Ford Ranger VS Citroen Berlingo
Ford Ranger
Likes
- Fun to drive
- Very comfortable on- and off-road
- Very capable off-road
Dislikes
- Expensive
- Sub-standard towing capacity
- Compromised touring potential
Citroen Berlingo
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Ford Ranger
The Raptor is the Ford Ranger line-up’s high-end, high-performance ute that everyone knows about – but this version has a V6 engine, an upgraded suspension set-up and drive modes aimed at making it a built-for-purpose adventure machine.
But while it’s great for high-speed off-road shenanigans, does it have potential as a touring 4WD?
Read on.
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| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 11L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Citroen Berlingo
Citroen, the famous French manufacturer founded in 1919, has achieved global acclaim for daringly bold and brilliant design and engineering that was often ahead of its time.
Despite this, the double chevron badge has suffered a tumultuous ride since the 1970s, including a lifesaving merger with Peugeot in 1976, followed by another near-death experience for Peugeot-Citroen (PSA Group) in 2012.Â
Since then, though, major restructuring has seen a remarkable turnaround. Under Inchcape Australasia, which took over PSA’s local distribution in 2017, Peugeot Citroen Australia has a fresh focus on light commercial vehicles, with the venerable Citroen Berlingo holding centre stage with its class-leading payload capacity.
Even so, with less than seven per cent of the local small van segment (under 2.5 tonne GVM), the Berlingo’s market share is dwarfed by French rival Renault’s Kangoo, with 25 per cent, and VW’s kick-butt Caddy, which now commands more than 65 per cent.
However, with an all-new Berlingo range just around the corner and super deals being done with the current model in run-out mode, we put one to work for a week to see if it would be worth a trip to your local Citroen dealer to bag a bargain.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.1L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
Verdict
Ford Ranger7.4/10
The Ford Ranger Raptor is a purpose-built adventure ute. It is comfortable to drive on-road and very capable off-road.Â
It’s a high-end, high-performance ute with a V6 engine, an upgraded suspension set-up and drive modes aimed at making it a built-for-purpose adventure machine.
It is, however, laser-focused on doing one thing supremely well – driving at speed on unsealed surfaces – and that means it falls short in a few other areas.Â
It's day-to-day drivability is less than ideal because of its size and fuel consumption and it lacks some potential as a touring 4WD because of its payload and the fact its towing capacity is below the industry standard.
But those factors aren't going to sway someone who is truly keen for the fun and thrills of driving a Raptor.Â
Citroen Berlingo8.3/10
Given Citroen’s proud heritage of innovation, the Berlingo has a few unique and quirky features, but is overall quite conventional in its design and performance (though in a well thought-out and practical package).
With sub-$20K run-out pricing, it should have plenty of appeal for commercial customers, as it costs much less than its major rivals yet offers a superior payload.
Is the Berlingo a small van leader or follower? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Design
Ford Ranger
The Raptor is 5380mm long (with a 3270mm wheelbase), 2208mm wide, 1926mm high and it has a listed kerb weight of 2473kg.
This ute has been engineered – and marketed – as a high-performance off-road vehicle, so, in line with that it has a wide stance (with a 1710mm wheel track front and rear), big wheel arches, chunky side-steps and substantial tyres (BFGoodrich K02 high performance all-terrains, 285/70R17 on 17-inch alloys).
The Ford Performance Seats are embossed with the Raptor logo and there’s Code Orange accented stitching on the trim – so there’s Buckley’s chance of forgetting you’re in a Raptor.
The Raptor is one of the more distinctive-looking utes in a mainstream market flooded with vehicles of very similar appearance and, in terms of overall design, it easily takes on the likes of the Nissan Navara Warrior and Toyota HiLux GR Sport, if not besting them.
Citroen Berlingo
The smallest Berlingo rides on a front-wheel-drive, 2728mm wheelbase with an overall length of 4380mm and width of 1810mm. Compared to the Caddy, the Berlingo is 46mm longer in wheelbase, 28mm shorter and 37mm wider.
Suspension features MacPherson struts up front and a tidy trailing arm arrangement at the rear, which is well designed for carrying heavy loads. Steering is via power-assisted rack and pinion and four-wheel disc brakes provide reassuringly strong braking. The turning circle is a compact 11.0 metres.
The cabin and cargo bay are separated by a removable grey vinyl screen, with a large clear section in the upper half to allow rear vision for the driver. Citroen says this screen is primarily to reduce air-conditioning requirements, which in turn reduces the A/C load on the engine to optimise performance and fuel economy.Â
It’s also claimed to (slightly) reduce noise intrusion from the cargo bay, which is mostly caused by tyre roar through the rear wheel arches. However, Citroen has taken a commendable step in trying to muffle these noise paths by surrounding each wheel arch with large plastic mouldings which are claimed to contain sound-absorbing material.
Glazed rear barn doors with wiper/washer and 180-degree opening, plus solid sliding side doors, are standard issue. The barn doors also feature an asymmetrical design (one wide, one narrow) to off-set the centre pillars and reduce the large blind spot they create in the rear-view mirror.Â
The cabin layout is simple and functional with decent-sized door mirrors, although the kerb side would benefit from a wide-angle lens due to a big blind spot for the driver created by the solid side door. The fold-down inboard arm-rest is a nice touch and the cabin is quite spacious, although tall drivers will find the left footrest too high for a comfortable leg position.
Practicality
Ford Ranger
The Raptor’s interior is spacious but has a welcoming cosy feel and (despite Raptor logos and Code Orange stitching throughout) the cabin retains a low-level, cool atmosphere.
All controls are easy enough to operate – a lot of functions are accessed and adjusted via the 12-inch multimedia touchscreen and sometimes you have to repeatedly jab your finger at the screen to work your way through menus and sub-menus to reach the function you need. Thankfully, plenty of functions are via tangible off-screen buttons.Â
There are USB ports and a power socket up front and storage spaces in all of the usual places you’d expect: a two-level glove box, some hidey-holes (for your wallet, keys etc), a centre console, cupholders and bottle receptacles in the doors.
The sporty front seats are comfortable enough for long-distance trips and the back row is easily big enough for three kids or two adults and one man-child.
Rear-seat passengers have air vents, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and a space for a bottle in each door.
The Raptor’s tub is 1541mm long, 526mm deep, and 1578mm wide (with 1218mm between the wheel-arches). Load height is 870mm.
The tray has a spray-in tub-liner that seems quite durable, four tie-down points and a 12V socket.
Our test vehicle also had the optional power roller shutter ($3800). In the past, in any utes with a power or manual roller shutter, the storage drum for the roller shutter occupied quite a lot of otherwise useable space in the tub, but that’s no longer the case.
Citroen Berlingo
The Berlingo’s 1433kg kerb weight and 2150kg GVM would normally result in a 717kg payload. However, Citroen’s official payload figure is 133kg higher, at a class-leading 850kg, because PSA calculates kerb weights differently to the norm (typically French). So, 75kg of that can be carried on the roof when shared across three racks with the mounting points provided.
Its robust 3250kg GCM allows up to 1100kg of braked trailer to be towed without any reduction in payload. Citroen states that this GCM applies up to a maximum altitude of 1000 metres above sea level, with a 10 per cent reduction for each additional 1000 metres. So keep those stats in mind if you’re heading for Mount Kosciuszko.
The cargo bay, which offers 3.3 cubic metres of load volume (or 3.7 with passenger sear folded), has a floor length of 1800mm and a roomy 1229mm between the wheel arches. This means it can carry one 1160mm-square standard Aussie pallet, easily loaded with a forklift through the rear barn doors and held in place by six tie-down points. There’s also internal lighting, a 12-volt outlet and sturdy ladder-frame cargo barrier behind the driver. Nothing for the passenger, though.
Cabin storage options include two pockets and a combined cup/bottle holder in each door. There’s also a large lidded compartment and two open bins set into the dash-top, two circular storage slots in the centre display plus two smaller pockets below and beside the gearstick; the latter a slim-line 'holster' complete with USB port.
The single glovebox has two-tier storage, and there’s a full-width cabin shelf overhead. The centre console, which is a module that can be unlocked and removed if you want floor space between the seats, has a cup holder at the front, a big internal storage area with sliding lid in the centre and two cup/small bottle holders at the rear. There’s also lots of vacant space for additional storage under both seats.
Price and features
Ford Ranger
This Raptor is a five-seat dual-cab ute with a 3.0 V6 petrol engine and 10-speed automatic transmission, all for an as-tested price-tag of $90,440 (excluding on-road costs). It has 'Code Orange' prestige paint ($700) and a power roller shutter ($3800) included in that pricing.
Standard features include an 12.0-inch centre-mounted portrait touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a 12.4-inch customisable digital cluster, heated and ventilated leather-accented 10-way power-adjustable front seats as well as selectable steering, damper and exhaust modes.
It also has a variety of drive modes ('Normal', 'Sport', 'Slippery', 'Mud/Ruts', 'Sand', 'Baja', 'Rock Crawl'), Ford Performance-developed Fox 2.5-inch live-valve internal-bypass shock absorbers, electronically-controlled front and rear diff locks, 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich K02 all-terrain tyres, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual tow hooks and a 2.3mm steel front bash plate.
Exterior paint choices include 'Arctic White' (at no extra cost) or 'Shadow Black', 'Meteor Grey', 'Conquer Grey', Code Orange (on our test vehicle) and 'Blue Lightning' – each costing $700.
Citroen Berlingo
The Citroen Berlingo range comprises three models; the L1 Short Body Manual, L2 Long Body Manual and L2 Long Body Semi-Automatic.
Our test vehicle was the L1 Short Body Manual (aka M Confort VTi), which, with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and five-speed manual gearbox, is normally $22,990. This compares favourably with the Kangoo L1 SWB (1.2-litre petrol/six-speed manual) at $23,990, and is a huge 24 per cent saving over the Caddy TSI220 SWB (1.4-litre petrol/seven-speed dual-clutch auto) at $30,390.Â
However, the Berlingo’s run-out price is now a bargain basement $19,990 drive-away, so you’ll save even more up front, plus be eligible for an immediate tax deduction if you're a business owner.
Given it’s a commercial van, our Berlingo came with all the usual visual cues of a hard worker, like the solid white body colour with contrasting black bumpers, door mirrors, handles and side rubbing strips, plus black hub caps inside 15-inch steel wheels with 195/65 R15 Michelin tyres and a matching spare. However, the cabin does at least get floor carpet.
Its standard equipment list includes useful stuff like a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors (essential in any van with solid side doors), guide-me-home headlights, height/reach adjustable steering wheel, RDS stereo sound system with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and multiple connectivity options (including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth), cruise control with adjustable speed limiter, one-touch electric front windows and more.
Under the bonnet
Ford Ranger
The Raptor has a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine – producing 292kW and 583Nm – and that’s matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
This is an impressive set-up – punchy off the mark, smooth and refined at highway speeds – it just trucks along – and overall it offers a controlled and comfortable driving experience.
The Raptor has full-time 4WD and an electronic rear diff lock.
Its selectable driving modes include Normal, Sport, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, Sand, Baja, and Rock Crawl.
Citroen Berlingo
The Euro 6-compliant 1.6-litre multi-point fuel-injected four-cylinder petrol engine is conspicuously rev-happy for a commercial vehicle, as evidenced by its tachometer which displays rpm increments all the way up to 7000rpm - with no redline.
The needle has to reach 6000rpm to access the engine’s relatively modest maximum power of 72kW (less than Kangoo/Caddy, which are both turbos), with peak torque of 152Nm (also less) at a relatively high 3500rpm. It also requires 95-octane fuel.
The five-speed manual gearbox has useful spread of ratios for both city/suburban delivery work and load hauling on the highway.
Efficiency
Ford Ranger
The Raptor has an official fuel consumption figure of 11.5L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.
I recorded 14.2L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing and the Raptor was never working hard.
The Raptor has an 80L fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 563km from a full tank.Â
Citroen Berlingo
Our Berlingo achieved a combined figure of 7.2L/100km over a distance of 422km on a variety of roads and with different loads, including near-maximum GVM. Impressively, that was line-ball with the official combined figure of 7.1. With its 60-litre tank, you could expect a realistic driving range of 580-600km.
Driving
Ford Ranger
This is a Raptor review so you might expect I’d be justified in spending the entire test doing donuts in the sand and taking on jumps that would make dirt-bikers wince, but as much as I wanted to, I didn’t. I live in the real world so my tests are about how a vehicle performs in day-to-day driving and especially off-roading.Â
But to reach the dirt you have to drive a bit of blacktop – so how does the Raptor perform on-road?
Once underway, there is plenty of good news about the Raptor because it is nice to drive on road: a composed stance, impressive acceleration with more get-up-and-go thrust under foot courtesy of the V6 and comfortable ride and handling. This is an easy-driving 4WD ute.
For a vehicle intended to be a great go-fast machine on dirt roads and gravel tracks – which, of course, it is – the Raptor is a pleasant surprise on bitumen – refined and comfortable with its off-road-suited long-travel Fox suspension that soaks up the worst lumps and bumps of back-road blacktop, yielding a smoothed-out plush ride.
As a bonus the steering has a sharp feel and a nice balanced weight to it – you can cycle through different modes ('Normal', 'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Off-Road') to find your favourite – and the gutsy V6 and clever transmission is a supremely relaxed pairing.Â
There are also selectable damper modes ('Normal', 'Off-Road', 'Sport') and exhaust modes ('Quiet', 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Baja'). The latter exhaust setting is only available when in off-road mode and is more of a novelty, but still fun to play around with and a cool addition to the Raptor package.
On the open highway at 110km/h, the Raptor sits nicely, with that wider wheel track giving this ute a settled posture, and it comfortably trucks along the road, no matter how bumpy that road becomes.
Then you take it off the sealed surface.
The Raptor has all the mechanicals and the tech set-up for driving dirt roads and gravel tracks at speed, there’s no denying that, but all of those factors don't necessarily make it a good 4WD or indeed a good 4WD touring vehicle.Â
However, it is.
It’s smooth and refined on fast dirt tracks and gravel roads – it’s right at home. The Raptor has that aforementioned wide wheel track and, even if the terrain is particularly severe, it drives comfortably. Â
And any doubts about its ability to tackle low-range 4WDing are swiftly dispelled.
I scaled several of our favourite set-piece hill-climbs without the front or rear diffs locked, and the Raptor did it with absolute control and absolute ease.Â
It's very capable and ticks all the boxes in terms of ground clearance (listed as 272mm), off-road angles (approach: 32 degrees, departure 24 (with towbar, 27 without) and rampover 24 degrees) and wading depth (850mm).
There’s ample torque available and it’s delivered in an even-handed manner; the Raptor has front and rear diff locks; and the driver-assist tech set-up is comprehensive and low-key effective.
Case in point, I used 'Trail Control' mode (a form of low-range ‘feet-off-the-pedals’ cruise control) to set the speed (2.0km/h) for a steep hill and it kept the Raptor to that speed – complete control at all times, no matter how the severity of the incline changed.Â
The Raptor also has an onboard 360-degree camera system, giving the driver the ability to see forward of the vehicle, which is handy because this ute has a substantial bonnet. You can't see the track in front of you over the bonnet, especially when climbing a steep hill.Â
It’s such a great combination of mechanicals and driver-assist tech and Fox shocks, long wheel travel and proper all-terrain tires (BFGoodrich K02s) that it’s a near-complete package, especially in terms of being an effective off-road vehicle.Â
But if you’re considering a Raptor as a touring vehicle, there are some things working against it – and those things have to do with weight.Â
Payload in the Raptor, at just over 717kg, is not spectacular, but it’s in line with a lot of modern dual-cab utes. However, it’s far from ideal if you're looking at putting aftermarket equipment on it or even loading up with camping gear.Â
And another thing is the Raptor doesn't have an industry standard braked towing capacity for a dual-cab ute: it can legally tow 2500kg – the industry standard for similarly sized utes is 3500kg. Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg.Â
And though the driver-assist tech onboard is comprehensive and effective, the Raptor misses out on a tow/haul drive mode.
For your reference, kerb weight is listed as 2473kg, GVM is 3130kg, and GCM is 5370kg.
If you’re looking specifically for a tow vehicle, then look elsewhere, but if you're looking for thrills and fun in a capable off-road vehicle, the Raptor should be at the top of your list.Â
Citroen Berlingo
The first thing we noticed was the relatively low cargo-bay noise, combined with low wind and engine noise. The ride quality was firm but acceptable without a load, and the steering responsive and linear in weight, with a strong self-centering effect ensuring good directional stability.Â
The slick-shifting manual gearshift was nice to use, with well-defined gates and a light clutch action. Braking response was strong, but four discs designed to cope with a 3250kg GCM could bite hard if you pressed too firmly without a load.
With maximum torque at 3500rpm and peak power at 6000rpm, the 1.6-litre non-turbo engine responded best around town when kept revving freely between those two numbers. Although torque started to fall away sharply below 1800rpm, a useful amount remained between 1800-3500rpm, as evidenced by 2750rpm at 100km/h and 3000rpm at 110km/h in top gear on the highway.
With 600kg in the cargo bay plus a 100kg driver, our 700kg payload was 150kg below GVM. Handling and ride quality with this load was excellent, particularly over large bumps and on heavily patched bitumen roads. Braking was also reassuringly strong and it continued to track straight in cross-winds at highway speeds.
The engine’s rev-happy nature was noticeable on our 2.0km, 13 per cent gradient set climb with this load, finding its sweet spot in second gear at 3750rpm - which it happily pulled all the way to the top. Engine braking on the way down was non-existent, but the powerful brakes easily covered this shortfall.
Safety
Ford Ranger
The Raptor does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.
As standard it has nine airbags (front, side, knee and full-length curtain (driver & passenger and far side driver front airbag), and driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, front and rear parking sensors, tyre-pressure monitoring, a 360-degree camera and more.
Citroen Berlingo
No ANCAP rating here, but a LHD diesel version with dual airbags achieved four stars when tested by Euro NCAP in 2009. Evidence that our local model is aimed at cost-cutting fleet buyers is a front airbag and cargo barrier for driver only, with passenger front airbag and side airbags for both sides only available as optional extras. There’s no AEB either, but you do get an electronic stability control program with traction control and hill start assist, plus a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors.
Ownership
Ford Ranger
The Raptor has a five-year/unlimited-km warranty. That’s in line with its rivals except for Mitsubishi, which offers up to 10 years, and Isuzu, which offers up to six years.
Servicing is scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km and each visit costs $379 which is competitive – but check with your local dealership for the most up-to-date details.Â
Citroen Berlingo
A three-year/100,000km warranty includes roadside assistance, plus there’s a five-year anti-corrosion warranty. Scheduled servicing is 12 months/20,000km, whichever occurs first. There is also fixed pricing for the first three scheduled services of $416 (12 months/20,000km), $777 (24 months/40,000km) and $416 (36 months/60,000km).