2022 Volkswagen California 6.1 Beach review

Few cars get the kind of unsolicited positivity as a Volkswagen Transporter or Multivan or, in this case, the California Beach. Smiles, waves, light flashes, honks of the horn or, in one particularly amusing case, a young man in a ute and a mullet winding down his window and shouting, “That’s f***ing sick, mate.”

I’m old enough to remember that sick means good and that it has indeed returned to that usage after three decades. VW’s experience with this kind of machine goes back twice as long (and a bit more) so I had high expectations for my first go in a VW campervan. Well, second after the Caddy California, but that isn’t quite the same, is it?

We had the California Beach for a few days to explore all of its cleverness and give me the opportunity to ask myself if this would tempt me into the outdoors life.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on fuel?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

There are three California Beach specifications available, starting with the TDI340 two-wheel drive at $90,990. The next camper off the site is the TDI340 4Motion all-wheel drive at $94,990 and then there’s the TDI450 for $100,990 (all before on-road costs). Each of the start with the same specifications:

As you might expect, there are a ton of options available and some packages. The package prices are below, although many of the options in them can be taken separately.

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Our car had the two-tone paint, electric roof, LED headlights, Art velour microfleece seats, adaptive chassis control, off-road pack, power sliding doors, foglights with cornering function, park assist and light assist.

Which took the $94,990 TDI340 4Motion base package to $114,750 before on-road costs. I think you’ll agree that’s a hefty outlay on options and a good case for getting rid of the luxury car tax. For example.

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How do rivals compare on value?

The slightly larger Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo kicks off at $121,199 before on-road costs with a decent spec and the same pop-top style design. It even has the same little hatch windows in the rear sliding doors.

And, er, that’s about it for factory camper vans that aren’t plonked on the back of a truck chassis or an aftermarket splurge based on vans from VW, Mercedes, Renault and Fiat. Or try your luck with an ageing Delica Spacegear 4x4?

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Interior comfort, space and storage

The California is a big unit and not only is it very spacious, that space is packed with endless surprise and delight cleverness. Let’s start with the really fun stuff.

Our test vehicle was fitted with the optional party-piece electrically-operated pop-top and you don’t get one of those on a Rolls Royce even though you should for the money. The roof raises up nice and high, allowing a six-foot tall adult to sit comfortably on the forward end of the surprisingly comfortable bed, which will also fit two six-foot tall folks or any number of kids of various sizes.

There is a load limit of 150kg up top, though, so you’ll need to have your weights and measurements handy.

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Panels with flyscreen on the side zip out for light and air and you can zip out the front panoramic section, either leaving the screen in place or zipping it out altogether.

That would be perfect for long afternoons of kids' cricket – you’re up nice and high, can see all the action and can also doze on the bed. Or a music festival if you can get close enough.

It’s a bit of a climb up there so you might enjoy throwing smaller children up there from outside – although that might attract the attention of the authorities, so perhaps don’t. The kids might not like it either, but I’ve found smaller children to be spoilsports when it comes to these sorts of activities.

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There are little LED lights scattered around up there as well as throughout the cabin, as well as handy little night light that detaches for use as a torch. You can also run the heating as well as a few appliances overnight on the second battery. The same screen from where you operate the power roof (if so optioned) also monitors the battery level and “camping mode” ventilation.

You could also fit two six-foot (180cm) adults “downstairs” on the bed formed of a raised table section in the boot, the fold-flat bench seat and a series of folding mattress sections, but what fun is that? I wouldn’t say the lower bed is more comfortable than up top, because that would be a lie, but it’s certainly easier to access and is better than outside on the ground by quite a margin.

When it’s time to sleep, every window has a retractable sun shade, including a two-piece item for the windscreen and cloth ones with magnetic fixtures for the two front doors.

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Pop the tailgate and you’ll notice the lower edge has a zip-up pouch with two substantial folding camping chairs plus a matching folding table – also substantial – snapped into the sliding rear door. Both are easy to remove and return, which is also nice. Sometimes features like this are an afterthought and a royal pain to master.

While not strictly the interior, the awning (mounted from the factory on the driver’s side but can be mounted on the passenger side) cranks out of the side of the California. It can be done on your own but it’s a bit of a faff as you have to crank it out a bit, unseat the slightly fiddly legs, and then complete the operation; two people can get it done quicker.

You can then park yourself under there for an afternoon of quiet contemplation. I assume that’s what you do when you’re camping because in my head it’s a largely uncivilised way to run your life but I do accept that I am well and truly in the minority here.

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Jokes aside, this is an incredible set-up. Even without the optional electric roof and electric doors, it’s extremely versatile and, as far as I can tell, a very functional family camper. It seems way more fun than a caravan, too, and easier to travel as a package rather than the detachable van vibe.

The front seats also swivel to face the rear seats, which is extremely cool. The front passengers will also find cup holders in the dash, huge door pockets in the base of the doors and another slot higher in the doors which will fit six 95-gram tins of tuna perfectly. It’s this kind of very specific consumer information that sets us apart from the others.

Behind the bench seat is a hefty space for luggage. It does have a removable table but that’s not something you’re going to want to tackle too often.

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What is it like to drive?

Over the years of talking to folks who drive various types of camping vehicles, I have learned that driving dynamics are exceptionally low on the list of things they care about. Anyone who has driven a Kombi or a Winnebago-type thing will know what I mean.

Having previously driven a Multivan, I largely knew what to expect. Obviously, with all the extra gear the weight is up a scooch to just under 2500kg. Both TDI340s muster up 110kW and a solid 340Nm, with the 4Motion, as the name suggests, pushing the power out to all four wheels via a seven-speed transmission rather than just the front.

As ever, the 2.0-litre from VW pulls strongly but does have a bit of initial lag, which may or may not also work in concert with a slow clutch uptake from the transmission. Once you’re underway, though, it’s a pretty good performer, particularly in the gears.

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With extra weight on the roof, you’d be forgiven for thinking the California rolls a bit in corners and it does. But it’s not hugely different to the Multivan, a van that is actually a decent bit of fun to drive, for a van.

The all-wheel drive offers a lot of security on loose or wet surfaces and tackled the moderate nastiness we threw at it. These things are so well sorted you don’t have to worry about where it is you’re going, whether it’s snowing or wet or a bit muddy. No, it’s not an off-roader, but you’ll get to a few more places than some others might. It’s probably worth the extra unless you’re convinced you won’t ever stray from tarmac.

Even the brakes feel pretty strong and have good pedal feel.

The best bit though? People love these things and you will be the subject of many waves, toots and encouragement from other road users, especially in the two-tone paint finish.

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How is it on fuel?

The official figure for the TDI340 with all-wheel drive is 7.5L/100km on the combined cycle. My few days with the California were not particularly representative of my usual driving habits nor the typical owner’s habits, so the 11.1L/100km we got should be taken with a reasonable grain of salt given we idled it a lot during the photo shoot.

Interestingly, there are hybrid versions available, we just don’t get them here in Australia.

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How safe is it?

The Multivan on which the California Beach is based scored five ANCAP stars in 2022. It’s worth noting that there are no curtain airbags for the rear passengers.

Depending on whether you specify captain’s chairs in the second row or a bench seat, you’ll have two ISOFIX points and two (the former) or three (the latter) top-tether anchors for securing child seats.

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Warranty and running costs

Volkswagen offers a five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres along with a year of roadside assistance.

As ever, you can pay-as-you-go for your servicing or buy a five-year Care Plan for $1850, saving you a whopping $2302 over the period. The trick here is that the five-year plans were selling for the price of three years at the time of writing (October 2022)

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VERDICT

The California Beach isn’t cheap, but nothing even remotely like it is either. For someone who isn’t into camping, I plotted in my head a number of ways I might be able to use it as its maker intends. Time and an unwell spouse put paid to that, but plans were well advanced.

Because for the uninitiated, the Cali makes it all so easy and therefore appealing. You could use it every day, too, as it’s no bigger than an SUV but with way better vision. And a small house built in.

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2022 Volkswagen California 6.1 Beach specifications

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