The Citroen Berlingo is now in its third generation; it was introduced to the market in 2018. It is a minivan with an excellent price-to-equipment-to-space ratio.
In addition to being available with engines ranging from 102 to 136 horsepower, its two body sizes (Size M, 4.40 m and Size XL, 4.75 m) and the option of having seven passengers make it a vehicle with several combinations. The variety of trim levels is likewise impressive. For example, the Citroen Berlingo Size M has a boot capacity of 597 liters, while the Berlingo Size XL has a boot capacity of 850 liters.
In the present European market, the Citroen Berlingo fills the family minivan, formerly held by the Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer, which has been in low hours since its launch and does not have much time left on the market. As a result, its finishes and tread characteristics and its comfort and safety features have advanced significantly compared to the previous generation of Berlingo. In many ways, the current Citroen Berlingo minivan is similar to the brand's passenger automobiles.
The new Citroen Berlingo has a starting price of 24,400 euros.
The boot capacity of the Citroen Berlingo varies based on body size. The 35 centimeters that distinguish the XL and M models are exclusively dedicated to increasing the boot size. Thus, the 5-seater XL variants have a capacity of 850 liters. When the two extra seats from the 7-seater models are installed in the trunk, the capacity ranges between 209 and 322 liters, depending on the location of the sliding third-row seats. The Berlingo size M has a baggage capacity of 597 liters. It should be noticed that the floor is flush with the loading mouth in all models, and the shapes are pretty straight, making the most of the loading capacity. It also features rings for securing baggage.
The Citroen Berlingo has a monochrome screen, Bluetooth, and a USB port for its basic models. The remainder of the models has a radio with an 8-inch color touch screen compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Optional extras include an integrated navigation system with TomTom mapping and warnings for gas stations, parking lots, weather, traffic, and real-time radars. The Connect Box system can also be installed for emergency calls and localized help.
The Citroen Berlingo diesel and gasoline models have front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Unfortunately, it is now not available with automatic transmissions in combustion engines, even though it has previously been provided and that its twin vehicles, such as the Opel Combo and Peugeot Rifter, have them in their catalog.
The Citroen Berlingo engine lineup includes two variants of the 1.5 BlueHDi engine, with 100 and 130 horsepower. The single gasoline engine is a 1.2-liter Puretech turbo three-cylinder block with 110 horsepower. It is in short supply, unlike diesel engines since it is only available in a single finish (Feel) and in size M bodywork.
The electric version of the vehicle is known as the Citroen e-Berlingo. It has 136 horsepower and a 50 kWh battery, allowing it to 280 kilometers. These electric models are always equipped with an automatic transmission.
The most straightforward finish distinguishes itself by having a design on the front similar to that of the industrial models but entirely distinct from any of the three higher finishes. Air conditioning, six airbags, automatic emergency braking, lane maintaining system, light sensor, and Bluetooth are standard features. Add a rain sensor, smart low / high beam, second-row windows that can be opened in directions, rear parking sensor, electronic parking brake, and LED daytime running lights to round out the package.
Individual seats in the second row, electrically folding mirrors, leather steering wheel, roof bars, 8-inch touch screen, and tinted rear windows, electrically openable and openable rear window continue to enhance the comfort.
The Citroen e-Berlingo electric minivan comes equipped with a 7.4 kW onboard charger, which can be upgraded to 11 kW. In the best-case scenario, the minimum charging period is roughly 6 hours, but there is also the option of a rapid recharge of up to 100 kW, which can recover an 80 percent charge in the battery in 30 minutes.
The thermal version with the highest performance, as expected, is the 130-horsepower 1.5 BlueHDi diesel, which can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.3 seconds. The model is shown above with its chest out in front of Ford, which, with a 120-horsepower diesel engine in the Tourneo Connect, takes 13 seconds to do the identical maneuver. Not to mention the statistics provided by the Renault Kangoo, which only boasts a 95-horsepower diesel engine.
The Citroen Berlingo covers a very close segment. Its primary rivals are the Peugeot Rifter, Opel Combo, and Toyota Proace, three vehicles that share almost everything and where looks, price, or availability can tilt the scale. Despite this, it should be noted that the Berlingo is the most popular of the four models. Volkswagen Caddy, Ford Tourneo Connect, and Renault Kangoo are also rivals. These three will be replaced in 2021 by new generations with more modern designs, equipment, and solutions than Berlingo, which has the advantage of a solid reputation and considerable market experience.
