Volkswagen Multivan review

The base model, which comes with a 1.5-litre turbo developing 136bhp, is available from £43,258, or an easier to swallow £399 a month. That’s not bad value in a sea of expensive SUVs that aren’t anything like as practical.

However, Life trim isn’t very lively. Jazz it up with some of the bubblier colours and you’ll be fine. Those are £930 a pop. If you want two-tone, that’s £2,700. Other options you might be tempted by: electric sliding doors are £1,620, three-zone AC is £1,200, a pano roof is £2,400, the upgraded tunes £1,080. You get the picture? It all adds up and you come out with an easy £50k bill for a small petrol minibus.

The eHybrid system adds £5,000 (and an extra 200kg in weight, over the base Multivan's 1,960kg kerbweight). Financially it probably doesn’t make sense, but the sense of wellbeing and harmony it generates (and the future-proofing peace of mind) means it makes sense to stretch to it if you can.

Meanwhile the diesel starts from £44,488. Whether or not the grand-and-a-bit on top of the base petrol is worth it given the price of fuel these days and diesels' tendency to plummet in value, only you can answer.

The upper trim line is Style. It does without the base engines and prices start at £55,048. Depending on what options you want, it might be more cost effective to spec up a Life, than just plump for a Style. There’s some stuff on that you might not be that fussed about.

All Multivans have LED front and rear lights, the multi-screened digital cockpit, centre and standard front anti-collision assist and lane-keep assist. It’s on every time you turn the car on. Luckily it’s also relatively easy to deactivate, via a button on the indicator stalk.

VW has used 50 per cent more high-strength steel in this Multivan than the old Caravelle, which uses more energy in production. But thanks to the 8kg lighter body and 45kg lighter suspension plus new powertrains and best-in-class aerodynamics, VW says this energy is offset in five years of use, and in the meantime, you have a stronger, safer, nicer-driving van.