Citroen Berlingo Multispace HDi 90 VTR
In France, the new Berlingo Multispace is Le Second Multispace: that is to say it is not La Deuxieme Multispace because deuxieme is the second of many items, but Second because the French word ’second’ means the second of only two items. So if the latest Multispace is Le Second, that makes the first one Le Premier, which it isn’t, because Le Second is far superior to Le Premier, which nonetheless remains on sale.
Things are much simpler in Blighty. The new Multispace is simply called the Multispace, whereas the previous model - which is still available as a cheap and cheerful alternative - is now called the First Multispace, which, to us, means something quite different from Premier, which instead is an epithet entirely deserved by the second model when compared to the first. I’m glad I’ve cleared that up.
But in what sense does the new Multispace deserve to be called ‘Premier’? In every sense: compared to the model it replaces, it is quicker, quieter, more comfortable, and offers greater flexibility, yet remains modestly priced. Whereas the original Berlingo Multispace alluded to its van derivation from every angle, the new Multispace - riding on a modified C4 platform - is a proper MPV but scaled to suit a shallow pocket and a threatened planet.
I drove the mid-range VTR model, which in features and function is scarcely discernable from a larger MPV, yet is so priced that you could buy the Citroen and a caravan and still pay less than you might for a half-decent Galaxy. Just £12,375 separates a careful punter from the best-value MPV on the market. And what’s more, with the three rear seats removed, the Berlingo Multispace has a 3,000-litre boot: that’s almost twice the volume of a Volvo V70, and is about the only reminder of the Citroen’s origins.
The Multispace is now offered with three trim levels, and five engine options - two petrol and three diesel. All diesel engines are 1.6 HDi units, the principal difference being their power outputs, 75, 90 and 110 bhp, and consequent performance. All three hover around the 50 mpg mark on the combined cycle, and all fall into VED Band C (next year, Band F).
Along with successively higher power ouputs, the three diesel engines also deliver ascending torque ratings: 184, 215 and 240 Nm. These equate to 0-62 times of 17.1, 14.3 and 12.5 seconds, respectively, with top speeds of 94, 100 and 105 mph.
NNone of these performance figures will excite a keen driver, yet two out of the three are perfectly acceptable within the context of the vehicle. Only the 75 bhp version lags behind. I drove the 90 bhp HDi model, and found that the modest acceleration to be of little consequence, and more than compensated for by the mid-range punch derived from 215 Newton-metres delivered at just 1750 rpm. And the new car is so much quieter than the old, which generates an air of refinement entirely lacking in its predecessor.
And it’s larger, too. The new Multispace is around 10 inches longer and three inches wider, and has a longer wheelbase. The extra few inches between the wheels translate into a smoother ride, and the larger body into more interior space, and greater storage flexibility. The improved driving dynamics are slightly marred by curiously spongey steering, which masks most of the feedback, although the roadholding seems not to suffer as a result. But it is definitely the ride quality that makes the greatest impression, a point noted by our cameraman when he was filming some interior footage.
With its high roof and low seating, the driving position of the old Multispace was somewhere near the engine room, but the driver is now elevated to much more of a command-and-control position, which greatly improves my opinion of the Citroen. I took the test car on a lengthy run through suburban London, and the combination of the flexible engine, improved driving position, and light gearchange and clutch, won me over just as much as touring through rural Surrey and Sussex.
The test car came with various extras, many of which are bundled into just two packs - Chill and Modularity. The most obvious of the Chill extras is the MODUTOP, which comprises a shelf above the windscreen, central internal roof bars, which contain an air-recirculation system, an air freshener, and a second storage shelf. The MODUTOP system also includes a large, aircraft-style, locker situated above the load platform and which can be accessed either via the tailgate or through sliding doors from the rear seats. To complete the pack, aircraft-style picnic tables are attached to the rear of the front seats.
Another feature of the MODUTOP system is an arrangement of four fixed windows in the roof, like a cluster of fanlights. The effect is to add light and apparent space to the interior, and to create a holiday mood. Indeed, I can easily imagine taking a touring holiday in a Multispace. There is room for absolutely everything, the all-round visibility is excellent, and I think I could easily be seduced by the quiet ride and relaxing pace.
The Modularity pack includes three separate rear seats. These can be folded, tumbled forward or removed entirely, and all of them can be reclined. Behind the seats is one of the largest load platforms in the MPV sector, and simply by folding two seats I was able to carry a parcel in the Berlingo that was too large for my Range Rover. The only snag associated with the load platform is the large tailgate. You need at least four feet of clear space behind the car if the tailgate is to be fully opened.
AAs if by way of compensation, the Multispace has sliding rear doors (interlocked with the fuel filler cap). These big doors provide unlimited access to the rear seats, and, of course, make loading large and awkward parcels that much easier.
I suspect that if all the optional features fitted to the VTR test car appeared as separate items in, say, a Mercedes-Benz option list, the bottom line would make your eyes water. As it is, the two, all-embracing packs amount to a modest £1,400 or so. This sum also includes underfloor compartments in the rear footwells, drawers under both front seats, and an enormous, removable central storage box between the front seats.
The extent to which self-loading cargo is now catered for can be judged from the fact that the front seats of the VTR model have folding, in-board armrests, a feature normally reserved for cars with a premium price-tag. Another premium feature is a rechargeable torch, which tucks into a recess in the boot and which doubles as a light for the load platform.
Except as another extra, the Multispace range doesn’t run to ESP or traction control, although £570 will buy both of these, and front side and curtain airbags. Those of you in the family way can put an emphatic tick in the ISOFIX box. Three of the Citroen’s seats have ISOFIX mounts: the front passenger seat, and the two rear outer seats. Also worth noting are the disc brakes, ventilated at the front, and a four-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash test for both adult and child occupants. And passengers sit a little above those of regular cars, which adds an extra measure of protection in event of a side impact.
The old Multispace made its greatest impact in the grey market, where the same bodyshell also spawned a number of weekend campers. The new car, however, has a much more youthful appearance, and young families should consider it as a genuine alternative to the Renault Grand Modus, or as a kind of blue-cross C4 Picasso. It certainly compares favourably with the Xsara Picasso, notwithstanding the Berlingo’s entirely different, Consignia-inpsired styling. Indeed, of the two, I would say that the Multispace feels the more substantial, and probably has the edge in terms of features and flexibility.
Indeed, the Multispace expands the MPV envelope: not only does it offer a great deal of flexible space as a weekend family car, it also can be thought of as a weekday working vehicle, with as much space as many small vans - which, underneath it all, it still is. But for a young family supported by a self-employed parent who needs plenty of room during the week for tools or supplies, the versatile Citroen is a cheap alternative to running two vehicles. Who needs both a car and a van? The first is also the second, so to speak
The first time I tested a Multispace I was not anxious to test a second, but now that I’ve tested the second let me be the first to suggest that you try the second and see if you don’t agree with the first point I made that the second is so much better than the first.
This article was taken from: newcarnet.co.uk
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