Finding a suitable wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) is not as easy as many think. This acquisition may well be a compromise that started with knowing you have to say goodbye to a car you want to travel in for a vehicle you need to travel in. Whether you need a new or a Nearly New WAV on the Motability Scheme, WAV rental, a financed or outright purchase of a new or used WAV, we are here to help you with independent advice on your first or your next WAV.

 Volkswagen Caddy upfront wheelchair user position rear ramp WAV from Southern Mobility Vehicles

The Volkswagen Caddy is a great all-rounder in the WAV conversion industry, and its flexibility is legendary. This conversion is a wheelchair passenger upfront wheelchair accessible vehicle where the wheelchair user can sit next to the driver. Wheelchair passenger upfronts have always been a favourite, but they aren’t for everyone and aren’t always as practical as you may think.

While the wheelchair passenger upfront position in a WAV can often be considered the premium position for a wheelchair user in a vehicle, buyers must evaluate the internal space usefulness and seating to their needs. The Volkswagen Caddy can have up to four physical seats, including the driver’s, but it is scarce to find them with this many seats. The upfront Caddys often come with the driver seat plus one behind the driver’s seat. The balance two would be tip and fold seats towards the back of the vehicle.

The Volkswagen Caddy wheelchair passenger upfront is one accessible vehicle that should never be purchased on measurements alone due to its complexity and how the lowered floor has had to be designed. The design is such that this conversion can present challenges with entry and exit for some buyers. Certain wheelchairs can be difficult to handle because the floor undulates and narrows; this is not always clear to the naked eye, so please try before buying.

The Caddy upfront conversion is often built with a fully remote rear opening system; this can be invaluable with this conversion as it dramatically reduces the time it takes to on and off-board the vehicle. Of course, not everyone likes the gadgetry on a car, so we seek them with and without the mechanisms. We always have them serviced before they leave us and the systems are incredibly reliable, but our warranty covers it for three years if you have a problem.

A wheelchair user in the passenger upfront position will generally feel quite comfortable in a Caddy due to the deep lowered floor. Whilst this doesn’t affect the vehicle’s road clearance, it means an excellent low centre of gravity is on offer. A low centre of gravity also means that typically the majority of wheelchair users will be sitting alongside the driver at a height acceptable to users for travel. Our advice is to test it first, and you will know within minutes if it suits you and your needs.

The Caddy is considered a medium-sized vehicle within the WAV industry, so most would be comfortable around it when investigating its usefulness to them. The majority converted were diesel autos, and the Volkwagen DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) gearbox is easy to use and, we have found over the year, the favoured variant of this well-known marque model.

SMV conclusion: the wheelchair upfront passenger in a Caddy will generally always sit and look as if seated in a standard seat due to the intelligently thought out conversion. We love the DSG gearbox mated with the frugal engines, and the fully automated entry versions make life so much easier.

Why not give Southern Mobility Vehicles a call if this WAV isn’t quite right for you? Whether you are looking for a new Motability WAV, a Nearly New Motability WAV, short-term hire, or an outright purchase, we are the WAV dealer to call first. We are here to help; we know how hard it is to be confident you are buying the right mobility vehicle for your needs. We are independent WAV advisors, so you will get the best of all worlds, whatever your wheelchair access needs are.