Citroën Berlingo review

If you stick to the 1.2 Puretech 110 Feel M model we recommend, the Berlingo undercuts most of its MPV rivals massively, 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 be relatively cheap to run because of the competitive fuel economy – the 1.2 Puretech 110 petrol's official combined figure is 43.5mpg. If you 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. It also includes the 8.0in infotainment system and rear parking sensors we mention elsewhere. 

That said, we wouldn't blame you for going for the Flair trim. It gives you 16in alloy wheels, electric rear windows, picnic tables in the back and the convenience of the adjustable driver's lumbar support.

You also get lots of safety features, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. It missed out on a five-star Euro NCAP rating, though, scoring 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 in the What Car? Reliability Survey – higher than (in order) Ford, Volkswagen, Peugeot and Vauxhall. All new Berlingos get a good but not exceptional three-year/60,000-mile warranty, although that increases to a Toyota-rivalling five-years and 100,000 miles if you buy it online.

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