Used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi for sale: everything you need to know

The Volkswagen Caddy is one of VW’s longest-running nameplates, having debuted in 1979 - only five years after the original VW Golf. The fourth-generation Caddy arrived in 2020 and with it, a larger variant called the Caddy Maxi, the van we’re concentrating on here.

As you might infer from the name, Maxi means more size and more space, giving owners and operators extra choice should the regular Caddy be too small. Otherwise, everything that applies to the regular van applies here

If you’re not completely sold on the Caddy Maxi, then most rivals also offer larger variants (and sometimes heavy-duty models) of their own smaller vans. Others to consider include the Ford Transit Connect, Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Vauxhall Combo Cargo, and Renault Kangoo.

Should you buy a Volkswagen Caddy Maxi?

If you already like the Volkswagen Caddy but simply need more space, then the Caddy Maxi is the van for you. While the standard Caddy has a 3.1 cubic metre load area, the Maxi expands that to 3.7 cubic metres, fits a pair of Euro pallets with room to spare (from sliding doors on both sides), and can hold two Euro 3 pallets while the regular Caddy only accepts one.

Otherwise underneath, it’s the same great van. Since 2020, the Caddy has been based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform, primarily designed for cars, and it gives the Caddy and Caddy Maxi genuinely car-like behaviour, mainly to the benefit of ride comfort - depending on the variant it’ll still take a payload of around 700kg, but rides well even when empty. The Maxi does have a slightly larger turning circle (12.1 metres, compared to 11.4 for the regular van), which may sometimes hamper manoeuvrability in town.

Both the diesel and petrol engines perform well and don’t use too much fuel, and the rolling refinement is again pretty car-like, without too much wind or road noise. Being a van, naturally there’s a little more engine resonance sometimes, but it’s far from intrusive.

VW’s cabins have always been pretty decent, even in its commercial models, but the current Caddy Maxi once again feels even more like a passenger car than a van. The general dashboard layout is similar to the Golf, but with more storage for odds and sods - though does suffer from the same issue of having too few buttons for regularly-used controls like the ventilation system.

The Citroen Berlingo and its equivalents (the Peugeot Partner and Vauxhall Combo) are popular choices in this segment. They also drive well and come with some useful tech and features, and trade some of the VW’s car-like feel for a chunkier aesthetic inside and out. The Ford Transit Connect has been based on the Caddy since 2022, but older versions are still practical (3.4 cubic metres of space in L2 variants) and drive well too.

What’s the best used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi model to buy?

Our pick here is less important than what requirements your business needs from a van, but in terms of specification we’d note that the basic Commerce trim doesn’t have air conditioning, nor parking sensors, so we’d expect the cabin to heat up in more ways than one the first time you bump into something while manoeuvring on a hot summer’s day… Commerce Plus adds both, so may be worth hunting for if you don’t mind paying slightly more

VW’s 2-litre TDI engines pull well in any format, even if the on-paper power figure doesn’t seem spectacular, but the 122PS variant is the all-rounder in the range, not least since you get manual, automatic, and 4Motion all-wheel drive versions. The 1.5 TSI petrol may appeal to those who don’t cover many miles though.

Used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi fuel economy and performance

• Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0 TDI 102PS: Regular versions of the Caddy get a 75PS entry-level engine but the Caddy Maxi starts with a 102PS 2-litre diesel. With a standard six-speed manual it gets from 0-62mph in 12.6 seconds, and gets up to 57.6mpg.
• Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 2.0 TDI 122PS: The 122PS TDI comes in six-speed manual, seven-speed DSG auto, and six-speed manual 4Motion all-wheel drive formats. 0-62mph takes 10.5, 10.7, and 11.4 seconds respectively, and fuel economy is 57.6mpg, 54.3mpg, and 52.3mpg.
• Volkswagen Caddy Maxi 1.5 TSI 114PS: The sole petrol option also comes with manual and DSG auto options depending on trim. The manual gets from 0-62mph in 11.4 seconds and does up to 43.5mpg, while the DSG has figures of 10.7 seconds and 42.2mpg.

What used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi trim levels are available?

The Caddy Cargo range, and in turn Maxi versions of VW’s small van since 2020, have a three-tier range. The entry-level Commerce model is somewhat basic, lacking amenities like air conditioning, parking sensors, and even a light in the load area, which the Commerce Plus adds. The Commerce Pro is the best-equipped, and from 2023, gets a few extra items of equipment such as a reversing camera and keyless go.

• The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Commerce gets 17-inch steel wheels (16 inches on later models), black bumpers and mirrors, sliding doors on both sides, conventional heating and ventilation, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, fabric seats, cruise control with a speed limiter, seat height adjustment, an electronic differential lock, and a rubber floor covering.
• The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Commerce Plus adds body-coloured bumpers, rear parking sensors, air conditioning, a driver’s seat armrest, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, electric driver seat adjustment, and a light in the load compartment. More recent models get an alarm.
• The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Commerce Pro upgrades to 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a heated windscreen, LED tail lights, armrests for both front seats, an anti-theft alarm, and a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system. More recent models get keyless go, heated washer nozzles, and a reversing camera.

Used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi dimensions and load capacity

The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4853mm
• Width: 1855mm (without mirrors), 2100mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1860mm

The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi’s load capacity is:

• 3.7 cubic metres

Used Volkswagen Caddy Maxi road tax

Vans are currently charged a flat rate of annual VED or ‘road tax’ of £320 (or £176 every six months), so this is what the Caddy Maxi will cost each year. This figure is of course liable to increase in future.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen Caddy Max

Volkswagen hasn’t published insurance group ratings for the Caddy Maxi, but we’d expect them to be roughly in line with the standard Caddy, as well as other vans in this class. As ever with vans, we’d recommend speaking to a broker for a competitive quote.