Assist category acknowledges the effectiveness of the standard autonomous emergency braking system and lane-keeping aids. We’ve found the latter reasonably unobtrusive on all kinds of roads, a plus point in our books.

Other safety equipment that comes as standard is road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and automatic post-collision braking, while Style models come with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

All the seats in the second and third rows come with Isofix and i-size mounting points, including top tethers. That means space for up to five securely fitted child seats.