Citroen Berlingo vs Renault Kangoo: Which is best?

Citroen Berlingo vs Renault Kangoo: Which is best?

Which small van will suit your business needs more?

Choosing the right size van can be one of the most important decisions you make for your business.

Leasing a small van is a good option if you’re a smaller business that doesn’t need a huge amount of cargo space.

And opting for a small van could help you save on running costs. If you’re a small courier service or a florist, it’s likely you’re not going to be making long journeys and only delivering locally, so you won’t need a big van and you could even consider an electric van lease.

Scooping awards year after year, the Citroen Berlingo is the best-selling small van in Britain due to its no-nonsense nature. In fact, it outsold every other compact van in the UK in the first six months of 2023. However, it faces some tough competition in the form of the trusty Renault Kangoo.

Being solid favourites in the small van market, we’ve compared the two to help you work out which van would suit your business.

Overview

Looks-wise, there’s not a lot to shout about here. Both vans don’t look overly luxurious, but they do look like determined and hard-working vehicles.

They both have two trim levels to choose from, which we think makes it a lot easier to know your options and work out what you might need for your everyday work life.

The Berlingo has the Feel and the Flair X TR trim levels, while the Renault Kangoo has the entry-level Start and the Advance.

Interior, space and practicality

Considering you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your lease van, it’s important that it has the comfort features that you want and is practical for your day-to-day operations.

The Berlingo van benefits from a comfortable and versatile interior. It can transform into a mobile office thanks to a swivel tray if you need a work surface, as well as USB and plug sockets to keep your phone and devices charged up.

For a small van, the Berlingo has a large load space.

Depending on your needs, there are two body lengths to choose from, the M version (4.4m) and the XL version (4.75m). Both versions can carry up to a tonne and have load volumes of 3.3m3 and 3.8m3 respectively.

Load volume is still the same in the electric variant, it’s just payload that you’ve got to watch out for, with the reduced ability to carry 800kg.

If you need a van to carry people, the Berlingo crew van can do this too.

It can seat up to five people and if you’re carrying more cargo than you are people, you can increase load volume by folding down the mesh partition and second row of seats. If you’ve got a lengthier load, you can also fold down the front passenger seat – so you have a lot of flexibility.

The Renault Kangoo has a variety of features to make your working day just that little bit easier. It comes with LED lighting in the loading area meaning visibility is improved so that you can work day or night. There are also options for protective mats to reduce damage and dirt from your van’s floor.

There are two body lengths available, the MWB and LWB, which offer load volumes of 3.3m3 and 4.4m3 – the LWB being slightly larger than the Berlingo’s XL variant. The Kangoo LWB is on par with the Berlingo when it comes to payload, with the Renault van capable of payloads of up to 1000kg, but the MWB loses with the reduced ability to transport 850kg.

If you want more space, the Kangoo has a towing capacity of 1.5 tonnes and comes with a towbar as standard so you can tow a trailer with some of your equipment. And the loading area has 10 lashing rings – six on the floor and four on the side to secure and stabilise your belongings.

Performance

Available as petrol, diesel or electric, there’s an engine to suit whatever your business needs. Fuel consumption can be as high as 56.5mpg, making it quite the economical van.

It rides well and handles speed bumps or potholes okay. It can feel like you’re driving a car as the steering is incredibly accurate and it’s easy to turn around tight corners, so you’d have no worries about getting into a tighter space.

If you wanted the electric version, the Citroen e-Berlingo has a claimed range of up to 171 miles and it’s quite relaxing to drive thanks to less road noise, especially at higher speeds.

The Renault Kangoo also delivers a comfortable ride, it has smooth handling and maneuvers fine, so it certainly has a similar performance to the Berlingo van.

The Kangoo also comes with a speed limiter which helps reduce your fuel consumption, perfect for those who are looking to save money. 

According to Renault, the electric version can reach 186 miles on one full charge so it can take you further than the e-Berlingo can. Again, it’s pretty similar to its ICE alternative in terms of drive and performance, there’s just no noisy engine to listen to. And because the battery is stored under floor, they haven’t compromised on much space either.

Technology and safety

Starting with the Berlingo, the standard Enterprise Edition offers an 8-inch colour touchscreen, a DAB radio, Bluetooth and a USB socket to charge your phone. You’d need to opt for the Driver edition to receive real-time traffic updates and warnings about approaching traffic cameras.

The Kangoo comes with a 3.5-inch driver display cluster, a USB socket and AUX input.

In terms of entertainment, there isn’t a lot as standard, just a DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity. So, if you like a bit more technology to jazz up those long drives, you’d need to opt for the Advance trim to make use of an 8-inch touchscreen and smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

When it comes to safety in the Berlingo, not a lot of safety systems come as standard unfortunately – except for hill start assist, airbags, and seatbelt unfastened warnings - meaning you’ll have to come up with an extra £670 for the safety pack if you want peace of mind on every drive.

The Kangoo also comes with the same safety features as the Berlingo but with a bit more as standard, including an automated emergency call option, cruise control, a spare wheel, deadlocking and a wide view mirror. If you choose the Advance trim, you’d benefit from rear parking sensors and a Thatcham T1 volumetric alarm as well.

Price 

Prices start at £25,620 for the Berlingo in the Feel trim and M body length. This rises to £29,855 if you fancy the top of the spec trim. You can expect the electric versions to cost between £32,315 and £35,035*.

For the Renault Kangoo, prices start at £24,175 for the entry level trim and MWB and increases to £30,535 for the Advance trim in the LWB body length. And prices for the electric variant range between £37,620 and £40,620*.

So, in terms of price, we’d say the Citroen Berlingo comes out on top, especially if you want the electric powertrain.

*All prices correct at time of publication and subject to change.

Our verdict

It’s evident they’re both winners.

Any Citroen van lease is a compelling option and the Citroen Berlingo is straightforward, it’s dependable and you know what you’re getting with the affordable price tag.

While the Renault Kangoo has been built to last and offers some excellent safety and practical features to make it the reliable workhorse we all know.

Both vans tick a lot of boxes and punch well above some of their competitors’ weight, but it’s important to remember that the right decision ultimately depends on your unique needs and preferences, so take your time, conduct thorough research, and choose the van that best aligns with your business’ needs.