Volkswagen California review

The most important thing about a camper van is what it's like inside. And here it’s immediately obvious that Volkswagen has been doing them for a long time, learning what people actually want instead of just looking at mood boards and guessing.

For example, customers reported that they don’t need a large fridge and cooker, so those have been made smaller and rearranged, making for more interior space and, for the first time, access to the interior from not one but two sliding doors. Combined with an optional awning on both sides, that doubles your potential camping space.

The 5.0in camping control touchscreen on the C-pillar is a great idea, so it's a shame that it’s frustratingly slow to respond to inputs.

Daniel Jones

Car reviewer, What Car?

There’s loads of space inside the California for four people to get comfortable (or five if you go for the more MPV-like Beach Camper version) as you drive around.

And once you pitch up for the night, raising the pop-up roof (electrically on the range-topping Ocean) gives you easily enough space to stand when the bed isn’t in place.

All versions of the California have two decent-sized beds, one with the rear seats folded and one up in the roof.

It’s a nice place to live for a few days, and our only real demerits are that setting the bed up is a bit of faff and that some storage has been lost by converting the rear bench into individual seats.

That’s not to say you will struggle to bring everything along, mind, because you will still find drawers, cubbies and cupboards pretty much everywhere.