Citroën Berlingo review

Stick to the 1.2 Puretech 110 Feel M model we recommend and the Berlingo massively undercuts most of its MPV rivals, whether you’re buying in cash or on a PCP finance deal. The exceptions are the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life, which, cosmetics aside, are essentially the same car.

It should also be relatively cheap to run, thanks to competitive fuel economy; the 1.2 Puretech 110 petrol's official combined figure is 43.5mpg. For those who intend to run a Berlingo as a company car, its CO2 emissions are from 146g/km, putting it at the higher end of the benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bands. If you expect to run up vast annual mileages, the diesel version will prove even more frugal.

Standard equipment is generous. Even though Feel is the entry-level trim, you still get air-con, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, electric front windows and electrically operated door mirrors. Don't forget, it also includes the 8.0in infotainment system we mentioned earlier. 

That said, we wouldn't blame you for going for the Flair trim. It grants you 16in alloy wheels, electric rear windows, picnic tables in the back, and the convenience of the adjustable driver's lumbar support and rear parking sensors that we've talked about previously. 

You also get lots of safety features, such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. It missed out on a five-star Euro NCAP rating, though; it scored four stars out of five because it was deemed that the AEB system wasn't especially effective. There were few quibbles over its structural integrity, though. 

As a brand, Citroën ranked 16th out of 31 brands in the 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey – higher than (in order) Ford, Volkswagen, Peugeot and Vauxhall. All new Berlingos get a three-year/60,000-mile warranty; this is helpful but not exceptional by industry standards.

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