The Citroen Berlingo is a larger multi-purpose vehicle that can be bought in either people’s transporter form or a small van/caddy form. The Berlingo has been around since the 1990s which means that it is one of the well-known Citroen offerings, especially in the commercial segment. So, is Citroen Berlingo a good car?
If you want to read in detail about how good Citroën ë-Berlingo is.
The Berlingo is indeed a really good car because many people prefer it over its most revered competitors. The Berlingo comes in a lot of different variants depending on the layout, the engine, and the trims. Exterior design is fairly unassuming and characterless, but that is the case with most cars from this segment. The interior is well appointed, but also isn’t anything to brag about.
The Berlingo drives in a seamless manner which means that it does everything it is supposed to do. Newer models are considerably more refined, comfortable, and quiet. Reliability is better than most Citroen models as the Berlingo can last a long time if taken care of properly. There are many of these beating around with hundreds of thousands of miles on the clock.
The value prospects the Berlingo carries are also really decent as you can buy a used example for not all that much money. Practicality is really good as is the case with virtually all cars coming from this segment. All in all, the Berlingo is a nice car that can do whatever you want it to.
Citroen Berlingo – The powertrain
Older gasoline-powered Berlingo models typically come with small 4-cylinder engines that offer around 90hp to 120hp. Older Berlingo models also come with many diesel engines, all of them being 4-cylinder with power output between 75hp and 120hp. Newer Berlingo gasoline models come with 3-cylinder engines, but power now ranges between 110hp and 130hp.
Newer diesel Berlingo models still come with 4-cylinder engines, but there are much more refined and are pushing up to 130hp as well. You can even get electric Berlingo modes with 50kW batteries and around 136hp. Berlingo vans come with pretty much the same engine options as the MPVs.
Older Berlingo models come with manual gearboxes while newer models are available with both manual and automatic transmissions. All Berlingo models are FWD and have been that way since the Berlingo first came out. Fuel efficiency is also really good as all Berlingo models can return up to 55MPG for the most efficient diesel variants.
Citroen Berlingo – Design and chassis
The Citroen Berlingo looks fairly unassuming, except for some bright color highlights and weird body panels around the side. Citroen also equipped the new Berlingo with some funky-looking headlights to make the car a bit more youthful and interesting. The interior of the Berlingo is well-appointed but isn’t special in any way.
Suspension and chassis tuning is set up differently across MPV and van configurations because the van Berlingo is stiffer than the MPV. Either way, both of these are not the most comfortable cars on the market and are designed primarily for utility, not comfort.
Citroen Berlingo – Reliability and common issues
When it comes to reliability, we can easily say that the Berlingo is much better than most Citroen models as it does not break down as often and it tends to last longer as well. The most common Berlingo issues are related to the car’s equipment such as leaky roofs, leaky doors, faulty door handles, and issues with the sliding door latch.
Other issues include electrical gremlins which certainly are annoying, especially if they are caused by water ingress. The steering system can get misaligned, and the engine can suffer from ignition coil issues and other problems that cause various weird engine sounds.
Read more about the Citroën Berlingo issues or the Citroën ë-Berlingo issues.
Citroen Berlingo – Value and practicality
Value-wise, the Berlingo is a strong contender as it rivals many other MPVs/vans in this segment head-on. Used Berlingo models are still selling really well across Europe as there are no shortages for commercial vans or MPVs anymore. All in all, the Berlingo is a decent 2nd hand pitch that should be considered.
Practicality is great as is the case with this market segment. You can transport your entire family without any issues with all of their luggage in the back and a dog. On the other hand, the Berlingo can also be used as a cargo van with plenty of space which is why so many businesses use the Berlingo as their primary transporter.
FAQ Section
Is the Citroen Berlingo a good van?
The Citroen Berlingo van is one of the most popular, if not the most popular cargo van from its segment in Europe which certainly isn’t without a reason. The Berlingo van is a really good van because it offers everything you need from a cargo van in a single package.
It offers lots of cargo space, cargo is easily accessible thanks to wide-opening doors and sliding doors. Visibility is really good, the cargo area is really durable, and the Berlingo is really good when it comes to fuel efficiency. Moreover, many of these are known to last a really long time if properly taken care of.
How long can a Citroen Berlingo last?
If you maintain your Berlingo as recommended by the factory, and you do everything you can to keep the car in a good state, you are looking at past 200,000 miles with the Berlingo which isn’t something most people expect from Citroen. Moreover, some owners still drive Berlingo vans with more than 300,000 miles on the clock.
The reason why there are so many of these still around is because spare parts are easy to come by and the car is really cheap to run and live with.
Is the Citroen Berlingo safe?
Older Citroen Berlingo vans are not the safest vans around, but that is something you ought to expect as the original Berlingo is now a really old car. However, newer/newest Berlingo models are much better as all of them are 5-star safety-rated cars that can withstand crashes really easily. Furthermore, the Berlingo is available with a bunch of state-of-the-art software safety features.