The old Volkswagen Bus that rattled the roads to Woodstock was the minivan that started it all, and the 2003 Multivan was its fifth predecessor.
The German carmaker was already known for its LCV lineup and tried to make it to the car segment. Worth mentioning that, in 2003, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Cars were different arms of the same body and, sometimes, they didn’t follow the same paths or used the same parts. The Multivan was based on the fifth Transporter generation and was the upmarket people-carrier for the German brand.

Unlike its siblings, the Transporter, the Kombi, or the Shuttle, the Multivan was designed to compete against the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and the GMC Sonoma. It still kept the same boxy shape from the outside but with a more refined look thanks to its nicely designed headlights that resembled the ones installed on the Passat, with a V-shaped line pointing toward the VW badge. Its two-slats grille sported chromed accents to enhance that upmarket look, and the tall front bumper featured foglights at the bottom. Depending on the options, the car was available with one or two sliding doors for the rear passengers.

Inside, the Volkswagen LCV division installed high seats for seven and sliding rails for various interior equipment such as a folding table, a refrigerator, or a mobile office. Its tilting and rotating captain seats allowed the owner to use the car as a field-office. Depending on the options, the user could have transformed the vehicle into a small motorhome.

Unlike many competitors, the Multivan was available with fuel-efficiency turbo-diesel engines and all-wheel-drive systems. Moreover, its independent suspension in all corners and the automatic transmission made it a comfortable and safe vehicle fit for any occasion.