Mercedes Citan van review
Category: Small Van
Good fuel economy and competitive cargo space, but equipment feels a little basic and some rivals are better to drive.
Introduction
What Car? says...
Second chances in life are rare – but as any celebrity who has gone through a reinvention and emerged more popular than ever will tell you, they can work out well. So, while the first-generation Mercedes Citan wasn’t quite up to the standards of most rivals, this new version is aiming to be the best small van on the market.
The second-generation Citan – like the first – shares most of its oily components with the closely related Renault Kangoo. However, while the original van was essentially a Kangoo with a different badge, Mercedes says this time it has had more involvement to turn the latest version into a standalone product.
It has a new design, for example, which sets it apart from the Kangoo, and a bespoke infotainment system. And as well as being available with a conventional engine, it will also be available as an electric van for the first time. The electrified version – the eCitan – will form the basis of the upcoming Mercedes EQT electric people carrier.
Still, the Mercedes Citan we're looking at here will need every tool in the box to compete with its accomplished small van rivals. They include the Ford Transit Connect and VW Caddy Cargo.
Keep reading to find out more about the engine and versions available, and how we rate the Citan in all the important areas.
Remember that if you're interested in leasing a new van, you can find the cheapest deals at What Car? Leasing.
Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
Despite sharing most of its underpinnings with the Renault Kangoo, the Mercedes Citan feels decidedly different to drive – a testament to the many tweaks Mercedes’ engineers have made to the small van.
Adjusted suspension and dampers, for example, give the Citan good handling and a largely comfortable ride. It’s firmer than the Kangoo for sure, but not too harsh and never uncomfortable. The Kangoo’s impressive handling is sharpened ever so slightly in the Citan, making it an enjoyable van to thread along a country road. It’s even better in this regard than the VW Caddy Cargo.
Buyers hoping for a breadth of power options will initially be disappointed, because from the outset there’s only one engine available. The 110 diesel offers 94bhp and 192lb ft of torque, and is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox with a sharp and precise action. With a reasonable glut of power for its size, the Citan is unlikely to ever out of puff, even when fully loaded up. There is also an electric version, the Mercedes eCitan, which we've reviewed separately.
The latest model is quieter than the first-generation van. The all-new underpinnings have considerably improved the sound deadening, reducing road noise as well as sound from the engine. There’s still some very apparent wind noise, but it’s mostly disguised by the muted thrum of the diesel engine.
Driving overview
Strengths Good handling; comfortable ride; quieter than the old model
Weaknesses Not many engine options; some apparent wind noise
Interior
The interior layout, fit and finish
The Citan definitely feels like a Mercedes inside, with a good range of premium materials and a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, with controls for the digital instrument cluster and the 5.0in MBUX infotainment screen in the centre of the dashboard.
Positively, the infotainment system comes as standard even on the entry-level van, and more expensive versions have added chrome trim and piano-black plastic to make the interior feel more premium.
It's an excellent re-packaging of the Renault Kangoo interior, with high levels of perceived quality and a decent haul of kit, including standard-fit air conditioning and smartphone connectivity.
This second-generation Citan is wider than the first-generation van, giving you more space inside for your odds and ends. The result is that where the original felt a bit cramped, this version feels airy and spacious.
It’s easy to get comfortable, because the driver’s seat offers plenty of support, and the steering wheel adjusts for both rake and reach. All-round visibility is good too, with no intrusive blind-spots, and parking is helped by the standard-fit reversing sensors and parking camera.
Interior overview
Strengths Quality materials; decent in-cab storage; comfortable driving position
Weaknesses MBUX system can feature small icons
Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
A side benefit of this second-generation Mercedes Citan being both wider and longer than before is that you can carry more inside it.
The model will eventually be available in two body lengths, but for now there's one standard length L1 van with a 2.9m3 loadspace capacity. That’s the same volume as the Ford Transit Connect but less than the VW Caddy Cargo (3.1m3).
The Citan's overall load length is 1806mm, while the maximum width is 1524mm. Internal height is 1256mm. Maximum payload is up to 667kg, with a gross vehicle weight of 2.23 tonnes, and most small vans can carry much more weight. The Citan is rated to tow 1.5 tonnes.
It’s also a shame that the Citan misses out on some of the party tricks that make the closely related Renault Kangoo so easy to live with. It doesn’t get a pillarless side-opening door, for example, or the Easy Rack internal storage system, which allows you to store ladders and other long items along the roof.
One sliding side door is fitted as standard, with the option of an additional driver’s side door, and the rear doors open to 180 degrees. The floor has a protective plastic lining as standard.
Practicality overview
Strengths More space than the previous Citan; floor has protective lining
Weaknesses Most small vans can carry greater loads; no clever storage tricks
Buying & owning
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
You’ll not only pay more for a Mercedes Citan than you would for its Renault Kangoo sibling but also more than you would for most rival small vans. However, on the upside, you get a lot of equipment for your money, and its diesel engine is rather efficient, returning an official 54.3mpg.
Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), a driver attention monitor, cruise control with a speed limiter and hill-start assistance. It also has six airbags as standard and options to add active lane-keeping assist, blind-spot assist and speed-limit assist with traffic-sign detection, along with adaptive cruise control.
The Citan comes with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty and 24/7 breakdown support. For comparison, the warranty for the Kangoo is just 60,000 miles.
Costs overview
Strengths Lots of kit as standard; 24/7 breakdown support; unlimited-mileage warranty
Weaknesses Expensive
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About the author
George Barrow is one of the leading van and truck reviewers, and is the UK’s only representative on the prestigious International Van of the Year jury. He has written about vans and commercial vehicles for the past 15 years, and can be found in titles including The Sun and What Van?, alongside What Car?.
Barrow is well regarded in the commercial vehicle industry, securing access to the latest models – and the people who made them – long before other titles.
FAQs
The Mercedes Citan and Renault Kangoo were developed in tandem, which makes them sister vans – that means they share the same underpinnings, engine and electric motor options, and have the same dimensions and carrying capacity. One area where the two are different, however, is inside, and we think the Citan has the more premium-feeling interior.
With a rating of four stars out of five, the Citan is a good small van. In fact, it's good enough to feature on our round-up of the best small vans you can buy. That said, it is beaten on that list by rivals including the Citroen Berlingo, Volkswagen Caddy Cargo, and Renault Kangoo.
The main rivals for the Mercedes Citan include the Renault Kangoo, with which the Mercedes shares most of its underpinnings, as well as the big-selling Ford Transit Connect and Volkswagen Caddy Cargo. Other small van options include the Peugeot Partner, Toyota Proace City and Vauxhall Combo Cargo.
Being a premium brand, it's likely that Mercedes vans will hold their value better than some non-premium rivals, and that means you're likely to get a larger portion of your money back when you come to sell it on. While we don't have data for the Citan itself, we'd expect it to hold its value better than its Renault Kangoo counterpart.
