Take a Tour: Vanagon Interior

Before we owned a Vanagon, I always wondered how a vehicle with such a small footprint could sleep four people. These days, we're often asked: Where do you sleep? What's the interior layout? What's a "pop-top"? Where do you eat? Is there storage? Is there a kitchen? Hopefully we can shed some light on these common Volkswagen Vanagon interior mysteries with a photo tour of our 1990 Westfalia Multivan. Click on the images to enlarge.

Vanagon with canvas "pop-top" popped.

Inside the Vanagon with the top popped.  Arrow points to the bed platform, which folds over to form the upper sleeping bunk for two. During the day, the pop-top provides lots of additional head room. 

The pop-top forms a canvas tent.  The sleeping platform provides plenty of space for two to sleep.  It's about 5ft (1.5m) wide and over 6ft (2m) long. The pop-top is tall enough for an adult to comfortably sit up while on the platform.

Interior ceiling with pop-top down. The skylight opens with a turn  of the knob.

Interior with bench seat and rear-facing, removable "jump-seat" currently in the "up" position.  It easily folds down when needed. The Multivan model does not have a kitchen, but there's plenty of space for a full-sized cooler.

The table flips up and locks into place when it's time for fine VW dining.

The bench seat folds flat to form the lower bed, comfortably accommodating two more travelers. Storage cabinets on the left. The engine is located in the rear of the Vanagon, accessible by a removable hatch under the cushion pictured in the foreground.

And finally, the cockpit, with comfy captain’s chairs and adjustable armrests.  The main and auxiliary batteries are located in compartments  beneath the seats.

If you have any other questions, ask away in the comments section. We'll gladly answer!