Volkswagen California Review & Prices

Volkswagen has totally changed its California campervan. It may not look like it, but this new California T7 is actually a car, and not a van. Previously, the California was always based on VW’s roomy and rugged Transporter van, but this latest version is based around the Multivan MPV, which is, under the skin, essentially a Golf. So, has VW thrown out its camping baby with its built-in waste-water tank?

There’s a touch of similarity to the electric ID. Buzz in the new California’s blunt nose and slim headlights. It’s more modern-looking than the old car — sorry, van — and there’s a full-width light up LED light bar at the front.

The styling of this T7 California looks a little more car-like down the sides than the slabby shape of the old T6 van, and there’s one big advantage — there are now two sliding side doors, one on each side, whereas the old T6 had only one. There’s a bit of a roof spoiler at the back, and slim brake lights, but it still looks basically like a van with windows. Which is fine, as all the interesting stuff is inside.

There’s a new layout, which sees the California use a shorter kitchen section to allow the use of two sliding side doors. That’s good for day-to-day practicality, but less good for camping and for storage, and you no longer get a nice fold-out interior table. There’s also only one gas burner for the cooker now, and a smaller fridge than before.

You do get two individual rear seats instead of a big bench seat, and these are comfier and more adjustable than the old bench. They, of course, fold out of the way allowing you to unfurl a double bed for camping, but this is slightly smaller than the old California’s bed, so it’s not great for two adults.

The ‘upstairs’ bed is a bit bigger, but it can get very cold and/or very hot up there depending on the weather. There are handy deck chairs and a fold-out table for alfresco dining, and the sliding rear seats also lift out, although they’re quite heavy.

In the cab, the California T7 is far comfier and more car-like than the van-based T6, and you no longer have to work around a big gear shifter nor a manual handbrake, as those controls are now just buttons on the dash. The infotainment system is mostly OK, but the touch-sensitive buttons for cabin temperature are infuriating.

The controls for raising the tent roof are simpler than before, and the on-board leisure battery can run the van for up to 24 hours if you’re off the grid.

To drive, the California T7 is much more comfortable and more car-like to drive than the previous T6 model, so it’s better for longer journeys, but there are still lots of rattles from the shelves, cupboards, and cooking apparatus in the back.

You can choose from a 150hp TDI diesel engine or a 204hp TSI petrol turbo engine for now, both with front-wheel drive and a standard-fit automatic gearbox, but there will shortly be a 242hp plug-in hybrid model which can run for up to 62 miles on electric power alone, and which can also be had with four-wheel drive — handy for getting in and out of damp campsites.

If this versatile campervan sounds like the camper for you, then head on over to our Volkswagen California deals page to see how much you can save when you buy through Carwow, or browse used examples from a network of trusted dealers. You can also check out deals on other new Volkswagens and if you need to sell your car before buying another, you can do that through carwow.

The T7 California is, as Californias always are, very expensive with prices starting on the wrong side of £60,000 and heading up beyond £80,000 for a top-spec model. Now, that’s cheap for a house, but very pricey for a van with windows. The prices are not out of line with rivals, although the likes of the Citroen Holidays is cheaper in basic form, while the Ford Transit Nugget is actually slightly pricier than the California. The good news is that Californias hardly lose any value so you’re unlikely to lose much in terms of depreciation as long as you look after yours.

Smoother and more car-like than before, but still with plenty of rattles inside

The California T7 is noticeably smoother and more refined than the old van-based T6, so there’s a definite benefit from the switch to a car-based platform. However there are still vibrations, and there are still plenty of rattles from behind, with all those camping bits and pieces. Indeed, there’s not much difference, rattle wise, between a new T7 and a well-used T6.

The T7’s steering is much more responsive though, and it feels a bit more car-like to drive. Squeaks aside, it’s a much more enjoyable proposition for a long drive than the rather hefty old van-based T6 California. There’s definitely been some progress, but it’s not a massive improvement on what went before.

In this T7 version of the California, thanks to the fact that there are now two sliding side doors, it’s easier to get in and out of the back, and you have more options for access and ventilation when it comes to camping. In the old T6, the kitchen work surface and cabinets continued all the way along the passenger’s side of the interior, meaning that there was no way to fit an extra door on that side. The kitchen section does just out into the door opening a bit, so you might have to breathe in to get through, but it certainly makes the California a lot more family-friendly in daily driving.

It’s rather fiddly and awkward to rotate the front seats around to form a lounge area — the seatbelt gets caught etc — but it’s easier and smoother to do than it was before, thanks to the fact that the T7 has an electronic parking brake instead of a big lever between the seats.

Up top, there’s a new single-piece sliding hatch that allows access to the roof, which feels more substantial than the old concertina item, and the roof operation is now simpler thanks to a proper physical button for opening and folding it, mounted to the left of the main touchscreen. Once it’s open, there’s plenty of standing room for making meals etc.

There is a new central interior control panel, which used to be mounted up above the driver’s seat in the old California, but which in this one is more sensibly located by the right-hand sliding door. It’s a touchscreen which allows you to manage the fridge, the 20-litre fresh water tank, and the air conditioning. In camping mode, the T7 California can run for up to 24hrs, constantly, on the built-in battery.

Cooking

The fact that the kitchen section has been shortened to allow room for an extra side door brings with it a certain level of compromise. In this T7 California, you’re down to one gas burner hob, whereas the old T6 had two. The sink is also much smaller than before, and you need to be careful how much you open up the folding tap as it’s easy to spray yourself or the cabin. The seats also get in the way of standing next to the cooker if they’re in the fully back position. You can fully remove the seats, but just remember that they weigh 20kg each. Mind your back.

There’s also less overall storage space than there used to be, with only a small cutlery drawer, and the fridge is now a slide-out drawer that opens into the door space, which means no more handy full-sized kitchen cupboards. It’s a smaller fridge than the old T6’s top-loader, too.

Under the sink and burner, there’s access to some power outlets, one of which is powered by the California’s leisure battery, and the other directly from the campsite hookup. You get at the gas bottle by opening a panel in the storage area, under the rear bed section, which is handier than the old screw-top system of the T6.

There are some storage areas behind the kitchen unit, and in a flip-down airline-style bin atop the rear window, but overall the old van-based T6 California had way more useful storage space.

Another annoying aspect is that the T7 is down to one table. The old T6 had a really neat slide-out table for inside, and another fold-out table, stashed inside the sliding door when not in use, for outside. Here in the T7, there’s just the folding table, which has to be either outside or inside, because it can’t be both. There is a little flip-out ‘table’ on the side of the kitchen area, which opens outside, but it’s more of a shelf than an actual table.

There is a soft storage area which covers up the right rear window (and seemingly too the cupholder…) which is a handy clothing storage space.

Sleeping

To make the downstairs bed, you have to take out the back seat headrests, reverse them, and pop them back into their runners. Then the seats fold flat, backwards, and you can open out the actual fold-out mattress, once you’ve undone its clips. Helpfully, this forms a solid base, which covers up all the gaps which are inevitable with folded seats. While the bed is very comfortable, it’s really only properly comfy for one person, as at 106cm width, it’s some 9cm narrower than the downstairs bed in the T6. At least it’s 198cm long, so there’s plenty of length for tall, snoozy people.

The ‘upstairs’ bed, which can’t be used if you’re making use of the stand-up space under the raised roof of course, is still accessed by basically standing on the front seats and hauling yourself up. It’s a slightly larger bed, at 205.4cm long and 113.7cm wide. That does still mean that it’s slightly narrower again than the one in the T6, but the new mattress does feel more substantial and more supportive. The little zip-down down windows for ventilation and light remain and they’re bigger than before. Most will probably prefer to sleep downstairs, as it feels more insulated, and the top bed can get very cold if it’s a chilly night. Kids will still love being up there, though. There’s fewer electric lights up top than there used to be, but the trade-off is that you now get an upstairs USB-C socket.

There are further USB-C sockets downstairs, and a handy master switch which allows you to turn off all the interior lights in one go, just by double-tapping one of the touch-sensitive light covers.

You also get handy mesh-covered vents which clip onto the front electric windows, and which allow you to have night-time ventilation without bugs getting in. Handy, but they’re a little fiddly to fit. Mind your fingers.

One benefit of the switch to the T7 is that you can choose which side to have the awning on — in the old T6, it was only ever fitted to the driver’s side. The awning winder is now also incorporated into the structure, so it’s easier to get at, but it’s not as easy to use thanks to the revised design of the winding mechanism.

As ever, there are nice camping chairs stashed in a compartment within the boot lid. They’re as comfy as ever, but the velcro straps holding them in place aren’t as handy as the old plastic clips.

The built-in blinds in the back are better and smoother to use than those of the old T6, but the blackout blind for the windscreen is very fiddly, and involves a tent-like structure that means installing stiffening poles into the fabric. It does do a very good job of blocking out light, though.

Bathroom

There’s no bathroom in the T7 California — as ever, that’s reserved for the big Grand California, based on the massive Crafter van. On the downside, that means you can only rely on the campsite’s, er, facilities when you need them. On the upside, it means no traipsing down to the sluice area with the carry-on suitcase of doom (the toilet cassette).

The California T7 can be fitted with a shower outlet at the rear, however, just next to the fresh water tank filler, but with only 20 litres in the fresh water tank, you’ll exhaust that pretty quickly.

A much more car-like cabin, with good quality, but the touch-sensitive buttons are annoying

Straight away, there’s something about the T7’s cab that’s a downgrade on the old T6. It’s because the T7, being based on the same bits and pieces as a Golf (yes, really) gets the incredibly annoying touch-sensitive ‘slider’ controls for heating and stereo volume, whereas the old T6 had proper, physical buttons, and chunky ones at that.

Happily, everything else up front is an improvement. The digital driver’s display looks classier, and it has more information, and there’s no more massive gear stick getting in the way of moving between the cab and the rear of the interior now that the automatic gear selector is neat, stubby switch on the dash. There’s a wireless phone charging pad, some fold-out cupholders, 12-volt socket, USB-C sockets, two gloveboxes, another lidded storage area on top of the dash, huge door bins, and a good driving position. It’s impossible not to love the twin armrests, and the steering wheel looks and feels considerably classier than before. Better yet, the steering wheel has proper buttons, not the annoying touch-sensitive pads of some Volkswagens. The cabin looks and feels more car like than that of the T6, and the materials used are pretty decent too.

Instead of the old California’s single bench rear seat, this T7 has two individual rear seats, which slide about more freely than before, and which make the seating setup that bit more versatile. Both rear seats come with ISOFIX anchors, which is handy, but it does mean that you might miss the big under-seat storage drawer of the old Cali. In the T7, there are individual drawers for each seat, but they are of course smaller than the old one.

Having two seats also, obviously, means that once again the California is a strict four-seater, which does limit its practicality somewhat in terms of daily driving. Slide both seats fully back and there’s spectacular legroom, and you can recline the rear seats too.

The main infotainment touchscreen suffers from the usual fiddliness that we’ve become used to with VW Group products, but it’s not terrible, and at least there are physical switches for the roof control and for the electric sliding side doors.

You can choose from a 2.0-litre diesel with 150hp or a 2.0-litre petrol with 204hp in the California T7. Both models are front-wheel drive only, and there’s no four-wheel drive option anymore nor any more powerful diesel option. Later, there will be a plug-in hybrid version too, with 242hp and the potential for up to 62 miles of all-electric driving. That version will come with the option of four-wheel drive.

Until the PHEV California arrives, the TDI diesel version manages a claimed 42.2mpg and 177g/km CO2 emissions, while the TSI petrol is considerably worse off with 30.7mpg and 210g/km of CO2. Both models will only cost £360 to tax though, as they come under the motorhome VED rate, which is based on weight and engine size, not emissions.

The California T7 might look like a van, but its car-like underpinnings have given it an impressive safety score. When tested by Euro NCAP, the Multivan (on which the California is based) took home a full five-star score, with a 90% rating for adult occupant protection, 89% for kids, 69% for vulnerable road users, and 87% for its active safety systems.

Volkswagen has a long-held reputation for reliability and quality, but that has been under threat of late, with some high-profile reliability snafus, and many complaints about its cars’ infotainment systems. The Multivan, on which the California is based, didn’t feature in the most recent Driver Power survey but the mechanically-similar Golf did, and that came in 50th place with a very poor mark for quality. That said, other cars from the VW Group with the same mechanical bits finished higher up the charts, with better quality scores.

Volkswagen itself finished in a poor 29th position out of 32 brands in the Driver Power survey, which is far from great, but 23.4% of customers reported issues with their cars, which isn’t a terrible figure.