Why the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 wins on ownership costs

The Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 is a true all-round hero of the van market. Smart, practical and stylish – especially in Sportline guise – it’s the intelligent choice for any small business.

But, it’s not just the useability, clever advanced tech, eye-catching design and sheer breadth of load-lugging capability that make the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 a great van. It’s also brilliantly cost-effective and economical to run, thanks to a range of efficient Euro 6D diesel engines and residual values far beyond that of its rivals.

In fact, the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 is so cost effective it took the top prize for the Best Value for Ownership Costs at the 2021 What Car? Van Awards, making it the perfect investment for you and your business. Here’s why.

Learn more about the Transporter 6.1 Sportline at volkswagen-vans.co.uk

Great value from day one

Buying an all-new van, or upgrading from an older vehicle, is one of the biggest investments you’ll make for your business. So, it’s crucial you get the most value for your money. That’s where the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 truly shines.

“Entry-level [Volkswagen Transporter] models cost less [to buy] than rivals from the likes of Ford and Mercedes,” our panel of What Car? industry experts said, while explaining why they gave the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 its Best Value for Ownership Costs win.

In fact, starting from just £23,350 for the Startline trim, the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 comes in a number of guises – all laden with a wealth of standard infotainment and safety technology that make your working days more enjoyable, and safer.

As a panel van, the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 comes in a range of lengths and heights that let you configure your van to get maximum space for your money. The short wheelbase Transporter with the standard roof yields a load capacity of 5.8m³ with a load length of 2572mm and load height of 1700mm, while a long-wheelbase Transporter with the high roof provides 9.3m³ of load space, 2975mm of load length and 1940mm of load height.

In Kombi guise you can have up to six spacious seats – perfect for ferrying colleagues from job to job – while still boasting up to 1967mm of load length on long wheelbase models, and up to 4.4m³ of load space, giving you enough room for two Euro pallets.

All Volkswagen Transporter 6.1’s come with a crisp 6.5-inch touchscreen as standard, with Colour DAB radio and hands-free Bluetooth connectivity – making enjoying your favourite media a breeze.

Volkswagen App-Connect is standard too, which helps you carve a smarter path through your working day, while Front Assist with City Emergency Braking lends a watchful pair of eyes around town, and Crosswind Assist and the eCall emergency system do their bit to keep you and your occupants safe.

Cutting your daily running costs

But it’s not just great value for money at the time of purchase that makes the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 a What Car? Best Value for Ownership Costs Van Awards winner.

“The Transporter is powered by a range of engines that are all frugal for their power output – meaning that fuel costs should be relatively low”, said our What Car? Judging panel.

In fact, the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1’s range of Euro 6D-compliant diesel engines can yield WLTP Combined economy figures as high as 40.4mpg, meaning you could achieve upwards of 600 miles per tank depending on your load, driving style and weather conditions^[1]. And, with the average urban van driver covering as little as 20 miles a day (or sometimes less), that could mean filling up just once a month – perfect for keeping your daily expenses down.

Road tax is cheap, too. The van tax rate for the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 for 2021/2022 is set at just £275, while the BIK rates – if you use a van provided by your company for personal use as well as work – is £3500 for the 2021/2022 financial year. That means you’ll pay just £700 a year if you’re a 20% taxpayer, or £1400 if you’re in the 40% band.

Great residual value in the long run

Finally, we come to the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1’s pièce de résistance: it’s residual value. When buying any vehicle, it’s worth remembering that its resale value (when you come to move on to another vehicle) should play a huge part in deciding what you buy. And, when it comes to the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1, it outperforms every other van on the market.

“One of [the Transporter’s] greatest calling cards is the unquantifiable coolness it bestows, something that reaps dividends come resale time and which helps keep ownership costs low” said our What Car? experts.

But, it’s not just the Volkswagen badge prestige that helps the Transporter 6.1 retain so much value. Its renowned reliability, dependability and useability make it a tremendously sought-after used buy, meaning demand is always high.

As our What Car? panel explained: “The residual values for the Transporter are truly remarkable, either as a new or used purchase, and in our calculations, that initial investment always pays back better than is the case with any of its rivals, no matter how many miles you drive or how many years you run it for. That’s also why the Transporter is highly competitive to lease as well as buy outright.”

So, those are all the reasons why the Volkswagen Transporter 6.1 is What Car?’s Best Value for Ownership Costs van 2021. But perhaps the best way to find out what great value it is to own, is to try it for yourself.

Learn more about the Transporter 6.1 Sportline at volkswagen-vans.co.uk

[1] Transporter fuel tank = 70L (15.4 gallons). 40.4mpg x 15.4 = 622 miles.