The new Volkswagen Multivan is more expensive than its predecessor, but offers more equipment and is now based on cars and SUVs, not a commercial van.
Family Cars
The 2025 Volkswagen Multivan will be more expensive than a top-of-the-range Kia Carnival diesel – and $6700 dearer than the cheapest version of its predecessor – when it arrives in Australia by mid-next year.
Launching locally three years after Europe – due to production bottlenecks – the new Multivan is now based on the MQB passenger-car platform of the Golf and Tiguan, rather than the Transporter commercial van.
Volkswagen promises a more car-like driving experience from its first all-new Multivan in 21 years – as the 2015 model was a heavy update of its 2003 predecessor.
Prices start from $75,990 plus on-road costs for the Life – $6700 more than the base version of the previous Multivan, and $3700 more than the better-equipped Comfortline Premium version.
Offsetting the price rise is a longer list of standard features, including LED headlights, dual 10-inch interior screens, bigger 17-inch alloys, a power tailgate, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, lane-keep assist, and lane-centring assist.
A long-body version – branded as LWB (Long Wheelbase), although the wheelbase does not change – is available for an extra $3000 ($78,990), which compares to $75,290 for a LWB Comfortline Premium variant in the previous generation.
The Kia Carnival – the country's top-selling people mover – is priced up to $72,910 plus on-road costs for a GT-Line diesel, or $76,210 for a GT-Line hybrid.
A better-equipped Style grade is due later in 2025, as well as a "different" engine option, and two-tone paint choices.
The Multivan's body lengths measure 4973mm and 5173mm respectively, both on a 3124mm wheelbase.
The short-body version is 69mm longer than its predecessor, on a 121mm longer wheelbase, but the long-body version is 131mm shorter overall, and 279mm shorter in its wheelbase, compared to the previous LWB Multivan.
The T7's body is 37mm wider than the T6.1, and the roof is about 80mm lower. Boot space is rated at 469 litres behind all three rows, and expands to a maximum of 3672L with only the driver and front passenger seats fitted.
Seven seats are standard in the Multivan, with the five seats behind the front two able to be slid individually between the second and third rows as desired, or removed entirely.
Volkswagen says each removable seat is 25 per cent lighter than before, and there are folding tray tables on the front-seat backrests, a sliding centre console with pull-out tables, and drawers under the seats for rear passengers.
Powering the Life is a 110kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive for claimed fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km.
The 2025 Volkswagen Multivan is due in local showrooms in the second quarter of next year (April to June).
2025 VW Multivan price in Australia
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.
2025 VW Multivan Life standard features:
The optional Goodnight Package adds:
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.