Should you buy one?

Undoubtedly, the third-generation Citroen Berlingo won’t be to everyone’s taste: it is essentially a van after all, but the Berlingo bristles with appeal for those who value spaciousness, comfort, practicality and low running costs. So yes, it should be on your shopping list.

Whether you prefer the styling of the Citroen over that of the Peugeot Rifter, Vauxhall Combo Life or Toyota Proace City Verso, all four offer a range of touches that make them more appealing than the Ford Tourneo Connect and Volkswagen Caddy Life.

What’s new?

The Citroen Berlingo is a refreshingly no-nonsense proposition in the new car market that saw a useful update in 2024. Its boxy exterior is designed to maximise interior space, making this an exceptionally practical five or seven-seat family car. Also available in all-electric e-Berlingo guise, we’re focusing on the petrol and diesel models here.

Rivals to consider are the Dacia Jogger, Volkswagen Caddy Life and Ford Tourneo Connect, with the latter two being based on vans like the Berlingo. However, this means far more interior space than similarly priced cars and SUVs

Ah yes, the SUV. Although many of you would much rather have one of those than a fuddy-duddy MPV, the Berlingo offers far more space for the money. That’s the advantage of basing your family hauler on something designed primarily for carrying cargo.

It does mean the interior feels a little more workmanlike than you might be used to, and there are certainly sharper-driving MPVs out there. If you still want to have fun when you’ve got no passengers, take a look at the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.

But if the soft, easy going nature of the Berlingo sounds appealing, keep with us over the next few pages. We’ll tell you exactly what it’s like to drive, what it’ll cost and just how useful it is, too. If you’re curious about how we test cars at Parkers, we’ve got an explainer page for you.