THE light commercial market is littered with small European vans, but none has taken hold so quickly or as resolutely as the Caddy Van. The people-mover versions – Caddy Maxi Life, now re-joined by the short-wheelbase Caddy Life after a two-year absence – have not engaged the people-hauler buyers anything like as successfully. The question facing such buyers is do a svelte new front end and new engine do enough to make this version of Caddy Life any more appealing than the last?
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Caddy Life
Released: May 2006
Ended: December 2008
Family Tree: CaddyTHE Caddy Life arrived some four years after its commercial van brethren and lasted 18 months before agonisingly slow sales saw it shunted off the Volkswagen price list. The Caddy Life was a seven-seater that offered a 1.6-litre petrol or 1.9-litre turbo-diesel. The 1.6-litre single-overhead cam eight-valve four-cylinder petrol unit, with 75kW of power at 5600rpm and 148Nm of torque at 3800rpm, was available only with a five-speed manual. The 1.9-litre SOHC 8V four-cylinder turbo-diesel TDI with 77kW at 4000rpm and 250Nm from 1900rpm was available with a five-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission.
Get the full story: Caddy Life makes way for Caddy Maxi Life as VW renews its affordable people-mover
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