Renault Kangoo (08 on) - Review

The small van market is a tough place to fight it out for sales, as well as vans like the Fiat Doblo Cargo and Citroen Berlingo, there is the well-established force of the Ford Transit Connect. Despite this competition the original Kangoo – launched in 1998 – has been a popular choice among small businesses and this should continue. A good range of engines, durable and rugged interior as well as the introduction of bigger Maxi models widening the choice of body styles, means the Kangoo should make a bigger impact against the more established competition. In late 2011 Renault also launched an electric version. It's ideal for use in towns and cities thanks to its quiet operation and zero emissions.

The high seating position and large windscreen mean visibility in the front of the van is excellent. However, you will have to pay extra for a window in the rear to make visibility any better. The steering wheel is height adjustable while the seat back can be tilt adjusted and the whole seat moved backwards and forwards. Thanks to this seat flexibility, finding a comfortable seating position is quite easy. The interior isn’t exactly inspiring but should hold up to the daily wear and tear of a work van with durable and rugged materials. Rear parking sensors are available as an option on all models and would be useful on Maxi versions that can be awkward to park. Most of the instruments and dials are carried over from other Renault models so should be familiar and easy to use. In the Z.E. electric versions the dash gets electric blue highlights, a battery charge level gauge and a battery load gauge. The trip computer can also display the remaining range so the driver knows how far they can travel. In diesel and petrol models the road, wind and engine noise are all a little intrusive and increase at higher speeds. Electric models, however, are much quieter - for obvious reasons.

There’s a choice of two petrol, three diesel engines and one electric powertrain in the Kangoo depending on the body choice you opt for. The entry-level petrol is a 1.6-litre 8V version with 90bhp available in the Compact and Van models. The more powerful petrol choice with 16V is only available in the regular Van body and comes with a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic. The diesel choice is the 1.5 dCi with three power outputs of 70, 90 and 105bhp. The 105bhp versions are only available in the Van and Van Maxi with the Compact getting the 70bhp and 85bhp option while the Maxi Crew only comes with the 85bhp version. Speed isn’t the Kangoos forte with 0-62mph times ranging from 13 to 20.3 seconds depending on engine and body style. None of the engines are particularly strong and could struggle with heavy loads, but they're fine around town. The light electric power-assisted steering is good for nipping round towns – although there is some body roll. The diesel choices are better for anyone likely to be doing lengthy motorway stints or high mileages. The electric version, known as the Z.E., gets an electric motor which generates up to 60bhp and 226Nm of pulling power. It's quick off the line and remarkably punchy up to around 50mph. It’s also smooth and quiet. You simply put it in drive and press the pedal. Renault claims the maximum range to be 125 miles, although in poor conditions that can fall to around 50 miles.