With the Citroen Berlingo, you’ll be leading the space race.
It’s certainly easier to get aboard a Berlingo and start the thrusters, and there's more than enough room for all the fuel, tools and powdered food you’d need for an intergalactic mission. But getting to the moon will take quite a lot longer in the Berlingo than in SpaceX’s newest craft, we suppose.
Maybe this is why you want a car like a Citroen Berlingo, or maybe the kids are begging you to buy something that’s a bit cooler for school-run drop-offs. Whatever the reason, we’ve brought together 10 great options to pick from.
Peugeot Rifter
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: rugged style
The Peugeot Rifter is very much like a Berlingo – it doesn’t take a detective to spot that these two cars are closely related. Besides the badges, bumpers and some minor interior treatments, these are the same car, with the same pros and cons. The Rifter gains slightly more muscular styling than the Berlingo, with cladded wheel arches to look a bit more rugged.
Vauxhall Combo Life
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: value for money
Another brother from another mother, the Vauxhall Combo Life is nigh-on identical to the Berlingo – but it’s usually a bit cheaper. Yes, you’ll have to go without the Berlingo’s more style-led flourishes, but think of the savings!
Toyota Proace City Verso
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: warranty
Ok, yes, this one’s the same as the Berlingo, Rifter and Combo as well… but you can’t deny that they are like a Berlingo. But despite using the same parts, the Toyota-badged one has a far longer warranty than the others – up to 10 years or 100,000 miles of cover if you keep in contact with your local Toyota dealer.
Ford Tourneo Connect
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: diesel power
The Berlingo is the only one of the quartet above that’s still available with diesel power – the Combo, Rifter and Proace are now electric-only. While the Berlingo’s 130hp 1.5-litre diesel engine is fine, the Ford Tourneo Connect’s VW-sourced 2.0-litre diesel is both slightly quicker off the mark and more economical. Impressively, the Ford will return up to 57mpg.
Dacia Jogger
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: camping
A supremely likeable car that even comes with the option of a double bed – and an actual tent. That’s the headline for the Dacia Jogger, which is basically a Sandero Stepway limousine. It has seven adult-sized seats as standard (the extra seats are optional in a Berlingo) and an intuitive, easy-clean interior that feels a step up from parcel van plastics.
Read our guide to the best cars for camping
Peugeot 5008
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: SUV style
If you can afford to lose some of the Berlingo’s space, a seven-seat SUV like the Peugeot 5008 still offers plenty of practicality with the added benefit of a trendier look. Like the Berlingo, the previous 5008 (pictured) has three individual middle-row seats, each with their own Isofix points. Up front, there’s a much more premium interior than the Berlingo offers.
Mercedes EQB
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: range
The electric e-Berlingo will just about scrape 200 miles to a charge if you’re really careful, but load it up in cold weather and you’re probably looking at more like 140 miles in the real world. The Mercedes EQB’s official estimate is up to 321 miles and, even if we say 250 miles as a real-world estimate, that’s considerably more than the Berlingo. There’s enough to worry about on a family roadtrip without having to think about charging the car so often.
Read our Mercedes EQB review
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: coolness
Remember Top Gear’s Cool Wall? It’s hard to know where the Berlingo would fit there, but it’s easy to say that the Volkswagen ID. Buzz would be in a better position. VW’s modern-day bus is eye-catching and funky, and there’s a seven-seat version with all the versatility you’d expect.
Read our Volkswagen ID. Buzz review
Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: a car-like driving experience
As you’ll have gathered, the Berlingo is a van with windows. Even with an electric powertrain fitted, the Berlingo feels like a commercial vehicle to drive. If that bothers you a little, find a cared-for Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer – it also has seven seats, endless flexibility and a sprinkling of Citroen weirdness. The Grand C4 SpaceTourer is starting to feel its age but don’t let that put you off, because it’s still the MVP of MPVs.
Ford Tourneo Courier
Better than the Citroen Berlingo for: fitting into a parking space
The boxy Berlingo is pretty easy to park because it’s all straight lines, although the XL version won’t leave you any space to open the vast tailgate. The Ford Tourneo Courier – smaller than the Tourneo Connect above – takes the Berlingo’s idea and shrinks it a touch. In fact, the Courier is shorter than a Ford Focus hatchback. Sliding doors make access easy in tight car parks, while its Puma underpinnings mean it’s even quite fun to drive… for a van.
