Volkswagen Multivan Life 2025 review

The humble people-mover might have plummeted in popularity since its 1980s heyday, but Volkswagen has never relented – it has been selling a ‘van-with-seats’ consistently in Australia since 1955, though its approach to the subject matter is about to pivot in a significant way.

We’ve already seen the electric ID.Buzz, which launched here last December in five- and seven-seat forms. The latter, with its extended wheelbase, delivering one of the best seven-seat set-ups of our time, at least when it comes to seat comfort and space, if not in ride quality.

Four months later, we have the new-generation Multivan seven-seater, which remains grouped among VW Commercials as a product in Volkswagen’s business but has actually migrated away from its van origins by being based on VW’s MQB Evo passenger-car platform.

And before the end of 2025 we’ll see the T7 Transporter-based Caravelle people-mover, which can seat up to nine people – meaning the German brand is defiantly asserting its stature as a world specialist in MPVs.

Despite this synergistic timing, the T7 Multivan has taken three years to get here (mainly due to supply issues), if potentially to our advantage because we get access to latest-tech powertrains such as the forthcoming eHybrid 4Motion – a 180kW 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid Multivan launched in Europe in 2024, replacing an older, slower 1.4-litre model.

The Multivan eHybrid will launch in Australia in early 2026 and will likely be accompanied by another powertrain – a 150kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four, tied to a seven-speed dual-clutch ’box. A more lavish Multivan Style trim level will follow in mid-2026.

For now, we get the entry-level Multivan Life in two versions – the SWB for $75,990 (before on-road costs) and an LWB for $78,990 (before on-road costs). While they’re presented as short- and long-wheelbase body styles, the difference is all in the rear overhang – 200mm longer in the LWB for even greater luggage space. They both share the same 3124mm wheelbase.

Powering the front wheels is Volkswagen’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, tied to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Producing a modest 110kW from 3000-3750rpm and 360Nm from 1600-2750rpm, it appears about as likely to start a riot as a cadaver in a crypt, given that it’s dealing with shifting upwards of 2058kg.

The official 0-100km/h claim is 11.6sec, which makes you wonder why VW didn’t specify a more powerful tune of this popular drivetrain – especially given the task the TDI360 Multivan faces in country-road overtaking when hauling a passenger load.

Still, it displays an effortless, easy-going driveability around town and comfortably consumes cruise-controlled freeways with its torque.

But even though there isn’t much grunt to deal with, it’ll readily spin its front tyres from a standing start – making urgent acceleration in challenging situations harder than it needs to be. Blame the not-so-flash H-rated 235/55R17 Kumho Ecsta tyres.

Apart from the chirping and squealing of tyres, the Multivan’s diesel drivetrain remains impressively subdued, even when (frequently) giving its all. In this respect, it’s vastly superior to any dual-cab diesel for refinement.

It rides better than any commercial vehicle as well, though anyone fooled into thinking the MQB Evo platform was going to deliver a plush, loping ride will be disappointed.

It’s significantly more absorbent than the uncomfortably unsettled ID.Buzz, and body control is well-contained, but the Multivan often thumps over bumps and transmits more noise into its vast cabin than is ideal.

Perhaps the adaptive dampers available in other markets (and potentially on the forthcoming eHybrid) are the solution. Either way, it’s acceptable, but not as good as we expected.

The Multivan’s steering initially isn’t great either – just under 3.0 turns lock-to-lock spanning a girthy 12.1m turning circle, combined with light-and-fluffy weighting and not a whole lot of feel.

But it’s effortless, which is arguably the whole point, and somehow gains a degree of heft when the Multivan Life is hurrying through a twisty national park (like on our launch drive), as if it’s late for picking up Charli XCX from the airport.

In these moments, the Multivan exposes its Euro-express origins, corralling together every fragment of muscle it has while tackling corners with confident balance. More open bends would be its preference, but the point here is its inherent driveability – let no obstacle get in the way of a T7 Multivan on a mission!

The combined fuel-consumption figure is 6.4L/100km – calculating to an overall range exceeding 900km on a tankful. We averaged 8.5L/100km (driver only) when road testing the Multivan in a variety of press-on conditions, leading one to suspect that achieving the combined claim shouldn’t be difficult.

On those long journeys, passengers will have plenty of time to enjoy what the Multivan is ultimately all about – occupant space, seat comfort and interior versatility. In all those areas, it scores.

While the dashboard design is all a bit 2021, it works well and doesn’t really need any more than 10-inches in diameter for its centre touchscreen (with wireless phone connectivity).

The wheel is leather-wrapped, the dash-mounted gear selector (an up/down toggle) becomes easier the more you use it, and the front-cabin storage is impressive – a lidded dashtop bin, a flip-up cubby above the glovebox, a flip-down centre tray with cupholders, and two-tier door storage.

What sets the new-gen Multivan apart is that every seating position now gets an individual seat with adjustable (and removable) armrests – even in the second and third rows – with each seat weighing 25 percent less than before for much easier removal.

The second- and third-row buckets are now on full-length rails, meaning they can be infinitely positioned along the rail length, or switched around to create unique seating configurations. Each individual seat offers similarly impressive comfort, and there’s an optional $690 Conference Package that enables the second row to be rear-facing.

Everyone gets their share of slide-out trays, cupholders, and connectivity ports, though shoulder width for broad adults seated in the outer third row is at a premium – you need to place an arm and/or shoulder on top of the rear quarter-panel trim to squeeze three across, even in an MPV that’s 1941mm wide.

The floor rails also include cabling for heating the outer rear seats (a $1600 option covering six of the seven seats), and $990 buys you an optional Multifunction Table that can be positioned anywhere in the Multivan’s cabin – from between the walk-through front buckets to between the outer seats in the back row.

This clever concoction of mobile plastic houses various trays, bins, and flip-out cubbies, as well as three cupholders, and can also be raised to a higher position to fold out its pair of sturdy tray tables.

While the Multivan already comes standard with flip-up front seatback trays, they’re comparatively flimsy and don’t inspire user confidence.

Other Multivan Life highlights include LED headlights with auto high-beam, LED tail-lights, keyless entry and start, a 10.25-inch digital cockpit, an eight-speaker stereo, two USB-C ports in the front and four in the rear, three-zone climate control with air vents for all three rows, 30-colour ambient lighting, electrically sliding side doors, and an electric tailgate.

Luggage space is huge – 469 litres behind the third row, 1844 litres behind the second row, and between 3672 and 4053 litres (SWB and LWB) with the rear seats removed – but then so is the Multivan’s options list.

A fully decked LWB tops out at more than $105,000 before on-road costs, though careful selection results in a satisfyingly luxe MPV.

For this you’ll need the panoramic glass sunroof ($2290), area-view camera ($690), electric AGR ‘ErgoComfort’ front seats with ArtVelours microfleece interior trim ($3990), Matrix LED headlamps ($2100) and an illuminated light bar between the headlamps ($490).

There’s also a Good-Night package ($4390) consisting of a foldable (and nicely supportive) double-bed mattress, a foldable table and two camping chairs, ventilation grilles for the front door windows (for locking at night), storage bags for the boot, and padded-cloth panels that magnetically attach to all door windows and the glass roof.

What you won’t need to option is any safety gear, some of which includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, travel assist, lane-keep assist and side assist – topped by a five-star ANCAP rating.

Yet the Multivan Life somehow isn’t the value-for-money scorcher that the new ID.4 Pro appears to be at $60K. The Multivan’s pricing begins somewhere near where the Kia Carnival’s tops out, though this aerodynamically enhanced VW box-on-wheels is undoubtedly more of a lifestyle multi-tasker than the style-focused (but still capacious) Kia.

But Volkswagen knows its audience in this people-mover segment – buyers who would never consider a Carnival because it simply isn’t versatile enough. When push comes to shove, the Multivan has never been more car-like, but nor has it been as flexible or as well-suited to adapting to the varying lifestyles of 2025.