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, or a financed or outright purchase of a new or used WAV, we are here to help you with independent advice on your first or next WAV.

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

The two plus three standard seats plus a wheelchair user in the VW Caddy Maxi’s rear or third row is probably the most prolific WAV conversion across the WAV industry. The Volkswagen Caddy and the Maxi version, 353mm or 13.9 inches longer, have been around for many years and have always lent themselves very well to the different conversion possibilities.

The VW Caddy Maxi version is usually converted to accommodate a wheelchair passenger in the rear, and many different conversion companies have completed this. Several marques can offer the wheelchair passenger in the rear or third-row conversion as an option, effectively using the space where the third row of seats was positioned in the longer wheelbase version, the Maxi. Converting through the rear and avoiding the second-row seat removal is often a more straightforward and cost-effective option for a WAV conversion, and it works very well.

The VW Caddy has lent itself well to this task, but buyers do not always favour the rear position due to the distance from the driver and the feeling that the wheelchair user is baggage or luggage. Some love it, of course, teenagers and youngsters often like having their own space away from their parents, and the private hire and taxi industry revere the Caddy.

The various conversions come with or without wheelchair assist winches which can be beneficial for two purposes. Pulling a wheelchair user in and, we often feel, they are more helpful in avoiding increasing pain levels for manual wheelchair users. Using a winch means that the torque will pull the wheelchair user over ramp seams and avoid the human interaction, which can cause jolting as a wheelchair user is pushed up the incline into the WAV.

Volkswagen, of course, is often favoured over other marques because of their build quality and engine reliability. However, it is essential to remember that conversions across the industry vary considerably; variations in materials quality, ramp styles and lowered floor angles and lengths, and entry widths should all be considered. All these factors can make a difference in how ownership and so usage is valued. In short, one rear entry 3^rd row Caddy Maxi conversion is most definitely not the same as the next one; this is where we strongly recommend taking advice.

Volkswagen’s DSG or Direct Shift Gearbox is widely used across the automotive industry and developed over many years. It is also reliable and well tested; the private hire industry often insists on it as they cover so many miles in a year. Until 2010 the 1.9 turbo diesel engine was widely used; from 2010 to 2015, the 1.6 diesel engine with 102ps was widely used and posted 2016, the newer 2.0-litre diesel and the much rarer 1.4 petrol engines came into place. These have all been mated with the familiar VW DSG auto gearbox, also available as a manual.

SMV conclusion: the Caddy is a great allrounder; it is flexible, plentiful and practical with five original VW seats. The DSG gearbox mated with the newer two-litre diesel engine upgraded from 1.6 litres in late 2015 is legendary and known to be an excellent workhorse. The new 2.0-litre engine came with Bluetooth and cruise control, which undoubtedly increased its popularity, plus several other features undoubtedly increased its popularity.

Why not give Southern Mobility Vehicles a call if this WAV isn’t quite right for you. We are independent WAV advisors, so you will get the best of all worlds, whatever your wheelchair access needs are. 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.