Absolutely. I think this will sell well in that demo.
Hell, we don’t have kids, but I’d consider it when it’s finally out.
Like a guy who I used to work with that would mix up his catch phrases “This will sell hot like cakes”.
Also, for those that would like a walk around, etc. video, I watched the below yesterday.
I like how the seats fold if you wanted to use it for car camping, or at least an option if the weather turns bad and the tent isn’t an option.
Those passenger windows tho.
I had a Jetta that I managed to get 200k miles out of, but by then every fucking window stopped working at least 2x.
I would expect the same with those.
I just wish that the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid wasn’t so dang expensive, and had better reliability. It would probably suit my family well but they’re over $50k and tend to be rated at well below-average for reliability. Their relatively poor sales seems to have scared off other manufacturers from entering the hybrid or electric minivan segment so mostly everyone is just selling big SUVs instead. It would be great if VW can make minivan-type vehicles a hot trend again but they may be too expensive to generate massive sales.
The 7-seater is coming to Europe, too, AFAIK.
while i think you’re right, the larger size isn’t really about function. it’s the advertising gimmick that americans love to fall for: inflating sizes to disproportionately jack up the sale price
one set of back seats and a good sized trunk is more than enough for most families
In 2022, there was an average of 1.94 children under 18 per family in the United States.
What I don’t get is how could anyone look at the minivan market in the US and thinking “Ooh let’s try to get a slice of that!”
It looks nice, but I’ll wait to the next gen. Shorter wheelbase, no third seat, and give me some controls instead of a damned touch screen.
At least they aren’t trying to market yet another ridiculously oversized SUV to city & suburban drivers.
Exactly. Volvo and even BMW have made some decent screen-knob integrations recently. Who the hell wants to look a big honking computer monitor while driving? OMG the fingerprints alone would drive one mad. I look at a monitor all day for work and I certainly don’t want one in my car too.
An electric VW microbus that looks and feels like a sterile Tesla? Yeah, I don’t think so. The orig VW bus was a DIY kit on wheels. This thing is probably locked tighter than a John Deere tractor.
On a positive note it will generate some clever advertising.
Here’s the thing about averages: half of families have more than the average number of kids. Over 7 million American families currently have three or more children under age 18. (Mine is one of them, plus my MIL goes on a lot of trips with us.) What car would you recommend for such families? Because I am not a fan of SUVs and am not going to buy a Model X.
Then there’s the Chinese knockoff of the Beetle:
that’s why i said most, yes? if i’d said “no families” that’d be a different statement. and even in your case, i’d imagine the smaller version of the bus would work, no?
vw will push the larger one here, because of in terms of marketing - everything in the us must be super sized, even - or especially - when it’s not needed
The standard version currently available in Europe has 5 seats. So enough for my kids (when they don’t elbow each other too much) but not the many trips where my MIL joins us.
With the amount of open flooring thanks to the undercarriage rusting through in multiple places, floating on water was not an option I remember.
For quite some time. HOWEVER, with iDrive 8, BMW moved all the climate stuff (including heat/cool seat settings) to the screen. : (
The controller on the console still exists, however.
My car has iDrive 7 and I CAN use the screen and every once and a while I will, but generally I prefer to use the controller.
Below is what the dash looks like now (taken from the internet)
well… depending on how much you like the inlaws, that could be an advantage. 
When I lived in Suthun Coliforniyah back in the 90s, dude, my guitarist BF acquired a blue n white bus. Yes, I had the sense to sing, “The blue bus/Is callin’ us…” whilst traveling therein.
A friend gave him a white n blue Speed Racer license plate holder. Speed at the wheel displayed at the bottom, and on top was printed, “Go Speed Racer, Go!”
Another gave him a bumpersticker which read, “0-60 in ten minutes.” 
Both were proudly displayed on the bus’ back end. 
Of course they’re making it bigger for the US market 
These (the short version) are actually really popular for various kinds of work here - I see a lot of these driving around with plumber, electrician and similar trade decals on them. Seem to be working well for those people judging by the amount of sales, and the size is similar to the previously ubiquitous Toyota Hiace as well as all kinds of other small vans that can fit a couple of Euro pallets (or just a couple of stacks of tool chests along the walls.
I’ve seen a few of the regular passenger version too, but it’s far less common. Then again Norwegians don’t generally drive vans, we’re more station wagon people (and now increasingly SUV/crossover people). Though with EVs being exempt from our otherwise hefty vehicle taxation, plus our growth into a disgustingly high consumption/high debt noveau riche populace, Teslas (ugh) as well as other luxury EVs (that weird Mustang, that ugly AF Jaguar, and so on) sell like crazy. And I guess these are just a bit too quirky and affordable for that crowd.
