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 Caravelle mid wheelchair user position side lift WAV from Southern Mobility Vehicles

Iconic, yes, that’s the word for the VW Caravelle and the Transporter. Both models have lost their van image, and that has taken a few years, and some upgrading of specification and a suitable platform of engine power output variants have all helped. Petrol engines are still not plentiful, but the Volkswagen marque does tend to be synonymous with diesel and, of course, their legendary DSG, Direct Shift Gearbox or as we tend to refer to it, an automatic.

Not all VW Caravelle and Transporter conversions are equal and are certainly not ideal for every wheelchair user. A drive from a wheelchair, wheelchair passenger upfront, switch conversions, and rear wheelchair user positions are all possible in the Caravelle and Transporter. Flat floor conversions will almost always have a lift; sometimes, these can be under the vehicle floor below the nearside rear sliding door. More often, they are internally positioned at the rear of the vehicle. The preferred lift option will be decided by several factors, which are best discussed because a mistake based on preference is still a mistake, practicality rules for which conversion style and type works best. It lends itself exceptionally well to many conversion variations with both flat and lowered floor conversions.

Focussing on the underfloor side entry lift conversion, we can tell you that the maximum entry height through the side door of any flat floor Caravelle or Transporter for a wheelchair user is pretty much the same as coming through the car’s rear once it’s converted to a WAV. Internally there is more headroom, though. By making this clear, hopefully, this becomes the first part of any decision-making process; if the wheelchair user is taller than the entry point, we’d not recommend it; it is as simple as that. So, you’d need to look at the lowered floor conversions available for the Caravelle; we can help with your decision-making process, so feel free to make contact with us.

The level floor underfloor side lift conversion means some key preferred attributes to a Caravelle can be retained. Firstly a level floor maintains more of the car’s original integrity, allowing the VW floor tracking to be used for the seats (particularly the flexibility of any captain’s seats present) and the much-loved rock and roll VW rear bench seat. The table also, if present, can be used. With a rear lift, it is not possible to have the back bench seat in place. Having the rear bench seat means you retain rear luggage space, and with the rear bench seat being on track, it can be moved forwards and backwards.

Retaining the bench seat means three seats, plus any central seat on the offside can either be kept in the vehicle or removed to suit. Side entry underfloor lifts also allow easier access to the front seat position of a Caravelle or Transporter. This means a wheelchair user can drive from their wheelchair or sit next to the driver as a passenger. Neither journey from outside the vehicle is particularly arduous. Still, larger wheelchairs can sometimes struggle with access and turning inside the side underfloor lift conversions, so always best to try before buying.

There are many seating variations available in the flat floor conversion, and much depends on the original seating specification of the car. It is possible to replace the two third-row single seats in a Caravelle with tracking for a rock and roll seat but do take advice on this; of course, this is not advisable on a WAV with a rear lift.

SMV conclusion: the Caravelle is one of the most popular larger WAVs available to the wheelchair user marketplace with a good variety of interior seating styles, specification levels, engine outputs, and they are also available as a manual and the ofter preferred DSG auto gearbox. The array of conversion possibilities can be a little intimidating, so please ask us to help decide the best one to suit the wheelchair user in your life.

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.