New 'T7' Volkswagen California first look - Best Vanlife VW camper yet?
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- čas přidán 8. 05. 2024
- New 2025 'T7' Volkswagen California first look - Best Vanlife VW camper yet? Jonny Smith goes to Spain to have a detailed first tour around what replaces the T6 camper van. This won't be the T7, as that is the commercial van partnership with Ford's Transit. Instead, VW are using their Multivan as the base vehicle, which uses the MQB car platform. In other words this drives more like a Golf than a T6.1.
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The Multivan California boasts double sliding doors to make it a 'walk through', three engine options that range from turbo diesel, turbo petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV), with the latter being AWD and capable of up to 62 miles of electric-only driving.
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Jonny Smith
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
#newvwcalifornia #vwcalifornia #vanlife #thelatebrakeshow #4k - Auta a dopravní prostředky
In spite of the irony that this isn't available in California, please don't call it "Cali". That's the insult to the injury.
As an owner of a business that converts VW Transporters to campers, Id like to thank VW from the bottom of my heart for totally cocking up the new California, I know that we will get more customers!
Agreed. What have they done?!
😂
I would love to know how they messed it up. All I have seen are these type of semi-commercial video's gently praising it.
@@BacterialAsh Course they are praising it, they are a guest of VW and want to be invited to future VW launches.
Ok it’s to small, it lacks storage, you can tell this as VW has added soft bags!
I’ve had VW campers for years and you need plenty of storage.. love to see a family of four plus the dog go away for a week in one!
I actually couldn’t agree with you more. This will help the transporter’s price hold even more than they already do.
A. Because it’s hideously expensive
B. Because it’s fkn awful
Yes to more camper reviews... but please do more to show the practicality of the vehicle. For instance, how do you get up into the loft? Maybe take it out for an actual camp? Talk about the convenience of it...or the lack thereof. But yes, definitely more.
Also, no mpg. I just think you can go deeper... maybe it's just me that wants this.
Fully agree. Would be a very interesting watch. Jonny I found this vid fascinating would love more of this.
To get into the pop top you basically climb on everything apart from the armrests on the front seats and the dashboard.
I'm glad someone made this point. It's all well and good reviewing somewhere nice but unless you've been away with the family and all your paraphernalia and food and toys (both children's and grown ups...) it's not a real review. Nice idea Jonny but you are entering a very personalised space (metaphorically and literally!) for many people. Oh, and there are a gazillion different types of camper. Why is that?
I have just bought a knackered old T5, to escape to the local parks with kids, bikes, dogs, etc, for the summer... 0-60 in 15 seconds, drives like a builders van, love it...
Still wayyy better acceleration than the '70's 2CV , I got to drive in the last week. Haha
Haha, I feel you. Not a VW, but I've just purchased a shed-standard Renault Grand Scenic 3 for peanuts. It doubles as impromptu camper, sips very little from the black pump, has a great stereo and a cheap chip means it now accelerates a little faster than continental drift.
@@sq1rlsqu4d there is lots of fun to be had, if you are handy with the spanners, in old shit boxes... ☺
0-60 in 3 months wouldn't be an issue,,,, you going somewhere fast?
I will laugh at you as I blast past in my V6 Elgrand which probably still cost less than your German $hit box. 😂
I'm probably alone in this, but I really don't like it. Oh, it's nice to look at and it has some fancy stuff, but in regard to camper practicality I feel it's a substantial downgrade. The kitchen/cupboard has lost a lot of room in favor of the second entrance (why would you need that?), which means a lot less storage and kitchen. Also the bench is gone, which had a lot of storage room in its seat. And the bed is now almost against the front seats. So, it seems to be a lot less camper than the previous models in my humble opinion.
Plus the upstairs bed is narrower - its now the same width as the downstairs bed in previous gen (which was only just big enough for two) and the downstairs bed is now even narrower - too narrow for two people in my opinion. And you are right, it has lost the space in between the bed and the front seats which is where many put their toilet for use in the night. Single burner hob, so you can cook either pasta or sauce, not both...! Two REALLY narrow rear seats, rather than the bench - separate seats could be a good thing if they were wider but they are also hard work to fold down into bed. No storage, much longer outside but much smaller inside - a big fail all around!
Nice fridge though
You are absolutely right. This second door takes op a lot of space and you will never ever use it.
@@nickhurman9607 Apart from the fact that when you open it, all of the cold air inside will escape... Oh, and means you cant put something on the one bit of floor available when the bed is out, unless you dont want to get in the fridge!
@@robbrigham5926 quite right , look at the width of the pillars either side , that is why its so cramped inside , what is in those vast wasted spaces ?
Thanks, VW... you've just increased the value of my Cali 6.1! 🎉 This new model seems to have been developed by someone who doesn't camp at all, packed with gimmicky features that are useless when camping.
Agree, my T6.1 just shot up in value
Can you explain what's gimmicky and what you don't like? Seems pretty good to me but i know nothing! :)
I'm also interested in what's made that statement? I've camped all my life, and the multivan (and the base model beach) is the first VW van I'd potentially consider (modest lottery win needed of course)
@@captain-chunk i bought a new T6.1 California Beach in 2022 precisely because it was the most flexible van i've ever seen, i use it almost daily and i camp with it every weekend, i chose the 4 seater version( instead of the 5) because the lateral storage area allows me to bring my longboard inside without having to resort to roof bars or having to fold down the back seats. The use of interior space is genius with the sliding back seat, the big drawer underneath it, the interior swivel hob cooker, the table on the side door and all the cool California features and space. To that i added the 4 motion with diff lock option, manual gears and the "simple" 150ps TDI engine. So i can say that I'm the target audience of the new version, but i feel really disappointed, specially with the Beach version, the downstairs bed is a nightmare that forces you to pick up a 30kgs seat, rotate it, drop it down, fold it, and then move the other two,one by one, and to a Origami of sliding mixed with levers and pull cords, then you still have to unstrap the mattress and unfold it on top of the seats, and the bottom part of the mattress is now rigid because of all the contours of the new seats( the old ones you could even dispense the mattress,they were flat. To add to this, you now have the cooker and the table on the back, reducing cargo space but more importantly you have to go out on the rain to be able to cook something. Im not even going to talk about the beds, they are both smaller, or the off-road capacity or even the durability and reliability of a mpv vs a work van base
No they can't @chriso202
6:17 “5.1 meters no bigger than most modern cars” 🤔 I think Jonny had been rolling around in the Eagle Quest before he flew off to film this 😂 and had that in mind when he said it.
OK, he might have forgotten this is the longer length Multivan. But still, compare its boot and interior space to a 5m SUV....
@@TheLateBrakeShowin fairness, my t5.1 Cali is about only a foot longer than my focus estate and about 6 inches wider. Parking visibility is more of an issue to me.
Yes more camper reviews please. 😀
As an owner of a 7m motorhome, I am considering downsizing to something smaller. However, I don’t want to spend most of the evening outside in an awning and my wife doesn’t want to wee in the weeds. So please include the practicalities of living in them as well as the features. Let’s see them fully loaded and in use for a week
Oh, and "yes, please" to camper reviews!
Immediately I feel like getting the word 'tortoise' into the video was a challenge you set yourself. Maybe it should be in every video. "If the last couple of years have tortoise anything"
You forgot the essential information. What’s the beer capacity of the fridge ?
Unlike the horse, a tortoise doesn't have a monocoque chassis.
Would the real @matttester please stand up 😝
As someone who lives in my T6.1 swb I find it spacious and ‘van like’ I love it. When it’s winter, I’m happy inside without the top popped to keep her cosy…yes I can’t stand completely upright and I might have to shuffle on my knees, (as a divorcee I can now say I was on my knees for 30 bloody years!) but this thing is tiny! Even with the tail gate open, this chap couldn’t stand up straight! I know it’s marketed towards the weekend camper, but a few years down the line, I can’t imagine seeing wonderful conversions or people waving at other vw T7 owners. Spose it’s the result of modern people wanting gadgets, bells and whistles….and it’s a crying shame
I’ve been a California owner for 5 years and I feel VW have not improved the design, for the first time in their history.
Granted, it’ll suit those who are looking for a simplistic design but there’s a reason the T5-T6.1 was so popular.
I genuinely think, existing California owners will look elsewhere when they’re looking to upgrade.
Looks very swish though 👌🏼
My family toured Scotland in an orange VW camper van back in 1970 and it was a very memorable holiday . . . the new van looks great.
As I’m a full timer van life. These things are weekend only vans.
That's exactly what they are designed to be
Yup, we rented one for a week and it was awesome! Perfect for my wife and I for a lot of hiking and cycling in Scotland! Had a blast!
Yes, review more campers and motorhomes , jonny.
This review was spot on and perfectly in-depth.
Keep up the excellent work
I'd love to see more campervan reviews on the channel for sure. Since I was 8, we always had a campervan as our sole vehicle. 1989 Renault Traffic with a self-conversion (pretty awful), then a 2000 VW T4 converted by Drivelodge (my personal fav) and finally a 2005 T5 Nexa by Bilbo's which my Mum only sold in 2019 when it driving it daily was getting a bit too much. I'm sure we weren't the only ones who treated them as daily drivers. Even before parking sensors and cameras, they weren't too bad to squeeze into supermarket car parks. I just love to see all the ingenious ways they try and cram everything in. I'm a big EV enthusiast (I drive a 2016 Tesla Model S 85D) but I don't see the ID Buzz working very well as anything more than a day camper. I think we're at least 5 to 10 years away from them being practical for proper holidaying in the depths of Scotland. I wonder if zapmap should add a category for campsites that don't mind you charging the battery of the electric hookups. Most can't take more than 10A before tripping and I've seen a lot of campsites ban their use for EV charging.
The T6.1 California bottom bed had a recline position which was perfect for reading. Id like to see them compared side by side.
Is the internal head room the same without the raised roof?
For the heating on the diesel T 6.1 you didn't have to havre the engine running to heat the camper.. Is it the same with PHEV and the Petrol T7?
These campers could do with an internal camera system which alerts you and send you a notification if anyone decides to try and break in,
Alos in this day and age they should have solar panels integrated into the roof.
Agreed. I would much, much prefer a single seat bed with the same operation and recline function of the old T6.1 with the wide drawer underneath and toolbox attached in behind the seat. Make sure that it leaves enough space for a porta-potti between the end of the bed and the front seats. I suspect that kitchen storage space is compromised with this design so you will have to learn to travel light, very light. They should find a way to fit the table into the side door as per the T6.1. I don't want to go round the back in the rain to get it. Has the ground clearance been raised from the concept car? I think so. Better but I'm holding off.
@@yasi4877 Agreed, the table was better situated in the door.
Where is all the storage space? I'd like Johnny to load this up with a weeks worth of gear for 2 adults and 2 kids for a week or two to see where everything goes.
Love camper reviews, so cozy and aspirational to watch. You do a great job with them, so more on the channel can only be a good thing.
Many thanks. Let's see what happens with this one.
Great review of an evolved icon. ‘YESSSSS!’ to more camper vans and other useful vans please🙏👏👏👏
Yes! Please do more van and camper reviews! Your manner and ability to communicate is excellent. Like you have barn finds, launches etc, have a Jonny’s van life channel…? 👌👍🤙
As a dedicated non-camper I can't believe I watched and loved a 25 minute camper review. I also now really would love to see a review of the Grand California from LBS
Jonny - thanks - as always - great episode. Love the idea of VanLife / Camper review episodes and maybe not just focussing on new releases, but best used buys as well?
Great video! We have gone through the renovated 1971 VW T2, self converted T4 to a monster vintage motorhome to modern (for us) Motorhome. It gets used, a lot, it even gets used as a 2nd car! Not, its not that prctical as a 2nd care being 7.5m long, parking in town is tricky, but it works when you plan! So, yes, love to see more motorhomes, campers on the channel
Makes me miss my old T5 TDi long wheel base... trade van I could convert to camper in an hour, and hit the road, which I did, often, pre pandemic, all around the North Island of New Zealand. So good.
Really enjoyed this. Bought a californium in 2009. It's not changed much and is still amazing. My kids grew up with it and loved it.
Brilliant review as always but this time I really loved the van on review. Great job.
I can never see the money they go for being value for money.... but each to their own
True, but they also hold their value - they sell for almost-new money even after a few years' use.
Fascinating - thanks for your contribution
@@robertcook2572 and thanks so much for yours, added so much insight.
You can go to go outdoors, spend a couple of hundred pounds on a tent sleeping bags, little cooker and go to a campsite in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside £20 a night you don’t need to spend 60 grand
@@craigberesford726 Which is fine if you can't afford one of these
Fantastic addition to the review lineup!
Some absolutely superb packaging design, Im really impressed.
YES YES YES more campervan / vanlife reviews please. Thanks for the video
Wonderful video Jonny, thanks a lot.
Just bought a 1991 VW T4 window bus for vanlife conversion, so a lot of inspiration here for what to build myself in that one. So I would like to see more camper stuff 👍
Great review, I really enjoyed it and would like to see more like this!
Great review Jonny. Comes across that you have used them and know what you are talking about. More camper reviews please. Be nice to see other makes. I have a new shape LWB Citroen Dispatch camper and I love it. It gets quite a bit of interest from folk who like the fact it's not a VW. Great channel. keep up the good work on that side of things, and all that 👍
After having just spent 6 days in the previous version in Northern Italy.. What I would love to have seen is the roof bed not being sloped.. And shame the bench seat at back is gone. But drives pretty good even in crazy narrow old towns or mountains passes.. And far better the outdoor table is not in the sliding door that you can only get too by closing the door
As a current T6.1 owner for 3 years i was really looking forward to this one, however it falls short in so many ways.
LWB for me is deal breaker due to having limited parking space as well as needing it as a daily driver parking would be an issue. The handbrake is great but build quality is still a big issue for me at this price range the materials look aweful.
Key things they missed were integrated blinds all round that don't bleed light as well as fly screens, optional integrated solar into roof to optimise space, getting rid of Gas to utlise the space and improve battery / offgrid offering induction hob possibly, less Storage :( and why not have upstairs heating integrated ? surely this would be customer feedback haha not 1 hob and a rubbish table i think the feedback responses seem to coincidentally match the shortfall of the design limitations . Many of the things which were standard in the Ocean will probably now be optional extras at cost.
Thanks for the detailed review guys.
It looks cheap
great vid! Deffo more camper types would be good Jonny!
Great videos, reviewing rvs and motorhome/campervans, brilliant...... old and new....
Yes, lots more of camper and motorhome pls..love all the content but love your take on these too.
I like the two tone paint scheme. It makes the vehicle look longer.
Dual-fuel vehicles seem practical now. I LIKE the VW idea of including the camping package from the factory. The package seems integrated and well thought out. I'm with you on the variation with the sleekest styling.
Good content and production. Subbed)
More living with or in a camper type videos please! Your last Multivan video led us to our current Multivan. Hoping to get into the California next.
Absolutely, you should review more camper stuff, Jonny.
Yes Please Jonny ! More campervan tests…🥳🙏….thank you.
Call me a philistine but I prefer one vehicle, a nice, spacious SUV, a bike rack and I am happy to stay in nice country B&Bs😏
You really can’t beat a proper bathroom and toilet. Bliss
Agreed even if you want the campsite experience most decent ones have cabins, shepherds huts, wigwams or some kind of glamping options. These campers start at what £60k plus 😅that’s a lot of holidays
And with the money you save, you can go further for your £\$
Finally a good review ... thank you.
A fantastic review, thank you
Looks cool, more camper reviews!!!
Please do more camper stuff. I always find it interesting and especially with your style of car review it would be great.
Johnny another great video love reviews that you make. VW done really great job with California, plug-in hybrid 4WD is just perfection for me. ❤❤❤
Cheers Jonny. I'd love to see more camper and motorhome reviews! Both new and old... Love a kitsch retro camper or motorhome, and they're always fascinating to me
Love to see these camper videos!
Very thorough review. Thank you. I wish these were available in Canada. Yeah more reviews of vans would be cool.
Yeah reviewing more campers would be great Jonny!
Unusual strength and conditioning session there Jonny!
Yes, definitely do more reviews on campers & motor homes
Hey Jonny, great video btw these things are tricky to explain all the possible configurations. I would say the infotainment will probably be updated by the time these become available. The new Tiguan & Passat set up is vastly improved. ❤
I'll probably never buy a camper but it's interesting seeing what they pack in these things. Amazing!
Yes to more campers
Loved it Jonny
Yep, definitely a few more campervan/motorhome reviews would be great!
Watched this whilst on holiday in our T6 Cali Ocean. Two reasons for us not to buy - only one hob ring and the electronic parking brake, even though we have had a few cars with them. The pop top bed seems comfier and the bottom bed set up much more straight forward.
Finally, yes please to more campervan and motor home reviews, thank you for a great one as always.
Extra camping hob is pennies if you need it, and electric parking brakes have been around for 2 decades now. They’re fine.
Due to my dealer blowing up my Amarok v6, I have had a "multi van" for almost 3 months. Not as bad as you would think but there are some issues. The infotainment is dreadful. Trying to find a contact will result in an accident. Also the A pillars.... I am not sure what they were thinking as you could fit a challenger tank in the blind spot on a roundabout. I actually camped in it at a wedding the other day and, whilst some improvement to my setup could have been made, it wasn't that bad. Trying to lock the thing involved clambering over the front seats as the key fob would go mental. and the interior lights had a mind of their own. Not a bad family car though if you dont mind driving around in it and a very comfortable long distance cruiser. Modern day Espace
Enjoyed this review 👌 an yh if you reviewed more like this im sure people would watch it as we all value your opinion 😉
YES to the camper reviews!!!
YES JONNY!!! Please more Campervan and motorhome reviews. Love to see the latest tech. Maybe even do barn find campers for the retro theme. Very well thought out this from VW with decades of experience and customer feedback.
Shame they never put a mini fridge in the Ocean spec bus.
Definitely more reviews on camper vans but I really want an update video on your Boxster
Very nice. More camper viewings when appropriate in addition to all the existing good stuff.
Yes, keen for more camper content! And vans in general. I obviously need to learn more from the pro before I try to share my knowledge complete with its confusions and errors hahah
Yes! Upstairs heating! We now have to use a piece of flexible aluminium pipe to get the heat up. But no, apparently users are not doing that. And not using the second cooking hob either.
Loved the review. Would like to see your take on other campers too. Both combustion and electric
You say "evolution, not revolution" but spinning the chairs around, that's revolutionary.
Does look better but love the T6 also. Yeah more camper reviews would be awesome. Great video.
A couple of decades ago my elder brother bought a used VW T4 Camper which had something like 65K miles on it. He was advised to buy a replacement engine for it, something it absolutely didn't need. Anyway, he was always hesitant to drive any distance himself because he doesn't particularly like strange places [makes you wonder?]. When his new engine was installed I coaxed him to take a 500 mile trip from Hampshire to around Cornwall and back in a matter of a long weekend, to give it some extended running time. He agreed provided I went with him as I knew Cornwall much better than he did. That was in 2002. He has never been anywhere else in it, apart from popping across town like you would in a runabout. It was a case of the idea of having the gear, not the actual using of it.
I would love a smart VW California. Yes Jonny I’m up for more camper or van videos as long as they don’t disturb the barn finds ❤
Barnfinds will never suffer. Tbh Jonny is tempted to buy a camper to spend more time in Barns!
Yes please, more campervans & vans reviews.!!
I’m a 90’s Max Power generation boy racer, Late Brake Show viewer, Smith and Sniff listener and now in advancing years am a caravan owner. Not cool, but I really like the challenge of towing.
My main point is that I watch a ton of caravan and camper van reviews and you have, in one fell swoop gone straight in at the top of the charts with the best of them. Lovely videography, great no nonsense in-depth detail on design points that count and done with some personality and decent wardrobe choices . Yes, more more of these yes yes!
Eagle Quest overland spec project in the future maybe?
Ha! This comment has made my week! Many thanks. Eagle Quest overland camper? Hmmm
A lot of clever design features, a beautiful vehicle for those who have the money.
Things that are missing from what I've seen in your video:
Much less kitchen storage for pots and pans, however I did like the clothes storage pouches.
I'm guessing the removable seats have storage under them, however the t6 had a huge draw.
I wish they added solar to the roof to extend the off grid life.
I wish the replaced the gas hob of an induction hob, it would create more storage where the gas bottle is and get rid of the fossil fuel.
I do like the duel door opening, it could be worth the loss of storage.
You look like you really enjoyed this one, Jonny. The PHEV seems like a really good option. I've reached that age where the mid-life crisis has passed, and a camper is interesting, and I miss my T2 Bay Devon pop-top. This is a good 'dub. I just hope that VW can sort out their dealership customer service problems.
Agree, it's the PHEV for me this time. Makes a lot of sense and you can trickle charge at the campsites.
@@TheLateBrakeShow A lot of campsites don't permit this. I wonder if there's a map/database of those that do.
@@TheLateBrakeShowwhat’s the battery size and the real world range you got from it Jonny?
Thanks Jonny, such a professional vid, great product beautifully edited - just more table practice needed! Yes more camper vids - side by side comparison with VW Crafter and MAN maybe? Car based platform is comfort choice 4 sure!
Would love to explore the Crafter based options more, yeah
12:20 coming from a T3/T25 I can relate to this!
Nice simple and clear review (more camper reviews are fine just stick to the smaller ones). Some of the fit out appears overly fiddly or engineered, especially a 5 legged table and those chairs which may not last as long as the vehicle. VW should do the basics and allow some degree of personalisation by the owners. Turn key everything is not always what people want. ID buzz shoes?
Really interesting walk around and a lot of food for thought. A friend of mine is kind enough to regularly lend me her T5 and we love to use it as a family.
Definitely wonder whether a Buzz version would be better. For me the ability to use the power from the big Li Ion battery would be a massive advantage and avoid need for hook ups.
You would be looking for hook ups though , to recharge though .
@@gramos9115 yes though I find with the current camper that after 2 nights without hookup I need to recharge the leisure battery. At least running off a big 70kwh or greater battery it would power a camper for weeks without hook up. Eventually you would have to charge but there are over 60000 public places to do that around the uk.
I like the look of this. Great fun, I reckon. Sadly, I can't afford one, but there you go. Enjoyed the review very much, though! Yes, Jonny, do please review more Campers and Motorhomes!
More of this please!!! ❤
A really interesting review. It looks great
Yes, please, more camper van reviews, please.
Van life is my life, please more ❤️
Expensive but looks like a lovely van. Camper van reviews would be great Jonny.
I'd love to see a LEVC e-camper review. Well done Johnny.
Great review Jonny, spot on with all the points you raised, definitely needed some nicer wheels, I would just say although that the van isn’t really a retro design I’ve always loved the retro wheels with the big hub caps,
On this van the steelies would look better. Would be good to see some camper-van reviews.
Great review me-old-mukka 👍🏻
Yes, more campervans. Also, please cover storage options for jams and preserves.
They are lovely but I'd still have the idbuzz california
Campervan Reviews: yes, please!
Finally, a decent review!
It could only be Johnny
Hi Jonny, the camper reviews are great. Would love to see what you think of the Renault Trafic based campers.
Yes, I'd be curious to see more RV / Camper reviews. The caravans you have in England / Europe tend to be different from those here in the States.
£70k seems like quite a bit, but it's 2024. The same money gets you: an F Pace, a Defender, a Grand Cherokee...suddenly it's not looking so expensive.
Personally I'd rather do a home built conversion on a T5. It would be much cheaper and I could spec it out exactly as I wanted it. But for people who don't have the skills to build it themselves and who insist on it being brand new, this is pretty good.
I would like to see more campers on the channel, especially interviews with people who have converted their own. What works well, what would you change, that kind of thing.