Volkswagen Caddy 5 VS Citroen Berlingo
Volkswagen Caddy 5
Likes
- People mover/van in one
- Performance and comfort
- Fuel economy
Dislikes
- List price
- Tow ball download
- Turning circle
Citroen Berlingo
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Volkswagen Caddy 5
Volkswagen’s Caddy Life seven-seater combines compact dimensions with efficient use of internal space and seating flexibility to deliver an effective combination of comfort and utility.
We recently spent a week with the premium model to see if this people-mover can meet the diverse requirements of busy families for work and play, in a people-mover segment dominated by the Kia Carnival.
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 4.9L/100km |
| Seating | 7 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
Volkswagen Caddy 58.3/10
Families could easily grow to like the Caddy Life. It’s not only enjoyable and economical to drive but its surprisingly spacious cabin offers comfortable seating for all three rows, two of which can be easily removed and replaced as required. It would be equally competent serving as both a weekday family carry-all and weekend escape machine.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
The front wheel-drive Caddy Life rides on a 'Maxi' 2970mm wheelbase with MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, electronic-assisted power-steering and four-wheel disc brakes. It has a 12.1-metre turning circle, which is larger than some one-tonne vans.
The spacious and airy feel of its cabin belies its relatively compact external dimensions, which are shorter in wheelbase, shorter in overall length and narrower (excluding door mirrors) than the Kia Carnival.
However, the Caddy Life is slightly taller than the Kia, resulting in generous headroom for all which enhances its spacious feel.
As a result, this cabin can comfortably accommodate passengers ranging from small kids to lanky teenagers to tall adults in all three rows, which we confirmed courtesy of my 186cm frame.
There’s ample space for the driver and front passenger and the second-row seating also offers adequate knee room, even for someone my height when sitting behind the driver’s seat in my position.
There’s less knee room in the centre position, though, due to the protruding console.
The second-row base cushions, which are split roughly 70/30, don’t have slide adjustment but you can alter the backrest angle. Although three kids could fit comfortably here, larger teens and adults would have limited shoulder room. So, for long trips with grown-ups, the second-row would work best with two.
And even though the third-row base-cushions are also fixed, the rearmost seating is remarkably spacious. Although the flat floor results in elevated knees for someone my height, it still provides enough foot, knee, shoulder and headroom for adequate comfort, so kids would find it even more accommodating.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
With its 1742kg tare weight (unladen) and 2450kg GVM, the Caddy Life has a 708kg payload rating. In real world use, seven large adults would use up most if not all of that before you could add any luggage, so keep this load limit in mind if you need to carry half a rugby team to training.
However, for most urban requirements involving kids, this weight limit would be more than adequate if you need to haul them and their friends and their gear for a multitude of tasks, from weekday school runs to weekend sports to holiday getaways. And up to 100kg of that 708kg can be carried on the roof, which is ideal for storage solutions like roof-pods.
The Caddy Life is also rated to tow up to 1500kg of braked trailer. And with its generous 4213kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), that means it can haul its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight, which is a handy capability for many work or play duties.
However, given the tow ball download (TBD) limit is only 75kg, that could present a challenge for those wanting to tow 1500kg given that TBD is usually around 10 per cent of trailer weight (or in this case about double the stated TBD limit).
Even so, one of the Caddy Life’s best features is the versatility of its second and third-row seats, which can be configured to significantly expand load volume.
For example, the backrests on both rows can be folded flat to provide a raised load floor sufficient for carting many bulky items from a load of cardboard for recycling to flatpack furniture.
However, if you need maximum load volume, the second and third rows can be easily removed from the vehicle to create a spacious van.
For starters, there’s more than half a metre of floor length and almost half a cubic metre of load volume behind the third-row seats, which is ideal for grocery shops, school bags and the like.
This expands to more than 1.4 metres of floor and more than 1.7 cubic metres of load volume when the third-row seat is removed.
This space expands again to more than 2.2 metres of floor length and more than 3.0 cubic metres of load volume with both the second and third rows removed.
That’s in the same ballpark as the small commercial van class (under 2.5-tonne GVM) and the sliding doors on either side provide similar load access, so in terms of moving either people or cargo, the versatility of this design makes it very efficient at both.
Given its primary role as a people-mover, there’s generous internal storage for personal items, starting with a large-bottle holder and deep bin in the base of each front door. There’s also a handy driver’s drawer in the right-side dash, open storage in the centre dash-pad and a large glove box.
The centre console has a pair of small-bottle/cupholders and there’s a lidded box at the rear. There’s also a full-width overhead shelf which can hold heaps of stuff and doesn’t feel too close to your forehead due to the generous roof height.
Second-row passengers get a small-bottle/cupholder and bin in each sliding door, plus there are pockets on the front seat backrests and some handy fold-down trays complete with cupholders which are ideal for snacks, games etc on long trips.
Third-row passengers are also well catered for with small-bottle/cupholders and storage on each side.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
Our Life test vehicle is the premium offering in the two-model Caddy range, in this case powered by a TDI 320 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Its list price of $56,790 is considerably more than the base model Kia Carnival diesel ($52,380) which offers an extra seating position. Our example is also finished in 'Fortana Red' metallic paint, which is an extra-cost option.
As the top-shelf model, the Caddy Life comes standard with 17-inch ‘Barahona’ alloys and 215/55R17 tyres plus a full-size steel spare, heated door mirrors, a power tailgate and side/rear privacy glass.
There’s also tasteful chrome detailing on the grille, roof-rails, sliding-door rails and body badges along with colour-coded bumpers and door-handles. Combined with the optional premium paint, this bling creates an upmarket appearance consistent with its premium model status.
Inside the carpeted and surprisingly spacious cabin are three rows of seating (the second and third rows are easily removable) neatly finished in ‘Trialog’ diamond-quilt-style fabric trim.
The driver is treated to keyless start, a multi-adjustable seat including four-way power lumbar support, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and a large left footrest.
There’s also an 8.25-inch colour touchscreen which serves as central command for the four-speaker multimedia system, with digital radio and multiple connectivity including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Some vehicle settings, including climate control, auto stop/start etc are also touchscreen-controlled, but thankfully audio volume and tuning still use physical dials.
The family-friendly cabin also includes dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, wireless phone-charging, two USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets, fold-down tables and heating/cooling vents for second-row passengers, LED reading lights, rear luggage compartment cover, lots of places to store stuff and more.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
Our premium grade Caddy Life is powered by VW’s excellent 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel which produces 90kW of power at 2750-4250rpm and 320Nm of torque between 1500-2500rpm.
It’s paired with an equally refined seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which provides the option of sequential manual-shifting in 'Sport' mode using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. There's also an electronic diff lock.
Worth noting there's also a TSI220 version powered by a 84kW/220Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
VW claims an official combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle consumption of only 4.9L/100km. By comparison, the dash display was showing a more realistic 7.2 at the completion of our 230km of testing, which was a mix of city, suburban and highway driving with a variety of loads, from driver-only to all seven seats being filled when attending a sporting event.
The dash readout was very close to our own figure of 7.8L/100km, calculated from actual fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, which is still thrifty economy for a seven-seater.
So, based on our numbers, you could expect a ‘real world’ driving range of around 640km from its 50-litre tank.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
It exudes solid build quality and design integrity with light and responsive steering, strong braking and a typically European ride that strikes the right balance between the firmness needed for reassuring handling response and the suppleness needed to soak up bumps.
The seven-speed dual-clutch auto does a good job keeping the turbo-diesel operating within its torque sweet-spot between 1500-2500rpm for most of the time, where engine response is at its strongest in city and suburban driving.
Even when hauling a sizeable payload, as we did with all seven seats occupied, the 2.0-litre engine’s hearty 320Nm of torque maintained good response around town, where it didn’t feel overly sluggish or require manual-shifting to sharpen its response under this load.
It’s also a relaxed highway cruiser, requiring only 1600rpm to maintain 110km/h. Noise suppression is also commendable at these speeds, with negligible engine, tyre and wind noise intrusion.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
It has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating awarded in 2021 (expires Dec 2027). Passive safety includes front, side and centre airbags for driver and front passenger plus side-curtain airbags for all three rows.
The extensive active safety menu includes AEB with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, autonomous oncoming vehicle braking when turning, front and rear parking assist, reversing camera, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more.
There are three top-tether child-seat restraints for the second-row and two for the third-row, plus two ISOFIX anchorage points for both the second and third-rows.
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
Volkswagen Caddy 5
Warranty is five years/unlimited km plus 12 months roadside assist.
Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first.
Capped-price for the first five scheduled services up to five years/75,000km totals $3275, or an average of $655 per year. VW also offers pre-paid five-year service plans which offer significant savings.
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).