CITROEN BERLINGO WHAT CAR MPV OF THE YEAR 2019 REVIEW

21

May

2019

IF YOU’RE AFTER the ideal family car and think an SUV is your best option, think again, because despite costing only about the same as a midrange Seat Arona, even the smallest version of the Citroën Berlingo has a larger boot than the massive (and much more expensive) Audi Q7. 

In fact, the Berlingo offers so much for so little that you’ll be hard pushed to find something more cavernous for the money. High-mounted seats and a seriously lofty roofline mean you get a great view out of the tall windows and you won’t wreck your back when you’re lifting children in and out. Handily, all versions get sliding rear doors to make dealing with tight spaces easier, too. 

Although a range of frugal diesel engines is available, we’d recommend plumping for the 1.2-litre petrol engine. A turbo means it’s muscular enough to deal with a full load, while its diminutive size helped it return more than 40mpg in our True MPG testing. 

If five seats aren’t enough for you, remember that there’s a longer XL version with a third row that’s genuinely big enough for two tall adults. Yes, the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life are the same cars underneath, but the Berlingo’s keener pricing, better level of standard equipment and slightly plusher interior earn it the win.

That said, it isn’t just spacious and cheap. With a ride that’s softer than the Volkswagen Touran’s and similar performance to that of the Ford Galaxy, you’ll find the Berlingo a relaxing place in which to cover miles. 

Yes, the interior plastics are hard, but you can be sure they’ll be hard-wearing, while a few colourful details help to lift the overall ambience. 

Put simply, cars don’t get much more practical than this, especially for such a low price.