Citroen Berlingo 2017 review
Tim Robson road tests and reviews the new Citroen Berlingo with performance, fuel consumption and verdict.
The words "quirky" and "delivery van" don't usually go together in the same sentence, but with Citroen's whimsical Berlingo, you can get your cake and deliver it.
Until recently, the idea of caring for driver and passenger in a delivery car was completely foreign. Creature comfort was secondary when it came to the typical van's maximum practicality.
If you're a small business looking for something out of the ordinary when it comes to SUVs, the Berlingo has a number of advantages.
Design
The automotive designer is quite shy when it comes to designing a small van. After all, it's basically a big box, usually painted white, and needs two or three large doors.
The French company's range of small vans come in short (L1) and long (L2) wheelbase versions and are one size smaller than the ubiquitous Toyota Hiace. Its engine is located in front of the cab, providing easier service access and a safer area for passengers.
Its main concession to appearance is a rounded, almost pretty, snub-nosed nose, while the rest of the van is quite plain and unassuming. However, the side skirts echo those of other Citroen vehicles such as the Cactus.
practicality
In terms of functionality, the longer L2 Berlingo tested here has sliding doors on each side of the car, as well as 60-40 swing doors in the back that can be opened very wide. A standard see-through tarpaulin screen separates the cargo area from the cab, and the floor is covered with hard plastic protection.
The cargo area can hold cargo up to 2050mm long, which can stretch up to 3250mm when the front passenger seat is folded down, and is 1230mm wide. By the way, it is 248 mm longer than L1.
There are no niches for the rear wheels in the trunk, and metal fastening hooks are located on the floor. However, there are no mounting hooks on the sides of the van, although there are perforations in the body to allow the use of straps.
Its load capacity is 750 kg.
The seat is perhaps the most unusual feature of the Berlingo.
At 1148mm, the Berlingo is surprisingly tall, although the rear beam above the loading doors can get in the way of loading tall drawers.
It goes without saying that the driver's cab must be comfortable; after all, the Berlingo and vans like it are meant to be used all day long, every day.
The seat is perhaps the most unusual feature of the Berlingo. The seats are quite high and the pedals are quite low and recline off the floor, giving the impression that you are standing on the pedals rather than leaning on them.
The seats themselves are covered in fabric and are quite comfortable even over long distances, but very tall riders may find it difficult to push the seat back far enough to get comfortable. The steering wheel is adjustable for tilt and reach, which is a great feature of a commercial van.
The 2017 version of the Berlingo has been updated with a new touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and a rearview camera. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via an under-dash USB port, as well as a 12-volt outlet, as well as an auxiliary stereo jack.
There is a deep central compartment with a lid on rollers, as well as a folding armrest for the driver. Even though the Berlingo has five cup holders, none of them can hold a standard soft drink can or a cup of coffee. The French seem to love their espresso or their Red Bull. However, both front doors have slots for large bottles.
There's also a driver's headboard that runs the width of the cabin and can fit jackets or softer items, but you really don't want something harder to fly back at you when accelerating.
Other amenities include power windows, air conditioning and switch locks. Speaking of locks, the Berlingo has an unusually annoying habit of requiring the rear doors to be unlocked twice before they can be used, which is a problem until you get used to it.
Price and features
The Berlingo L2 with a semi-automatic transmission is priced at $30.990.
Because it's a commercial van, it's not equipped with the latest multimedia gizmos. However, it has a few useful touches that make life easier.
Headlights, for example, are not automatic, but turn off when the car is turned off. It also comes with an unpainted front bumper and uncoated steel rims for maximum courier and delivery practicality.
Getting into reverse gear in a hurry requires quite a bit of fiddling and thinking.
The multimedia touch screen offers Bluetooth, audio streaming and car customization settings.
It comes with a three-seat rear seat and is offered in five colors.
Engine and transmission
The Berlingo is powered by a small 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine that delivers 66kW at 4000rpm and 215Nm at 1500rpm, mated to a rather unusual semi-automatic transmission.
The main vehicle controls are actually mounted on a rotary dial located on the dashboard. It has a manual control that can be operated using steering column-mounted paddle shifters.
The gearbox has an unusual pause between shifts. It's certainly not smooth and can actually be quite jerky until you get used to it. The best way to control this is to actually raise the throttle between shifts, and the easiest way to do this is to use the manual paddles.
It takes quite a bit of fiddling and thinking to get into reverse gear in a hurry because you're not used to looking for reverse gear on the dash!
In fact, it is the pause in the transmission that can alienate potential buyers at the first test of the car. We recommend sticking with it and giving it a try because the engine itself is a real peach. With a low to mid-six economy rating, it's quiet, torquey and strong over longer runs, even with a load on board. It is also available with a manual transmission.
Fuel economy
Citroen claims the Berlingo returns 5.0L/100km on the combined cycle. Over 980 km of testing, which included city and highway driving as well as hauling approximately 120 kg of cargo, produced a 6.2 l/100 km reading on the instrument panel and achieved a range of 800 km from its 60-litre diesel tank.
safety
As a commercial vehicle, the Berlingo lacks higher-level safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking, although we hope the companies will pass on this important technology to commercial users.
While it's not going to win a Grand Prix anytime soon, it's more than good enough to handle heavy day-to-day traffic.
It has ABS, traction control, a rear fog light and dual reversing lights, as well as a reversing camera and sensors.
Driving
The single most impressive feature of the Berlingo is the ride quality. The way the suspension is set up will confuse many modern hatchbacks on the market today.
It has incredibly complex damping, a perfectly tuned spring, and rides well with or without a load. The steering is very car-like, too, and while it's not going to win a Grand Prix anytime soon, it's more than enough to handle harsh g-forces and heavy day-to-day traffic. as a longer commute or delivery.
We tested the car with nearly a thousand miles of country and city driving and were very impressed with the handling, economy and power of the Berlingo.
Property
Citroen offers a three-year, 100,000 km warranty with on-road support.
