Volkswagen CRAFTER Review & Prices

The Volkswagen Crafter is the largest van in VW’s lineup, sitting above the Transporter and providing an alternative to the Ford Transit and Renault Master. It’s solid-feeling, comfortable to drive and feels like a premium offering - much like a Mercedes Sprinter - but the payoff is that it’s not as much of a workhorse as cheaper, more capacious vans.

The Crafter range was launched in 2006 and the second-generation model has been built since 2017. A facelift in 2025 introduced a new interior and extra safety kit, and that’s the model we’re testing here.

If the Mercedes Sprinter is the Breitling of the large van world, and the Fiat Ducato the Casio, then consider the VW Crafter a bit like the Seiko - quietly classy without being too shouty.

The Crafter is available as a single or double-cab chassis for your own conversion, or as a panel van in a choice of three lengths and three roof heights. There are three diesel engines available, manual or automatic gearboxes, front-, rear-, or four-wheel drive, and even a choice of three body weights. It’s fair to say that the majority of people ought to be able to find a VW Crafter that suits their needs.

Its VW underpinnings are obvious when you sit inside the cab, because by large van standards it’s a really nice place to be. The ergoComfort seats are similar to those found in VW’s passenger cars, while the digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system are pure Golf. However, like the similarly screen-heavy Ford Transit, it doesn’t feel quite as usable or as intuitive as the physical switchgear you got on the pre-facelift model.

Everything feels very well built, though, with a car-like quality that carries over to the Grand California campervan, based on the Crafter.

Heading further back, the Crafter’s load area is large and square. The floor is very low in front-wheel drive models, reducing strain on operators, and there’s bright LED lighting and a clever composite load floor with built-in points to secure racking.

To drive, the Crafter is a delight. Even the more basic models with manual gearboxes are easy to drive in town thanks to light controls, great visibility and predictable responses. Going for the eight-speed automatic nets you the single best gearbox available on a panel van today, as well as a powerful diesel engine, and optional four-wheel drive removes any traction issues too.

But there’s no electric version available yet, as there is with all the key alternatives. Plus, those diesel engines are a little thirstier than the competition.

Payload ratings aren’t great either, so if you want a van that’s more suited to being a workhorse there are better options. If you’re an owner-operator after a classy and comfy daily drive, though, the VW Crafter is a great option.

You can now buy a Volkswagen Crafter right here on Carwow, or search for a used van for sale here, and remember you can even sell your van through Carwow too.

Crafter prices kick off at just under £40,000 ex.VAT, putting it on a close level with the Ford Transit. That means it occupies a middle ground, pricier than the Stellantis Group large vans (Fiat Ducato, Vauxhall Movano etc.) or Renault Master, but not as expensive as the Mercedes Sprinter.

You can add plenty to the price of the Crafter if you want, though - its options list is extensive even among the alternatives. There are numerous configurations for the seating, bulkhead or load area panelling, and if you want you can even turn it into a properly luxurious space with a bigger touchscreen, climate control, all-round LED lights and Level 2 advanced driving aids. Things start getting quite expensive if you do so, though.

Powerful and smooth diesels with a class-leading automatic gearbox - but it’s a bit thirstier than alternatives

The VW Crafter is one of the very best panel vans to drive. It’s easy to pilot no matter the scenario. In town, you get good visibility courtesy of a deep windscreen, nice square dimensions, and great two-part rear-view mirrors that give a great view out.

A reversing camera is a reasonably-priced option and worth ticking, and all-round parking sensors are standard. There's even an autoparking system available.

On the motorway, comfort and refinement are superb for a commercial vehicle. The engine settles down to a nice refined thrum, especially if you have the weight-speed automatic with its higher top gear.

Speaking of the automatic, it’s one of the best around - and significantly smoother than the one Volkswagen fits to a lot of its passenger cars. It really takes the sting out of town driving.

There are three engines available with 140hp, 163hp or 177hp. All are available with either manual or automatic gearboxes. The 140hp is front-drive only, the 163hp rear-drive, while the 177hp is front- or all-wheel drive. For the nerds, the 163hp engine is actually longitudinally mounted to allow this - and reserved for the heavier chassis options.

The Ford Transit arguably feels more agile, and the Mercedes Sprinter is even more comfortable still - but the Crafter strikes a fantastic balance.

The Crafter's load area is practical and easy to access, but payloads aren't fantastic

The Crafter has a versatile load area. The doors open to 180-degrees as standard, but opt for the Commerce Plus model and they open all the way out to 270-degrees for easier loading in tight spaces.

There’s the option of composite or ply coatings for the inside, plus a neat universal load floor designed to make racking out the inside of the van easier. You can also spec internal roof bars for long items, plus there are an array of additional battery or heater systems available from the factory. The whole fabric of the Crafter is designed to accept third-party conversions very easily, making it a great choice if you want a van to convert to a camper or for a specialised purpose.

There are three body lengths, named Medium Wheelbase, Long Wheelbase and Long Wheelbase Maxi (which stretches the body but not the chassis). There are also three roof heights - Low, High, and Super High. Opting for a rear- or all-wheel drive variant raises the internal floor by 100mm, but doesn’t increase the overall height of the vehicle.

In weight terms, you can choose from a CR30, CR35 or CR50 - with gross vehicle weights of 3.0, 3.5 and 5.0 tonnes respectively.

Volkswagen Crafter internal and external measurements

Exterior dimensions

Exterior length (MWB/LWB/LWB Maxi): 5,986mm/6,836mm/7,391mm
Exterior width without mirrors: 2,040mm
Exterior width with mirrors: 2,427mm
Exterior height (Low/High/Super High): 2,355mm/2,590mm/2,798mm

Interior loading length (MWB/LWB/LWB Maxi)

All versions: 3,450mm/4,300mm/4,855mm

Interior loading width

Maximum: 1,832mm
Between wheelarches: 1,380mm

Interior loading height (Low/High/Super High)

Maximum: 1,726mm/1,961mm/2,196mm (100mm lower on RWD/AWD)

Rear door aperture height (Low/High/Super High)

Maximum: 1,605mm/1,740mm/1,840mm

Rear door aperture width

All versions: 1,522mm

Side door aperture height (Low/High/Super High)

Maximum: 1,587mm/1,722mm/1,822mm

Side door aperture width

All versions: 1,311mm

Towing capacity

Towing capacity for the Crafter depends on which chassis weight you go for. The CR30 models can tow up to 3.0 tonnes, the CR35 up to 3.5t, while the largest CR50 models can manage up to 5.0t. This also depends on the engine, with some combinations having slightly lower capacities. This is good for the class, beating the Renault Master and on a par with the Mercedes Sprinter.

Payload

The Crafter’s payloads aren’t its strongest suit. The best of the 3.5t models - the 140hp, front-wheel drive manual variant - has a maximum payload of just 1,229kg. A Renault Master can carry over 1,900kg in its closest guise.

That drops further the more you add, to the point where the four-wheel drive automatic model barely can’t even carry a ton in its long-wheelbase form. If you need big payloads, the 5.0t chassis offers them, but this requires a different licence category, speed limiter and a tachograph, and so isn’t particularly feasible.

Not only does this mean the Crafter isn’t the best panel van for hauling large loads, it also somewhat spoils its status for things like camper conversions - where you’d have precious little payload in reserve after fitting it out with heavy furniture, heating and water systems.

Solid-feeling cab lacks both buttons and covered storage compartments - but is very comfy for passengers

The Crafter’s cab post-facelift uses a lot of tech from VW’s passenger cars. The central touchscreen display now sits proud of the dash and is the same 10.0 or (optional) 12.9-inch unit you’ll find on its ID. series of electric cars. The digital dials are familiar from models like the Golf, too.

The touchscreen isn’t our favourite in VW’s passenger cars and they don’t work amazingly well in the Crafter either. While most of the interface is clear and responsive, some things are needlessly fiddly. Changing the temperature is a right faff, for example - because most versions have manual climate controls, you have to play with an onscreen version of the red-blue dial you used to get. It’s not suitable for use while wearing gloves and big fingers will struggle too.

Some controls are oddly placed, as well. All Crafters now get an electric handbrake which is set high up on the dash, while the starter button on models equipped with keyless start is where you’d previously find the keyhole.

It’s not all bad, though. Build quality is impeccable - it may be made of hard, wipe-clean plastics rather than anything luxurious, but the whole cab is free from squeaks and rattles and feels very solid. It’s also comfortable, with enough width on the double passenger seat for two adults - though you can change to a single passenger seat if you prefer.

Storage consists of overcab slots, double-layered door bins and some open trays on top of the dash. There are cupholders at either end but nothing for the central passenger, except in automatic models where the gear lever is replaced with a third cupholder. It’s a shame there isn’t more covered storage, though - all you get is the large glovebox.

VW Crafter running costs aren’t that impressive. The cleanest model on paper is the manual 140hp version, which claims up to 32.8mpg. Opt for the 177hp engine and you’ll get between 27.7 and 30.4mpg, all according to WLTP.

We spent a week testing the 177hp six-speed manual and returned about 28mpg on a mixture of roads. We included some long-distance travel between Cambridgeshire and our Bedfordshire office as well as some short trips around town, both laden and unladen. It’s worth noting that we saw figures of about 35mpg from the Mercedes Sprinter and Renault Master in similar scenarios.

A 75-litre fuel tank is standard, downgradable to a 63-litre tank if you want to unlock a little bit more payload or space under the floor. AdBlue capacity is 18 litres, which is smaller than most alternatives and will need filling more often.

Safety is one of the Crafter’s big draws. It uses electro-mechanical power steering, which allows it to have more active safety systems than alternatives fitted with hydraulic systems. When Euro NCAP tested the Crafter’s active safety aids in 2023, it was awarded a bronze medal, but they’ve since been upgraded in the facelift.

All models come with autonomous emergency braking and crosswind assist, plus standard cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and fog lights with a cornering function. Driver and passenger airbags, all-round parking sensors and automatic wipers also come standard.

Head to the options list and you can add plenty more though - LED headlights, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror (where fitted), adaptive cruise control, VW’s Travel Assist package for level 2 autonomous driving, a rear-view camera, plus side and curtain airbags for driver and front passenger. An alarm comes standard on the Commerce Plus or as part of the Business Pack for Commerce models.

Volkswagen’s commercial vehicles tend to perform well in reliability surveys and the Crafter certainly doesn’t seem to have any skeletons in its closet. Being on sale since 2017, you would expect gremlins to have reared their heads by now, but owner groups and forums don’t seem to report anything other than isolated issues.

VW covers the Crafter with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, and its variable service intervals go to a maximum of 30,000 miles. The onboard computer determines when servicing is required, though. Should it need repair, Volkswagen offers financing on big repair bills, as well as augmented-reality repairs that should in theory help you to get back on the road sooner.