The Volkswagen Transporter Kombi is a hit on the beach

Well, what do we have here then? You may recall that a little while back we had a Volkswagen Amarok – the all singing, all dancing V6-powered pick-up. That’s left us now though, and this is its replacement – the Transporter Kombi. And, while it may not be suited to tackling snowy roads or steep mountain gradients quite like its four-wheel-drive stablemate, it does still have a few tricks up its sleeve.

You see this, being a Kombi van, combines the people carrying ability of a personnel van with the practicality of a traditional panel van. So inside you’ll find a second row of seats, but this followed by a large, square load area. Hence Kombi – or combination. It’s also a short wheelbase van which, in my mind at least, is the best suited layout for most jobs – the longer versions are a little unwieldly at times, and are only really reserved for those people who have an awful lot to carry.

So what’s powering this van? Well under the bonnet sits a pretty traditional 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel, which here produces 148bhp and a useable 340Nm of torque. It’ll hit 60mph in 11.7 seconds (unladen, of course), and top out at 113mph. Power goes to the front wheels through a six-speed manual.

Now the powerful V6 in the Amarok was a brilliantly strong unit and there was something to be said about a pick-up that can out-pace even reasonably punchy hatchbacks, but then at times it was only averaging about 30mpg. And that’s where the Transporter chimes in.

You see Volkswagen claims that this van will do 45.6mpg combined, and so far that seems pretty much on the money. During daily driving, it’s been averaging well over 40mpg – which is impressive for a vehicle of this size. Of course, it doesn’t feel half as punchy as the truck, but there’s still enough poke there for most circumstances. If you’re after an all-out sports van, then we’d recommend the bi-turbo version.

Our van is also finished in special ‘Edition’ specification. You may notice the exterior decals on the flanks and rear of the car, but what else do you get as part of this special equipment pack?

Well, for starters you get Volkswagen’s full Discover Media system, which houses satellite navigation and media functions. Though it’s considerably smaller than many systems you’ll find in most current passenger cars, it’s clear enough – both in terms of visibility and usability. Pairing your phone takes no time at all, and though there are just four speakers in the van, the sound is pretty good.

Some of the biggest bonuses with the Edition trim line are the inclusion of front and rear parking sensors, along with a reversing camera. Short wheelbase it may be, but this van still takes a little effort to park, and these features do take some of the sting out of positioning the vehicle. You’ll also see a high-gloss black roof and matching wing mirrors highlighting the exterior of the car, and I think these look excellent against the metallic white paint. The 17-inch alloys are included as part of the Edition spec too, and they do add to the van’s overall aesthetic.

And then we come to the price. You see, vans ain’t cheap – and the Transporter Kombi is no exception. Prices for the basic, no-frills combi van start at £30,125. That’s a lot of money in anyone’s book. This van, in Edition spec, weighs in at a chunky £38,789.

But that said, it does combine the ability to carry five people with a massive load area. It’s also, from initial impressions, one of the most car-like van driving experiences you’ll find on the market today. Over the next six months, we’ll find out just how easy it is to live with on a day-to-day basis. It’s going to be exciting.