Citroen Berlingo CV review

The Berlingo will cost you more than its Vauxhall Combo Cargo cousin to buy, but less than the Peugeot Partner. It costs substantially more than the Ford Transit Connect, too.

Safety has been improved dramatically in the latest Berlingo van, with traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking and a driver attention monitoring system all available.

Perhaps the most innovative new addition, though, is the inclusion of an overload indicator. It alerts you as you reach 90% of maximum capacity and again when the vehicle is overloaded.

The Surround View Mirror is also worth mentioning. It comes as standard on the Driver models and is an option for the others, and gives you a 5in screen with blindspot views as well as rear views of the vehicle. Another good feature of the Berlingo is its Magic Wash wipers, which form part of the Visibility Pack. They squirt the windscreen washer fluid from the blade of the wiper rather than from nozzles in the bonnet, increasing both coverage and efficiency.

If you are looking for the most economical van, then the middle-powered 99bhp diesel engine should be the one you opt for, but each is a frugal option nonetheless. Average MPGs range from 61mpg to 67mpg, which is the same as the highly efficient version of the Econetic Ford Transit Connect.

The Berlingo is covered by a three-year or 100,000-mile warranty, and servicing intervals are every 25,000 miles for the Blue HDi 130 model but every 15,000 or once year for the 75 and 100 vans.

Entry-level vans get a DAB radio, as well as electric windows, electric heated mirrors and automatic headlights. Enterprise models get considerably more, with an adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, automatic electronic parking brake, tyre pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors, cruise control and air conditioning. They also get the Extenso folding passenger seat with writing table and load-through bulkhead to increase carrying capacity, plus the 8in touchscreen infotainment system. 

Driver spec models get more still, with features including sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, passenger side and rear cameras, automatic windscreen wipers and a multi-function steering wheel. Worker models get additional grip control and a 30mm increase in ground clearance to enable light off-roading .

We’d recommend the Enterprise trim level simply for the value it offers in terms of additional equipment, but, if you plan to cover many miles, Driver is a generous package too. The options list is fairly flexible, though, so you can pick a wide range of features on almost any Berlingo.