After a long hiatus, the 'Kombi' has returned to the country. Say hello to the 2021 Volkswagen Multivan. Aimed at the likes of the Hiace Super Grandia, what can this premium people carrier offer to the Philippine market?

Let's start with the exterior equipment of the Multivan. Both the headlights and taillights feature LED lighting and LED daytime running lights (DRLs). There's also a power tailgate to help occupants stow their luggage more easily. Last but not least, the Multivan rolls on stylish 17-inch alloy wheels.

Open the power sliding doors, and the Multivan greets its passengers with Nappa leather upholstery, captain seats on the second row with dual-swivel function. There's even a multi-function table between the captain seats.

When it comes to features, the 7-seater Multivan has plenty to offer. These include 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, a digital instrument cluster with active info display, USB charging ports for the front and rear, 3-zone Climatronic air-conditioning, and park assist.

Under the hood of the Multivan is a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four. Dubbed the 330 TDI, the engine makes 150 PS at 3250 – 3750 rpm with 340 Nm of torque at 1500 – 3000 rpm, and is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with a Tiptronic function.

A wide array of driving modes is available on the all-new Kombi. These are Normal, Comfort, Sport, Eco, and Individual. In Sport mode, acceleration and steering respond faster. Meanwhile, Eco Mode makes for a more efficient driving experience by shifting early and coasting more. Then there's Individual which allows drivers to customize steering, engine, and air-conditioning settings.

When it comes to safety, the Kombi has six airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, electronic stability, hill-start assist, anti-slip regulation, crosswind assist, cruise control, and park distance control with a reverse camera. For safer driving, the digital instrument panel has an integrated navigation display to help the driver get around.

The all-new Multivan Kombi will come in 4 standard colors: Black Pearlescent, Reflex Silver, Reflex Silver/Starlight Blue Metallic, and Reflex Silver/Fontana Red. There are also 12 additional colors that customers can choose from.

Pricing of the Multivan Kombi is as follows:

2.0L TDI Highline Monocolor – PHP 3,595,000

2.0L TDI Highline Bi-Color – PHP 3,640,000