Citroen Berlingo Van Review

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Our Review of the Citroen Berlingo

Citroen's Citroen Berlingo Diesel 1.6 HDi is on the larger side of compact vans and offers drivers payloads up to 626kg together with a load volume of around 3.7m3. It competes in the region of pricing and fuel consumption as the Citroen Berlingo Diesel will give 49.6 miles per gallon.

The Citroen Berlingo has 75 bhp and provides a torque of 185Nm at 1750 rpm. Though it could be agued that the Citroen Berlingo should be a bit faster than what it is, it can easily transport a capacity payload around town on a consistent basis.

To drive the Berlingo offers comfort and refinement, thanks in part to the reduced engine noise and light steering. The Citroen Berlingo is slightly larger than its predecessor, 243 mm longer to be precise, and this translates to slightly less manoeuvrability, though for the most part and under most driving conditions this will be more than offset by the comfort of the ride. The Citroen Berlingo still offers a turning circle of around 11m.

Accessing the load space comes from the rear with doors that can open 180 degrees. The space itself is 1800mm long and 1229mm wide. The loading height is sensible and side panelling provides the protection for the cargo, while a ladder frame provides protection for the driver. In a twist to the usual design, the loading bay light can be detached and used as a torch.

The Citroen Berlingo features ABS brakes as standard together with a trip computer, CD stereo, central locking, internally adjustable door mirrors, and electric front windows. Citroen have also thrown in a Trafficmaster Smartnav satellite navigation and vehicle tracking system, to tip the balance in their favour when choosing a commercial vehicle in this range.

Cabin wise, the Citroen Berlingo offers plenty of space for driver and passenger, though the prospect of using the third seat which some models come with seems to be an impossibility on the surface. There is hardly any leg room for the middle passenger and the dash mounted gear stick will do that person any favours either. On the positive side the Citroen Berlingo's cab does offer drivers plenty of storage room and the controls are nicely laid out.

Though fans of the Citroen Berlingo's predecessor may miss the agility it possessed, it is more than likely that the extra size and payload capacity will offset any disappointments, as the Citroen Berlingo still carries the trait of the smaller panel vans in that it is manoeuvrable enough and capable enough to transport good payloads around town.

Citroen Berlingo Van Review is brought to you by our motoring professionals at Vanarama.