The next-generation Volkswagen California camper is due out in 2024 with major changes under the sheet metal and a more spacious interior. The brand previewed the road trip-friendly model with a close-to-production concept introduced at a trade show in Germany.
While it remains big, boxy and available with an emblematic two-tone paint job, the next California shares little more than a name with the outgoing model. It’s based on the Multivan, which rides on Volkswagen’s MQB platform and was developed primarily to haul people and gear. In comparison, the current-generation California was designed as an evolution of the Transporter, which is a commercial vehicle. This approach to creating a camper is unprecedented in Volkswagen’s history, and it should unlock a smoother and more comfortable ride.
Volkswagen presented the next California as a concept, but it stresses that what you see in our gallery is very close to what you’ll see in showrooms outside of the United States when production begins in 2024. Platform aside, the carmaker hasn’t strayed far from the recipe that has made the van a hit among adventurers for over three decades. The van gets a pop-up roof that two adults can sleep under, a roof-mounted awning and swiveling front seats, but it also receives a sliding door on the driver’s side for the first time. Adding a fourth door required completely re-arranging the interior. Volkswagen shifted the kitchen back and fitted individual rear seats that can be removed.
Another benefit of adding a second sliding door is that the kitchen module becomes accessible from the outside. It includes a sink, a fridge, and a gas-powered cooker, and there’s even a 230-volt power outlet as well as a folding table to complete your home away from home.
Designing the California as a Multivan offshoot gives it a more car-like interior than the current, Transporter-based model. It notably features an electronic parking brake that clears up space on the center console, and Volkswagen added a tablet-like touchscreen to the C-pillar that lets users control the camping-specific equipment, including the pop-up top. The screen can also be used to stream movies and shows.
California buyers will be able to choose from the same list of available powertrains as Multivan buyers. In most European markets, the volume engine is a tried-and-true 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder available in several states of tune. Volkswagen also offers a gasoline-burning four-cylinder and a plug-in hybrid system. Front-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission come standard.
The next-generation Volkswagen California will go on sale in numerous global markets in 2024, but California isn’t one of them. Nothing suggests the model will be sold in the United States, so you’ll need to head overseas if you want to sleep on top of a new Volkswagen van.
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