2012 was a big year for Volkswagen vans. The German firm rose to second place in the UK van sales charts and opened a network of business centres aimed at the fleet-buying market.
The redesigned Crafter, launched at the end of 2011, saw VW have a big year in 2012
A core reason behind this success was the launch of a new Crafter van, which came out at the tail end of 2011.
VW at the time was pleased with the performance of its Transporter and Caddy vans, but it had felt for some time that the Crafter was under-valued in the large-van sector.
Part of the reason behind this problem was that the VW Crafter rolls off the same assembly line as the well-regarded Mercedes Sprinter. Not a bad thing, you may think, but the problem is that many operators liked having the prestige of the Mercedes badge in their fleets, and so prices for the Sprinter held firm on the used-van market.
This affected the VW Crafter, which experienced greater depreciation in comparison and so looked more expensive over a standard working life.
Added to this issue was the slightly challenging front-end design of the VW Crafter. Never a looker, this ‘face’ of the van looked a bit brutal and even sinister – it was certainly enough to put some buyers off.
Redesigned model
VW took notice of these issues, and in 2012 they redesigned the Crafter, smoothing out the aggressive contours of that front end.
The engine range was looking a little dated, too, and VW replaced them with a range of two-litre four-cylinder power plants, with engine ratings of 109hp, 136hp and 163bhp.
The new engines made great strides in fuel economy, returning figures of 33% less fuel consumption than the units they replaced. They also cut SMR costs by around 25%.
VW also introduced a BlueMotion variant which had the most powerful engine in the range but still managed combined cycle figures of 37.2mpg and CO2 emissions of just 199g/km.
With that toned-down front end and new engines, both the looks and the performance of the VW Crafter were now smoother.
The model features plenty of storage space
The climb up into the cab is a steep one, but once inside you will find plenty of space for the driver and two passengers. There is also lots of storage space for the working day’s essentials, and the driver’s seat in particular is supremely comfortable, with lots of lumbar support and a figure-hugging form that supports the body all the way from the shoulders to knees.
Once out on the road, you can truly appreciate what VW have done with this Crafter van. The power steering is light and makes the van easy to drive in tight urban areas, while the engine is designed to deliver great waves of torque rather than wasteful acceleration.
Indeed, the two-litre BlueMotion VW Crafter feels as if it could pull up tree stumps.
Added extras
One thing that you always had to look out for on the VW Crafter was the options list.
This didn’t change on the 2012 Crafter, and even things such as a plywood lining and rubber mats are costly extras.
These things shouldn’t attract too much of a premium on the second-hand van market, however, and a used VW Crafter could be an attractive option in the large-van sector.
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