VAN-based people movers are going up in the world as the latest seven-seaters from Volkswagen are about to prove.

The company is releasing two new models each with its roots in VW's recently updated LCV line up.

Both are powered by Euro 6 diesel engines which comply with the latest emission regulations and are not affected by the ‘dieselgate' scandal which has rocked the German brand.

Of the two newcomers the most affordable is the Caddy Maxi Life which costs from £22,339 including VAT.

But the star of the show is the new Caravelle - a vast all-rounder based on the latest Transporter van, itself just going on sale.

The Caravelle range starts from £37,135 and tops out at £47,906 for the Executive grade version.

As such it is a genuinely high end vehicle and the model we tried was only just shy of £50,000.

However, it lives up to its executive status in every way with posh trim, a pair of rotating ‘Captains' chairs in the middle and a floor-mounted foldaway table in front of the rear bench seat.

The cabin is huge with 4.3 square metres of floorspace and it is a vehicle that is as much at home ferrying the family around as it will be on the airport run as a private hire vehicle or even operating as a mobile boardroom.

The Caravelle is powered by a 2.0-litre engine available in two states of boost, either 150ps or a lively 204ps and both can be mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG semi-automatic transmission.

It was the latter powertrain we sampled and it is very refined and usable resulting in a 0 to 60 acceleration of less than 10 seconds - and that is in a vehicle with a gross weight of three tonnes.

Top speed is 126mph and VW claims an official fuel return of 44.8mpg with emissions of 164g/km.

On the road there is nothing lacking on the power front and the gearbox can be used manually or from paddle shifters.

Stop/start is fitted and we managed to record an average of 35 to the gallon - not at all shabby for a vehicle of such proportions.

There is a multi-mode drive control which can vary throttle and suspension settings from sport to comfort but the ride under all circumstances was on the firm side.

The dashboard is very car-like and centred on a touchscreen with sat nav, phone connectivity and audio systems all plumbed in.

Storage space includes a covered bin with a gloss finish lid on the front passenger side which sits above a lockable glovebox and under each passenger seat are slide out compartments as well as further oddment room and bottle holders around the cabin.

In the roof are banks of lights and ventilation outlets for each row of seats and the entire feel is very upmarket.

The emphasis is on comfort and even though the Caravelle is based on a van its luggage capacity when set up for seven is little more than you would get in a family hatchback.

Smart touches abound - and so they should in something costing £49,873 - but the attention to detail inside is impressive, even down to the illuminated Caravelle motifs in the door wells.

Outside it looks upmarket as well featuring VW's new corporate front end which is used across the entire Transporter range although the Caravelle is embellished with some additional chrome garnish as well as body-coloured bumpers and mirror casings - not to mention a very large tailgate which can provide a handy refuge from inclement weather when parked up.

More compact yet equally as capable is the new Caddy seven seater which despite its smaller frame offers plenty of space inside.

For larger than average families it is ideal as a cheaper alternative to a regular MPV and with its foldable seating configuration can be converted quickly to a load lugger offering an enormous cargo capacity of 3,370 litres.

As with the Caravelle it features sliding middle doors making access straightforward and it too has a facia that is derived from VW's passenger cars.

The model we tried was a 105ps version fitted with a six-speed DSG box which again performed adequately.

Acceleration 0 to 60 is 13.4 seconds and it tops out at 106mph with the engine delivering good mid-range pull.

Official fuel return is 54.3mpg and CO2 rated at 136g/km and we achieved 46 to the gallon on the open road. Around town it was a little thirstier but still returned close on 40mpg.

With sat nav, artificial leather upholstery and a multi-function steering wheel - all of which were options - it had an on the road price of £25,482 making it a very cost effective family vehicle.