Volkswagen Australia has unveiled its latest offering in the unending recreational vehicle rollout for the brand – the new Crafter Kampervan.
The biggest and most lifestyle-friendly version of the VW campervans, the new Crafter Kampervan is the result of a conglomeration between the German brand’s local arm, and Australian RV and caravan specialist, Jayco.
VW Australia reckons the new big campervan – which comes standard with seating for four, sleeping space for three, air-conditioning, a TV, microwave, cooktop, sink, shower and toilet, among other inclusions – is the perfect product for the two brands to build together.
All grades come equipped identically in terms of what Jayco builds into the van.
That means all have built-in fresh water tanks and grey water cassette tanks, a toilet, full-size shower inside and an external shower, a fridge, kitchen sink, gas cook top, diesel heating system, reverse-cycle air-conditioning, a TV with DVD, stereo system with internal and exterior speakers (which you can isolate based on your surroundings), a second 12-volt battery and additional 120Ah lithium battery, LED interior lighting, a 200-watt solar array on the roof, a Wi-Fi extender, and a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You even get the soft furnishings, cushions and bedding, as well as numerous storage cabinets inside, a retractable step for side entry, an electric awning, and rear door flyscreen with zip.
What differentiates the grades beyond that is based on the spec of the VW Crafter it’s based on – however, all examples of the Kampervan run a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine producing 130kW and 410Nm, with an eight-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard.
The VW Crafter Kampervan will be available to order in three different trim lines – the entry-level Kampervan (expected to be priced at about $136,000 before on-roads), the Kampervan Style (likely around $150,000) and the range-topping Kampervan All Terrain (about $155,000).
The Kampervan base model comes with heavy duty suspension, shocks and stabilisers, a mechanical differential lock, hill descent control, black steel wheels, four-way swivel front seats, sliding kerbside door, 270-degree rear barn doors, a reversing camera, rubber floor mats and a leather steering wheel.
Step up to the Style grade, and you get a heated steering wheel, LED headlights and daytime running lights with headlight washers, a heated windshield, fog lights with cornering function, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and the media system is upgraded to include in-built satellite navigation. This grade also has the option of two-tone paint (single tone for the base model), and alloy wheels are available, too.
The flagship Kampervan All-Terrain adds (over the Style): a 30mm lift kit, engine underbody protection, AdBlue tank protection, a rear diff protector plate, rear shock protection, different steel wheels and off-road tyres.
And when we said it was big, we mean BIG. The length is 6866mm overall, with a 4490mm wheelbase, and it’s also 2795mm tall and 2040mm wide. It has a stated gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4000kg, so it is drivable on a standard car licence.
There is no official combined fuel consumption figure yet, and the fuel tank is just 75 litres, which could be the only limiting factor in terms of how far you can go off the highway.
Keyword: The ultimate home on wheels? 2023 Volkswagen Crafter Kampervan revealed as new motorhome built with Jayco