Why Lease The e-Berlingo MPV?
by: Donna KellyDonna Kelly has over 14 years of experience in the motoring industry, writing, test driving and tweeting about cars. Her weekends are spent trackside, covering racing events.
Citroen e-Berlingo Review 2023
The Citroen e-Berlingo is an electric MPV that can carry five or seven people. With a well-built interior, a spacious cabin, and a massive boot, the e-Berlingo is sure to meet your family's needs.
Rivals to the Citroen e-Berlingo include the Vauxhall Combo e-Life and Peugeot e-Rifter.
Our Citroen e-Berlingo review covers:
Citroen e-Berlingo Key Features
- Boxy exterior with two-tier headlights
- Well-built interior with great practicality
- 775-litre boot on M and 1,050 on XL
- One electric engine with a 50kWh battery
- Two trim levels: Feel and Flair XTR
Citroen e-Berlingo Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Exceptional practicality
- Good performance for an MPV
- Interior built to last
Cons:
- Technology is pretty basic
- No premium materials
- Relatively short range
Design, Practicality and Boot Space
It's tough to make a car as large and practical as the Citroen e-Berlingo look good, but Citroen's designers have done a pretty good job. Its boxy styling is complemented by two-tier front lights, airbump side detailing, and the front crest, which merges into the upper headlights.
Because of its boxy exterior, the practicality of the e-Berlingo is superb. There's plenty of space in the front for leg and headroom, and regardless of whether you choose five or seven seats, the same goes for those in the back. Access to the rear is also a breeze thanks to the e-Berlingo's rear sliding door.
There's also loads of storage. Passengers get up to 186 litres of storage space, including a central console and glovebox.
You don't even have to worry about boot space; it comes in at 775 litres for the five-seater and 1,050 litres for the seven-seater. Remove the two rear seats in the seven-seater, and you get a ridiculous 4,000 litres of cargo space, bigger than some small vans.
Interior and Trims
Inside the e-Berlingo, you'll find a cabin built to last. There are plenty of hard plastics and durable materials that will serve you and your family well throughout your lease. If you fancy a slightly more premium experience, go for the range-topping Flair XTR trim, which has brighter fabrics and a leather steering wheel.
For technology, the e-Berlingo has an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and sat-nav as standard. Go for the top-spec XTR trim, and you'll also get a 10-inch digital instrument display behind the steering wheel.
Two trim levels are available for the e-Berlingo: Feel and Flair XTR.
The entry-level Feel comes with 16-inch wheels, halogen headlights, metropolitan grey cloth upholstery, manual air conditioning, electric and heated door mirrors, a height-adjustable driver seat with adjustable lumbar support, and rear parking sensors.
The range-topping Flair XTR adds to this with 17-inch wheels, orange fog light surrounds and airbump coloured surround, a line green cloth interior, a leather steering wheel, automatic dual-zone climate control, 10-inch digital drivers display, power folding door mirrors, and a 180-degree reversing camera.
Power and Performance
One electric engine is available in the e-Berlingo. It comes with a 50kWh battery and returns a power output of 136hp, a top speed of 84mph, and 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds.
It comes with a competitive electric range of 174 miles on the standard version, which is on par with the Peugeot e-Rifter and Vauxhall Combo e-Life. If you go for the seven-seater version, the range slightly decreases to 167 miles.
Although the performance statistics of the e-Berlingo are slightly underwhelming, it actually makes for quite a decent drive for a car of its size. The automatic gearbox is responsive, meaning accelerating from a stationary position is pretty slick.
Handling-wise, the e-Berlingo is accurate when at cruising speed, which is handy for when on the motorway or upping the speed around a country lane. When in town, handling is light which is a massive help when trying to fit into a parking space.
Suspension is also decent, but not as good as non-electric rivals like the Dacia Jogger. Around town is where it shines, tackling potholes and bumps in the road pretty well.
Leasing vs Buying
Prices for the new Citroen e-Berlingo start from £31,505.00 OTR* or to lease from £405.71 per month.
Like what you see for the Citroen e-Berlingo? Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and various benefits included in your lease deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover.
Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.