Full review

Ocean is the new moniker for this incarnation of the California, and it’s now based on the new T6. The most noticeable ‘new bit’ is the nose. A new grille includes a lower section that’s now full-width, the headlights are changed, the external mirrors set lower. Safety equipment is also upgraded.

In the cab, there’s a posh new dashboard and, in the test vehicle, the no-cost option of Comfort seats, but VW UK had failed to realise that ordering said seats deleted the swivels that are a vital part of the living area’s function.

The other important change is the 2-litre motor which now upgraded to the latest Euro VI emissions specification. The test vehicle came with a high specification – here, the range-topping 201bhp (204PS) and the latest DSG automatic transmission.

The standard 148-horsepower engine is perfectly powerful enough and just right for a camper. Then there’s the over two-and-a-half grand cost saving. One option that’s worth every penny is the seven-speed DSG – Direct Shift Gearbox. There’s manual shifting, if you prefer, and a sport mode that proved useful around town.

This incarnation of the Cali proved to be one of the best campers I’ve ever driven: powerful and relaxing – an absolute pleasure to use.

Two three-point belts, proper automotive head restraints and Isofix mounts for child seats are all included on the bench seat. But, it’s worth remembering that, on the school run, the sliding door is on the offside.

The standard kit includes multiple airbags, heated cab seats, leather-wrapped wheel, alarm, traction control, DAB radio, front foglights, double-glazed rear side and tailgate windows, power latching rear door and tailgate, VW’s Bluemotion system, plus regenerative braking.

A table slides fore/aft on a rail attached to the kitchen unit, folding up to provide dining and worktop space. There’s a second table that’s perfect for outside eating. In the rear, you’ll discover two outdoor chairs inside the tailgate. And, the outdoor table can be used indoors, instead of the one fixed to the galley. Glass lids cover both the sink/hob combo and top-loading compressor fridge.

There’s hot water, but it’s easy enough to boil a kettle come ‘morning splash’ or washing-up time. The two-burner hob features push-button ignition and doubles as a draining surface for wet crockery. Canny cooks will use the slide-out table/worktop to pile everything on, leaving the fridge lid free to open.

Below, there’s a decent amount of stowage space in a sliding-door cupboard that also includes an internal cutlery/utensils drawer.

One glaring emission is the lack of a portable toilet or, indeed, any dedicated stowage for said item. With my California I discovered that the smallest Porta Potti would stow in the kitchen cupboard at bottom right. There is just room for it to stand on the floor in front of the downstairs bed and ready for use in the small hours.

Talking about the bed, it is very easy to deploy: rails set into the floor allow the bench to be slid forwards and, at the push of a couple of buttons, the headrests fold down. Pull a fabric loop at the rear of the squab and the backrest folds down to meet the upholstered shelf in the rear and that’s it.

The resultant double bed is nearly four feet wide and six-feet-six long. The upstairs double descends, supported by gas struts. There’s no ladder so you have to be reasonably agile to reach it: I used a cab seat and one of its arms as a hop-up. This roof bed is very roomy, and extremely comfortable. It remains the best rising roof camper bed I’ve ever tried.

There’s plenty of ventilation up here with zipped, flyscreened vents, while downstairs blackout is achieved by neat, built-in blinds. In the cab, cloth panels attach easily to the side windows and the windscreen has a pair of blinds.

Inboard fresh and waste water tanks are nicely frost-proofed – especially considering that the diesel-fired, blown-air heating is programmable. There’s a remote control, too, allowing you to get the camper nice and toasty.

Lighting is all-LED and consists of a good number of downlighters, plus strip-lamps set into the tailgate and in the ceiling above the roof bed.

The gas capacity is a tad disappointing, as just one Campingaz 2.75kg cylinder fits in the locker. There are only two hob burners to power and refills are available just about anywhere, but price of the 907 cylinder refills can be expensive, especially in Blighty.

Aside from the charger and a couple of mains sockets, there are no mains-powered devices on board, but twin leisure batteries are fitted.

The sliding rear bench increases the rear load space hugely, along with the boot space that remains when the seat is slid back. There’s good stowage in a big drawer beneath the rear bench and in a decent-and-deep wardrobe followed by a shelved cupboard. 

If you enjoyed this review, you can read the full version and more in the October issue of MMM magazine, which is Britain's best-selling motorhome magazine. You can get a digital copy of the October issue of MMM magaizne here.