Buying a Citroën Berlingo: If trying to turn a small van into a perfectly acceptable small car seems too much of a contradiction in terms, think again.
Nowadays it is hard to tell exactly how your car, van, MPV or four wheel drive started its life on the drawing board and in more and more cases the same vehicle is being produced in more and more guises.
The economics of car production are finely tuned and there is hardly a car platform that is not destined to come to the market as something completely different.
The case in point here is the Citroen Berlingo, which began as a small commercial van and then morphed into a small family car with all the virtues (high sides and plenty of storage space) of the original. It has lots of room and is ideal for people who need to carry things around - it is the perfect vehicle of choice if you earn a living hanging your art from the railings on St Stephen's Green - but is not a pretty car. This is purely a pragmatic choice, defined by load space and functionality, and not the kind of car you fall in love with for aesthetic reasons.
The van personality keeps coming through when you get into the Berlingo. The roof is as high as an elephant's eye, the boot could take another small car into it and there is a certain hollow feeling to it.
There is little of the intimacy you will find in a small hatchback or saloon car with the same engine capacity. The interior is sparse and plasticky, and does not have a great deal of charm.
The Berlingo does drive well, with good ride and handling qualities and after a while you just get used to the fact that it has a slightly more commercial feel to it. But if you don't need the space you will simply be continually reminded of it and, if you drive alone, you may find yourself a tad lonely. The interior, though, is bright because of the glass area and the sliding side door is a really smart idea.
There is a choice of engines in the Berlingo and the 1.4 petrol is a good option, depending on your requirements. The 1.9 HDI diesel engine is by far the best choice for anyone using the car for semi-commercial purposes. The petrol is light and nippy, the diesel well tested and very refined - as one always finds with French diesels these days.
The car does not have a EuroNCAP crash test record. There have been three recalls of the Berlingo, although not all cars were recalled. These recalls concerned faults with brake servo assistance and the airbag control unit not being up to standard.
A 2001 model with a 1.9 diesel engine, airbags, CD player, metallic paint and electric windows is on sale - with 51,400 miles on the clock - for €9,500. A 2004 model with a 1.4 petrol engine and 26,572 miles on the clock and with same equipment is on sale at €13,995.
- DONAL BYRNE
FOR: Space, space and more space.
AGAINST: Boxy design lacks any charm.