If the Citroen Berlingo looks familiar, it might be because under the skin it’s very similar to the Peugeot Partner, Toyota Proace City, Fiat Doblo, and Vauxhall Combo - all are brands sold under the enormous Stellantis umbrella for maximum economies of scale. Whichever you pick you’ll get something very similar, in terms of features and equipment, but the Berlingo is one of the longest-running nameplates so probably the most familiar of the quintet.
The Berlingo has eyecatching looks, great value, and strong utility on its side, plus a range of petrol, diesel, and electric powerplants that should cover most bases. It’s not an expensive van to buy new, but the Berlingo’s popularity makes it an easy one to find on the used market, with plenty of choice at some usefully affordable prices.
The French have long been masters of the small van, from roly-poly Citroen 2CV and Renault 4-based models right up to their modern equivalents. The Berlingo even has a bit of an enthusiast following, and while that’s mainly for the passenger van variants, the panel vans are great at what they do too, and well worth a look if you’re in the market for a van of this size.
One string to its bow is impressive load space for its relatively compact size. At 4.4 metres long, it manages to pack in 3.3 cubic metres of stuff, beating the slightly longer Volkswagen Caddy Cargo’s 3.1 cubic metres. Citroen offers a load-through bulkhead option too, which is worth seeking out if you occasionally carry awkwardly long objects.
Outside you get appealingly chunky styling and the interior is quite stylish as well, with a useful high-mounted gearshift which frees up some space between the seats. It’s well-equipped too, so you don’t necessarily need to spend more on a higher trim line as you might with some vans. A choice of petrol, diesel, and electric power also gives you options - town-based drivers especially may find the e-Berlingo perfect for their needs, while ride and refinement is pretty good on all models.
Other vans to consider in this size class include the aforementioned Volkswagen Caddy Cargo, the Renault Kangoo, and the Ford Transit Connect. All have similar capabilities, though you’ll need to spend more on the VW to get the same level of equipment as the Citroen - the Berlingo definitely scores highly on value, new or used.
We tend to recommend a trim level one or two steps higher than the entry-level model when it comes to van specification, as some models can be pretty bare. That’s not the case with the Berlingo, and the basic Enterprise should do the job for most drivers, with several comfort and convenience features already standard - and the higher-spec cars don’t add anything significant.
The diesel engines make the most sense for higher-mileage drivers, but don’t rule out the Puretech petrol or the e-Berlingo if you drive mainly in town - the latter especially could save you a significant amount in fuel costs, tax, and congestion and emissions-based charging in cities.
Some vans can be a little meanly equipped, but the Berlingo’s feature list is more closely aligned with the passenger van variant sold as a lifestyle MPV - so even basic models get features like air conditioning and cruise control as standard. Opt for the electric e-Berlingo and there are a few more features besides. Generally speaking, newer models will be a little better equipped than older ones, so the trim levels below only correspond to more recent cars.
The Citroen Berlingo’s dimensions are:
The Citroen Berlingo’s load capacity is:
The Berlingo attracts the same rate of VED or ‘road tax’ as other vans, which for the 2024/2025 tax year means a flat rate of £335, or £175.88 if paid every six months by Direct Debit. That’s unless you get the e-Berlingo, which being all-electric is currently free to tax, another area you could save money as a business user.
Citroen quotes insurance groups of 29-34 for the Berlingo range, the cheapest of those being for an Enterprise model with the Puretech engine, and the e-Berlingo at the top.