2020 Volkswagen Crafter

Volkswagen Crafter

Volkswagen’s Crafter comes in swinging for serious business, no question. It’s aimed straight at operators who need a workhorse—delivery fleets, chilled goods, those last-mile runs that keep Gauteng’s arteries pumping. On paper at least, it’s the Sprinter’s nemesis, and gives the Ford Transit and Iveco Daily a proper run for their money. Every Crafter on the local classifieds rocks a 2.0-litre TDI diesel, either the 103 kW version or the beefier setup for the 50-series, with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed auto. Only eight active listings, but the pricing tells a story: from R349,995 to a staggering R1,081,687, with the median nudging R981,200. You’re mostly looking at new, high-spec units—five out of eight are brand new, just three are used. That 50-series XLWB automatic? It dominates, with three listings between R959,000 and R1,081,687. If you pack smart, the Crafter 35 MWB is far more attainable at R589,900, and there’s even a 35 auto at R349,995 that frankly won’t sit long. Used models cover 2020 to 2023, averaging about 58,500 km, which is fair game for panel vans in hard service. For South African fleets, cabin quality and refinement trump the Transit’s more basic feel—the Crafter simply comes off less agricultural if your driver’s slogging up and down the N3 from Joburg to Durban. For long-haul comfort, that’s the point.