If you're an avid traveler, then you’ve most likely thought about getting a mobile home to suit your living needs. Most pickups, trucks, and SUVs can get the job done, but why settle for less when you can get a specialized vehicle? The Volkswagen California is an excellent choice for almost anyone who loves the open road. It’s a compact van with exceptional features, aptly suited for being a home away from home. Unlike this custom camper lowrider, you’ll probably never need to modify it. The Volkswagen California is a neat camper van ideal for families, couples, and solo travelers filled with all the essentials for a fun trip.
These are some of the reasons we think the Volkswagen California is a good choice for life on the road.
It's Technologically Equipped
The Volkswagen California comes with important technological features to make the road trip as stress-free as possible. Above the driver cab headliner, a display acts as the command center of the car. (In older models, a small monochrome display is used instead). It is multicolored and touchscreen capable, and it's a very noticeable feature when people first enter the interior of the Volkswagen California. This display can control many functions in the camper and also has some useful tools, like showing the angle of the Volkswagen California when it is parked.
This is a useful feature added in case one is taking the Volkswagen California to rocky areas and stopping there for the night. One function of the display that needs an honorable mention is the "sunrise" setting in the lighting menu. It's paired with an alarm, and it will gradually brighten specific LED lights chosen by the driver to mimic the rising of the sun. In normal circumstances, this can simulate a natural wake-up even though you are sleeping in the camper, and it is undoubtedly less annoying than the glare of the sun and the heat creeping in. If you have children and want to stick to a schedule, this feature is a bonus.
With an eSIM, you can connect to the internet and have online infotainment services on your Volkswagen California. You can also use Volkswagen's We Connect service to control your car's functions and assist you in case of a crash. Entertainmentwise, an 8 or 9.2-inch touchscreen display, better known as the Composition Color, is available for multimedia, and the driver can also use it for Discover navigation.
It's Compact
Despite its small interior, the Volkswagen California has a large living space. A modular platform behind the rear seat of the Volkswagen California allows for extra storage space if needed. If the area is not enough for you, you can raise the roof to turn the top into a mini tent and have the rear bench turned into a double bed, which is useful for overnight camping.
The Volkswagen California sliding door has a folding table integrated into it, which can be used inside or outside the camper, and it comes along with two folding chairs. When not driving, the front seats can rotate to the back, which is useful when enjoying activities with your family while in the driver's seat. Given this much space, you won't need to search for campers with a lot of space like its XXL counterpart.
It's Packed With Essential Amenities
If you want to sleep longer, you can raise the canvas sides (darker for some models) to restrict light from entering the cabin. A two-burner cooking stove is included in the Volkswagen California except for the Beach model. You can store frozen food in the onboard fridge, which is convenient and rare to see in a camper. Storage space is ample in the Volkswagen California, as there are cupboards and storage units with sturdy latches. These latches are also applied to the hob, sink, and fridge.
You’re Guaranteed A Smooth Ride
The ride matters, and not having a comfortable car will ruin the road trip. To make turning feel more natural, the Volkswagen California has an electromagnetic power steering system, which will alleviate the impact of bumps on the road. In contrast, older variants of the Volkswagen California have the traditional hydraulic setup. Thanks to the new electromagnetic power steering system, more unique safety features can be added to the Volkswagen California.
For example, it now has Crosswind Assist, which can stabilize the van when faced with high winds. Front assist, lane assist, and trailer assist are critical features of the Volkswagen California. At the same time, a new side protection function is present to help prevent the driver from hitting objects from the sides. Most of these extra features are only on electromagnetic power steering equipped Volkswagen California models.
Although the Volkswagen California is essentially a diesel van, it has remarkable power for a heavy camper van. All the three new engines are 2.0 liter TDI diesel units. Despite that, their output is 100bhp, 148bhp, and 201 bhp for the various engines. 201 bhp is considerably powerful for a van, let alone a van from Volkswagen. These engines are also Euro 6 emission compliant, which means that you will be protecting the environment, and your fuel consumption will be very economical.
Contrary to its name, the Volkswagen California is not sold in the US, let alone in California. This is because Volkswagen has a small market presence in the US, and it hasn't passed American safety tests. It’s a bummer. For now, the VW California is mainly available in Europe, and if you have the cash to splurge, you should get the newest variant of the Volkswagen California!