Citroën C15 (85-05) - Review

For the price, there isn’t a van to match the C15 for loadspace. It boasts a load volume of 2.66 cubic metres, which is just 0.44 cubic metres less than the Citroen Berlingo, which costs almost double. Payload is either 600kg or 765kg depending on the model and load dimensions are 1,651mm in length, 1,549mm in width and 1,651mm in height. Rear doors are glazed and there is a half-height bulkhead, together with four load-lashing eyes.

The C15 won’t pick up any awards for safety. Not only does it lack standard driver or passenger airbags but you couldn’t even specify them as an option. The same can be said for ABS brakes, traction control and all other modern safety devices. On security, the question must be: ‘Would anyone actually want to steal a C15?’ Thieves may, however, be interested in what’s inside, and the standard locks may prove easy to pick. The C15 has an insurance rating of 8D.

With such a low front-end cost, the C15 is always going to be an ultra-cheap vehicle to run. The diesel engine is frugal in the extreme and economy figures in the mid-40s should be achievable as long as the van isn’t thrashed. As the diesel engine is a low-tech one, servicing intervals remain at 10,000 miles.

Of the 1.2 million C15s sold in the world, it seems that about a million of them are still running judging by the number we still see. Because the engine is low-tech doesn’t mean to say it is unreliable. It should plug on for years as long as owners don’t skimp on servicing.