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Looking at getting a VW caddy maxi life shortly but can't decide wether I need a 1.6 or a 2.0 litre engine.
It will be used for driving to work and back, short ish journeys as well as weekends away,camping etc but it may be needed to row our caravan. This is the issue. Is the 1.6 (101 bhp) powerful enough to tow?
There's a lot less 2.0 versions around 2nd hand too.
Economy and road tax wise there doesn't seem too much in it either.
Is it worth waiting for a more powerful 2.0 to come along or is a 1.6 fast/powerful enough for what I need it for?
Anybody tried either Or own either can help me decide...?
IMHO - wait on a 2.0 and then take it to Pendle Performance
Not sure you'd have a great towing experience with a 1.6...
I have the 1.6 DSG and it's never been underpowered in real life.
I was going to get it mapped but never got round to it.
The 2.0 does have 40% more power but the torques is better too.
HOWEVER I tested both before buying mine and there is very little in it in the real world. The lack of and 2.0 DSG's that weren't converted to disabled was non-existant.
Pendle will take it to 130'ish easily so nothing in it.
Cruise control isn't an option even at the factory but is an easy retrofit if you know the right person.
Made a huge difference.
Strangely enough I just listed mine for sale on FB last night.
Don't use it to its abilities anymore since moving so downsizing.
@ hammy - how about a link so I can check it out? 🙂
Email me Rob and I'll fire it over to you
Cruise control is standard on the highline trim... or was last year, not sure about older models.
2.0 here, test drove the 1.6 but didn't feel it had enough umph,but then I do 30k a year, mostly on the motorway. Haven't towed with either, sorry.
Had about 4 1.6l seven seat Maxi life's (a couple of blue-motion ones) never did i thing it was underpowered. Yes more is always nice, but in the real day to day world it was never needed. Its van based people carrier, not a GTi. Fully loaded each march for a 2000 mile round trip to the alps and it felt fine, 5 adults, 2 kids, roofbox and board bag on the top and full of luggage, managed about 35-40 to the gallon.
Cruise wasn't even a factory option pre-2014.
VAG-com locks out the part numbers as "unable to synchronise".
Mine is the Highline and needed the correct slip-ring along with the MK6 stalks and then coding correctly.
There is no official VAG code for the Caddy either as again according to the Factory it isn't available in the Canbus software.
had a sniff about these recently - they are the one VW that could tempt me to try them again - the maxi has 5 seats and a load space the same length as my current van......whats not to like.
what impressed me most was a lack of gadgets and flash.
Ie - no stupid electric hand brake ,no fancy dash with things guaranteed to break and almost utilitarianism like a van should be......
Love the storage in them too.
Massive overhead tray
Drawers under each front seat
Then a further two under the floor behind the seats
Add a gazillion cup and bottle holders, nets and other cubbyholes and it's amazing how much you end up carrying!
What size of caravan? Are we talking a diddy wee thing or borderline twin axle 1500kg monster?
For those wondering - they will take a bike complete easily as long as the bench seat isn't in.
They have a 100kg nose weight in the town at as well so no messing with just a tiny carrier.
It's not a massive caravan, 1150kg I think...
Have towed with a 1.6 car before and it was a tad slow especially up hill, but it's not always about the engine size is it, bhp/ torque come into it too I think.
102/250nm torque on the 1.6
140/320nm on the 2.0
Standard Caddy van here (would have bought the maxi if I'd had the £ at the time) 2.0 engine, fast, nippy & powerful, just about the tick over the 140,000 mark. Love my van.