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 mid wheelchair user position rear ramp WAV from Southern Mobility Vehicles

The two plus two (or one second row) coach-built seats plus a wheelchair user in the vehicle’s mid-position is a lesser converted version of Volkswagen’s short wheelbase Caddy. The Volkswagen Caddy version is 353mm or 13.9 inches shorter than the VW Caddy Maxi and has been around for many years, lending itself very well to various possible conversions. Still, we do love the four (or three-seat) Caddy WAV conversion.

The VW Caddy Maxi version is usually converted to accommodate a wheelchair passenger in the rear, and many different conversion companies have completed this. However, the standard Caddy’s second-row coach-built seat conversion option offers good possibilities and a completely different space to the traditional wheelchair user in the rear version.

In the standard Caddy, It is fair to say that the wheelchair user is not strictly in the mid position as the floorspace does not allow it to be exact in this WAV, but it’s pretty close, and it is a VW. With large wheelchairs, this is rarely achieved anyway with just a couple of WAV conversions that will allow this unless you step up to a significantly larger mobility vehicle.

This conversion most often comes with a single piece ramp with a short, lightweight flip over end, making opening and closing the ramp more manageable, and the incline angle is still good when entering and leaving this WAV.  A wheelchair user assist winch can often make onboarding more accessible, too, and if one isn’t present, one can usually be fitted retrospectively.

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 and lowered floor angles and lengths, and entry widths. In short, one Caddy 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 post-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 second-row coach-built seat version of the Caddy is a great all-rounder. The DSG gearbox mated with the newer two-litre diesel engine or the 1.6-litre engine is legendary, and the Caddy is 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.

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.