A beloved member of the family has returned. Volkswagen Philippines introduced the Volkswagen Kombi Highline via an online launch officially marking the long-awaited comeback of an iconic people carrier — albeit this time in its premium, top-of-the-line form.
The Kombi, a unique fixture of Philippine streets during the second half of the 20th century, endeared itself to the colorful motoring and socioeconomic culture of Filipinos.
At the time, the Kombi had often become Filipinos’ first and longest-lasting encounter with a true people carrier, a vehicle originally designed, engineered, and manufactured in the late 1940s to encapsulate in its own way the very definition of community.
The Multivan Kombi redefines that community by adding several notches of luxury and prestige. The world’s bestselling van now comes into the Philippine market as a re-envisioned icon, an updated and upgraded top-of-the-line Multivan Kombi that pinpoints top-level executives and successful personalities who stand to enjoy the vehicle’s sophisticated and luxurious amenities, safety features, and ride technologies the most.
The Multivan Kombi is the crème de la crème of Volkswagen’s multivans. It distinguishes itself from other Kombi configurations such as the Transporter (designed for cargo and shuttle services), Caravelle (used as an economical people carrier), and the California (designed more as a family camper).
Business executives from around the world state numerous reasons their Multivan Kombi is their executive van of choice. Here are the 5 most compelling ones:
The Multivan Kombi exudes power and authority in its own subtle way.
Inside and out, the Multivan Kombi offers luxury and design finesse befitting its accomplished owners and occupants.
Its imposing stature is counterbalanced by understated yet elegant exterior lines, punctuated by the LED daytime running lights (DRL), headlights and taillights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Without being loud about it, the Multivan Kombi still gets its message across: The prestige of success awaits anyone who wishes to ensconce themselves within its spacious and ultra-comfortable cabin.
Everything about the Multivan Kombi is an extension and enhancement of the owner’s well-earned privileges.
From the Nappa leather interior to the front and second-row captain seats, to the electric dual sliding doors that allow for ease of entry and exit, all the way to the rear where the power tailgate offers hands-free opening and closing of the rear hatch doors, the Multivan Kombi makes the person at the top of his or her game feel right at home, or in his or her element at the boardroom.
The Multivan Kombi’s luxury isn’t just for show.
Its remarkable functionality begets greater success. Just as you thrive in the company you keep, so do your accomplishments grow with the tools at your disposal—in this case, the Multivan Kombi’s premium amenities, comfort, convenience, and connectivity features.
The second-row captain seats can swivel for face-to-face meetings while in transit. A multifunction folding table positioned between the second and third rows offers a stable spot for laptops, meals, and other tools of the trade. The 3-zone Climatronic Air Conditioning provides optimum comfort for passengers, wherever they may be seated.
No time is wasted when it comes to parking the Multivan Kombi, as the rear camera and park distance control (PDC) eases backing maneuvers, while the park assist enables the vehicle to fit into tight parking slots without resorting to second guesses.
The 8-inch Discover Media with navigation, Android Auto, and Wireless Apple CarPlay Connectivity, coupled with the Active Info Display, simultaneously provide the driver with invaluable information to better manage road awareness and enhance alertness and the occupants with connectivity and entertainment options.
The Multivan Kombi lets you focus more on the business at hand and less on the bumps along the way.
The true measure of a premium executive vehicle’s performance can be seen by how much it allows you to forget that you’re in transit, so you could fully immerse yourself in your passions, or engage companions in a productive interaction.
From its 2.0-liter TDI engine and the 7-speed DSG transmission, down to its slew of innovative safety systems, the Multivan Kombi offers an exceptionally smooth and stable ride.
The Tiptronic function and coasting feature lessen driver fatigue on long trips, while the 150 PS of power and 340 Nm of torque emanating from the powertrain guarantee adequate power, optimum fuel efficiency, and smooth shifts regardless of the load.
A change of drivers won’t interrupt your train of thought, as the Driver Profile Select with Dynamic Chassis Control helps maintain optimal drive practices with its option to customize individual settings based on steering, engine, cruise control, and air-conditioning parameters as well as offering the choice among drive modes Normal, Sport, Comfort, or Eco, according to the needs of the situation.
Faithful to its premium character, the Multivan Kombi makes occupant safety among its highest priorities. It comes with 6 airbags (front, side, and head curtain) plus Driver Alert, Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), and Hill Start Assist (HSA).
There’s also its one-of-a-kind Crosswind Assist feature of the ESP that automatically applies gentle, course-corrective braking whenever strong crosswinds are encountered and the van is running above 80 kph, thereby helping keep the vehicle stable and running within its lane.
The Multivan Kombi lets you focus more time on what truly matters—your family—and less on maintenance and ownership costs.
The Multivan Kombi comes with 2-year warranty coverage, 2-year spare parts warranty, and 12-year no-through corrosion—all with unlimited mileage.
Its once-a-year visit for maintenance translates to less time spent for the vehicle to be serviced at the dealership. What’s more, Volkswagen dealers guarantee at least a 3-month stock availability on fast-moving parts, either for general repair or for collision parts.
Dealers likewise guarantee the highest levels of service quality, employing only the most qualified technicians, their skills sharpened by extensive technical and online training, and using complete diagnostic tools and equipment. These dealerships have you covered even outside their premises, as they offer free 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Overall, the only thing you get to spend more with your Multivan Kombi is your time enjoying its luxury, convenience, and safety, as you actually spend 22% less on ownership costs compared to other top-tier luxury vans.
The Multivan Kombi Highline comes in four standard colors: Black Pearlescent, Reflex Silver, and the Bi-Colors Reflex Silver/Starlight Blue Metallic and Reflex Silver/Fontana Red.
An additional 12 colors are available for special orders: Fontana Red, Ravenna Blue, Starlight Blue, Mojave Beige, Bay Leaf Green, Copper Bronze, Indium Grey, Candy White, and the Bi-Colors Reflex Silver/Indium Grey, Mojave Beige/Black Pearl, Candy White/Bay Leaf Green, and Candy White/Copper Bronze.
Whatever hue the Multivan may be wrapped in, there is always the global Volkswagen guarantee that every Kombi that rolls onto Philippine streets and takes its revered place in plush garages has the same consistent world-class level of German precision and automobile craftsmanship as other Multivan Kombis anywhere in the world.
Unmatched heritage, consistently world-class automotive engineering and design locked in with German precision, top-of-the-line technologies and safety features, and an ownership experience that minimizes the worry and maintenance costs, make the standard retail prices of the Volkswagen Multivan Kombi Highline variants an easy deal to shake hands on.
The Monocolor variants of the Kombi Highline are priced at PhP 3,595,000, while the Bi-Color models go for PhP 3,640,000.
