A BETTER KIND OF BERLINGO (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 96

Citroen's Berlingo van has long been one of the market's best selling compact LCVs and was rejuvenated in this third generation K9-era form. Operators got clever technology that aimed to set a fresh commercial segment benchmark in this class, plus there was a more efficient BlueHDi diesel engine range - and the option of petrol power too. The larger of the two body shapes gained a longer wheelbase for extra space and owners appreciated the clever cabin configurability. A full-EV e-Berlingo variant arrived in 2021. Potentially then for the used buyer, there's lots to like here.

Modelsword count: 9

compact van (1.5 BlueHDi diesel / Electric - EV)

Historyword count: 395

Think of a compact but spacious van and it's really quite likely that you'll find yourself considering Citroen's Berlingo. It is, after all, the model most people think of when considering this category. Here, were looking at the more sophisticated third generation K9-era version launched in 2018. Like its predecessors, this design shared almost everything with a rival Peugeot Partner and in this MK3 form, those same EMP” chassis-based fundamentals were also shared with Vauxhall's Combo Cargo, Fiat's Doblo and Toyota's Proace City. It's Citroen though, that has the most heritage in this sector. This was the first brand to introduce a diesel powered LCV, the first to launch a van with an integrated load area and the first to launch an LCV model with three seats in the cabin. Compact vans of this kind from this French brand go all the way back to the C4 Fourgon model of 1928, which was succeeded in 1951 by arguably the most iconic small LCV of all time, the 2CV van, the world's first mass produced front wheel drive commercial vehicle. Nearly one and a quarter million examples of it were sold over 27 years of production and though successive models, the Arcadiane of 1978 and the C15 of 1984, sold quite well, they never attracted quite the same kind of following. The Berlingo model line though has, with 1.5 million sales accumulated by 2018, though it's hard to imagine examples of it ever becoming collector's items in the way the 2CV van now is. The Berlingo nameplate first arrived in the LCV segment in 1996, with a second generation version launched in 2008, then updated in 2015. Building on this strong heritage, this MK3 Berlingo Van - launched in late 2018 - marked a thorough renewal of this best-seller. There was a new 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel engine, the fresh option of PureTech petrol power and the availability of a slick-shifting new EAT8 auto gearbox that suited urban-based users. The stiffer platform was paired with electric power steering. And new technology included a clever onboard weighing system and a surround rear-vision camera. Plus, as before, there were a couple of body lengths and two or three seat options. A full-electric version arrived in 2021. Diesel and EV versions of this Berlingo sold in this form until early 2024, when this design was updated with a facelifted model.

What You Getword count: 451

You expect a bit more when it comes to the look of a Citroen van. With this K9 design, the front end differed significantly from that of the alternative Berlingo passenger car design. The headlights on this LCV model were incorporated into the two-tier front lighting signature rather than being separated out from it below. The completely re-designed cabin featured a more horizontally-orientated architecture and smarter materials on the dashboard, the centre console and the doors. There was a bit of extra optional high-tech - a head-up display and a 'Surround Rear Vision' screen for instance - plus customers got a much more sophisticated centre-dash infotainment screen, which grew to 8-inches in sizes and sat high and proud on top of the fascia. The seats were much improved too - particularly the driver's chair, which could feature Citroen's particularly supportive 'Advanced Comfort' design. And there was plenty of cabin practicality. If you were to add up the capacity of all the different nooks and crannies available within the cab of this Berlingo, you'd arrive at a figure of 113-litres. Time to focus on practicality. There are two K9-era Berlingo body shapes to consider - the standard 4.4m-long standard-length version and a lengthier 4.75m 'L2' variant which has a proper long wheelbase platform, so can take significantly more inside. Even the standard-length Berlingo model has a load area big enough to swallow a couple of Euro pallets (thanks to a useful 1,229mm of width between the wheel arches) and can offer 3.3m3 of carriage capacity and 1,817mm of load space length. The bigger 'L2' version can increase those figures to 3.9m3 of capacity and 2,167mm of load space length. There's a minimum of 1,236mm of interior height. With both body shapes, you can extend the capacity by an extra 0.5m3 by using the clever 'Extenso' modular bench seat package that was an important option with this K9-series model. Find a Berlingo fitted with it and this will enable you to flatten the outer passenger seat into the floor and push through longer items into the cab. What else? Well payload capacity is rated at either fractionally above or fractionally below a tonne - which is class-competitive. And from new, a clever optional 'Overload Indicator' could be fitted in the cargo bay to inform a Berlingo van operator when the vehicle's maximum authorised payload had been exceeded. As for efficiency, well with the volume 100hp diesel powerplant that most Berlingo van buyers will choose, you're looking at between 66 and 68mpg on the combined cycle and somewhere between 109 and 112g/km of CO2. There's a three year / 60,000 mile warranty. And Citroen's vast network of specialist LCV dealers to look after you.

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