It will not be an exaggeration to write about the Volkswagen Grand California which is a house on wheels, indeed a micro-studio. There is a kitchen, bathroom with toilet, living room, bedroom and even an extra bed on the mezzanine. And all this on an area of less than 12 square meters. This camper is 5.98m long and 2.04m wide. Inside, you can stand and walk freely, as the headroom of the cabin varies from 2.18 to 2.2m.
Volkswagen Gran California. What does a motorhome look like?
The body of the VW Grand California can be two-tone. In the case of the sample tested, it was a patriotic configuration: white and red. Justified, because these cars are assembled at Volkswagen factories in Greater Poland. By choosing the right color combination, you can add a “pinch” of premium to the look of the camper. Especially when we focus on a combination of silver and dark gray metallic paints. But this is an option for 11 thousand. 750 PLN.
VW Grand California creates truly comfortable conditions for two adults to spend a lot of time away from home. In the case of a 2 + 2 configuration, it can already be a bit crowded, especially since the lowered upper bed and the ladder added to it will limit the possibility of use and movement in the front of the cabin.
The interior design can be described as minimalist and modern. The colors are kept in bright tones: gray and white. In addition, we have a floor covered with a carpet that imitates wood.
Almost the entire living area is under the ceiling with double rows of shelves with storage space. There is also a place in the kitchen and in the living area – compartments for small items.
It is said that the heart of any home is the kitchen. It is no different with the VW Grand California. From the entrance there is an island with a removable refrigerator drawer with freezing chamber, two-burner gas stove and sink. There are also storage drawers and a folding table outside – for drinks, to charge a smartphone or to set up a tablet to watch a game or Netflix.
There you will also find the entrance to a small bathroom, equipped with a chemical toilet, sink, shower and mirror.
The living area consists of a narrow double sofa, a folding table and two 180-degree rotatable front seats.
A large sliding door with integrated sliding mosquito net leads inside. It is a great solution that allows you to provide access to daylight and fresh air indoors, “open up” the living space and at the same time keep insects away.
We can also find mosquito nets in each of the windows that open in the residential part. Just like the shutters that darken the inside and keep curious eyes out. And it’s worth being ready for these, because VW Grand California can still spark interest in campgrounds.
A big advantage of any camper is a large awning that extends along the starboard side. The usable area extends by further square meters. Two folding chairs and a table are hidden in the split rear doors of the VW Grand California. When driving in a larger group, you can easily create an outdoor living area.
The rear bed is 136cm wide and 193cm long. It can fit two adults. Under the bed there is a 180 liter storage compartment. There you can successfully place luggage bags for the duration of the trip, larger containers with accessories needed for camping. There is a luggage rack for bicycles on the tailgate (load capacity 35 kg).
On the back, in one of the “cabinets” there are also two large gas cylinders. In the second, a power connection cable, both with “camper” plug and adapter to the 230V socket. This allows you to cook meals, heat water, heat or cool the passenger compartment and power the on-board battery, use the sockets inside the car. Even without an external power source, fully charged California batteries will allow you to spend more than a day in the wild without sacrificing practicality.
The VW Grand California is also completely independent of weather conditions and can be successfully used not only in the summer. I went to the Polish seaside in early autumn and was not bothered by the rain or the sometimes hot sun.
How does the VW Grand California drive?
Everything is enclosed in a 2.97m high box and that makes it The VW Grand California is a versatile and independent motorhome. But it is completely unsuitable for everyday driving. It is large, long and heavy (3.5 tons). After all, it is a car, which is the bodywork of the largest “delivery van” of this brand, namely the Volkswagen Crafter.
However, the rear view camera, parking sensors and large double mirrors help in maneuvers. You also need to remember what’s above your head – a three-meter-high car won’t go everywhere. In this respect, Grand California is the exact opposite motorhomes like the VW California 6.1. or Mercedes Marco Polowhich could be the only car in the family that is also suitable for everyday driving.
On the way to a dream vacation, the VW Grand California drives very well. One is seated comfortably and high up, obtaining excellent visibility. The army of assistants helps, among others in lane maintenance, and adaptive cruise control maintains speed and distance to the car in front. In addition, many practical storage compartments in the driver’s cab and simple but comfortable seats with two armrests.
Under the hood, the 177 HP 2.0 TDI engine. In addition, 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The latter is worth remembering at the campsite, because after a night of pouring rain in the morning it could turn out that the 3.5-ton Grand California got stuck in the mud.
When driving in the city, the VW Grand California burns about 8-10 l / 100 km. However, on his way to the campsite, he reveals the benefits of a diesel engine. When driving a motorway at a speed of around 110-120 km / h, the fuel consumption drops to an average of 6.5 l / 100 km.
VW Grand California: how much do you have to spend on a camper and how much can you earn?
The tested specimen had a price tag of just over 400,000. Gross PLN at catalog prices. However, the prices of this model start from 350 thousand. 168 zloty. Also available is the Grand California 680, which offers a body that is 80 cm longer. However, its permissible total weight exceeds 3.5 t, so a category C driving license is already required to drive it.
There are over 25,000 registered companies in Poland. camper. The shopping boom coincided with the pandemic, which is the last two years. In 2021 4,832 motorhomes were registered, of which 2,191 new cars directly from the showroom. However, they are mainly bought by rental companies.
– We estimate that only 2% of motorhomes rented in Poland are currently rented. owners, even if this group is constantly growing. For the vast majority of individual customers, a motorhome is a private “house on wheels”, an intimate place decorated according to their needs – says Lukáš Janoušek, founder and CEO of the Campiri platform, in response to questions from money.pl.
Without referring to a specific model, Janoušek estimates that a mid-range motorhome, rented for around 100 days a year, even in the summer season, can bring the owner a turnover of around 50,000. zloty.
He adds that the amount of income from renting a motorhome depends on several factors: the size of the car, the year and equipment, as well as the season (rates and interest are higher in the summer). And it reminds you that the following should be added to the cost of living:
- car insurance with the possibility of renting,
- standard inspections and replacement of fluids and consumables,
- costs of gas cylinders, toilet chemicals
- periodic inspections of gas, electricity and water systems,
- tightness inspections of the camping facilities,
- purchase of summer and winter tire sets,
- parking of the camper in the winter season.
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