The What Van? Road Test: Mercedes-Benz Citan (2023)

Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Rear 3:4 Copy

Operating

The Citan is protected by a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty compared with a three year/100,000-mile warranty on Kangoo and a five-year/100,000-mile warranty on Townstar. Service intervals are at 18,000 miles/two years.

The Mercedes is covered by the manufacturer’s MobiloVan 24/7 roadside rescue and recovery package. It lasts for an initial three years and is renewed every 12 months thereafter for up to 30 years if the operator has the vehicle serviced at a Mercedes dealership.

Extensive use of long-lasting LEDs for the interior lighting, including the load area, should provide a maintenance saving. Premium trim includes LED headlights and LED front fog lights too.

Worth investigating is the free three-year remote monitoring package provided by the manufacturer under the ‘Mercedes me’ banner which can be accessed via your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Features include remote door locking and unlocking and automatic over-the-air software updates.

Disappointingly no spare wheel is provided, once again one assumes to save weight. You get an inflator/sealer instead; not a lot of help if the damage to your tyre is severe.

Our demonstrator was finished in yellow metallic paint, including the door handles and front and rear bumpers, which ensured we had no trouble locating it in a large, busy, car park. Shame that side rubbing strips aren’t fitted to protect the flashy finish from minor damage.

Mercedes-Benz Citan 110 L1 Premium

Price (ex VAT) £23,285

Price range (ex VAT) £21,310 – £23,285

Gross payload 646kg

Load length 1806mm

Load width (min/max) 1248mm/1524mm

Load bay height 1256mm

Load volume 3.3m³

Loading height 589mm

Rear door aperture 1250mm x 1123mm

Side door aperture 451mm x 1059mm

Gross vehicle weight 2250kg

Braked trailer towing weight 1250kg

Residual value 31.0%

Cost per mile 45.8p

Engine size/power 1,461cc, 95hp @ 3750rpm

Torque 260Nm @ 1750rpm

Gearbox 7sp auto

Fuel economy 54.3mpg

Fuel tank 54L

CO2 137g/km

Warranty 3yrs/unlimited mileage

Service intervals 2yrs/18,000mls

Insurance group TBA

Price as tested £25,330

* after 48 months/20,000 miles p.a – source – KWIKcarcost

Options

Automatic transmission £1,825

Electric parking brake £220

Rivals

Ford Transit Connect

Price range (ex VAT) £22,020-£30,585

Load volume 2.9-3.6m³

Gross payload 664-961kg

Engines 100hp 1.0 petrol, 75hp, 100hp 1.5 diesel

Verdict: Reworked a little while ago with a rise in its payload capacity, the Connect keeps on delivering exemplary handling and all-round performance. We cannot fault the eight-speed automatic gearbox, but there is no need to feel short-changed if you opt for the manual transmission instead. It delivers a slick, smooth gear-change which most rival manufacturers can only envy. The Sport variant deserves a round of applause, but anybody involved in the construction industry might want to consider the Active. Its virtues include increased ground clearance plus an optional mechanical limited slip diff.

Peugeot Partner

Price range (ex VAT) £20,220-£34,840

Load volume 3.3-3.8m³

Gross payload 721-987kg

Engines 102hp, 131hp 1.5 diesel, 100kW electric

Verdict: A well-built, sturdy workhouse capable of a hard day’s graft, the Partner is unlikely to disappoint – and anybody on short-haul urban/suburban delivery work should seriously consider the electric version. Bear in mind that the same van is also marketed by Citroen as the Berlingo, Vauxhall as the Combo, and Fiat Professional as the Doblo - all three brands are owned by global automotive giant Stellantis - and by Toyota as the Proace City. Toyota offers an especially-tempting warranty package as it becomes an increasingly-signicant player in the light commercial market.

Volkswagen Caddy

Price range (ex VAT) £19,285-£28,745

Load volume 3.1-3.7m³

Gross payload 606-711kg

Engines 75hp, 102hp, 122hp 2.0 diesel, 114hp 1.5 petrol

Verdict: Like Mercedes, VW places significant stress on onboard safety, a policy reflected in Caddy’s specifications. The engines and transmissions complement one another nicely, quality standards are top-notch, and we have no issues with the level of fuel consumption. On the negative side payload capacity is below that of several of its key competitors and the load cube is smaller than what was on offer from previous Caddies. VW boasts a dedicated commercial vehicle network which ensures that van operators do not end up playing second-fiddle to car buyers.

The Final Verdict

Design 8/10 – Stylish-looking little van that is distinctively different from other light commercials.

Cabin 8/10 – A comfortable and well-equipped working environment packed with useful features.

Ride 7/10 – Choppy when van is unladen but improves the more weight you put in the back.

Refinement 7/10 – Build standard is high, but too much noise finds its way into the cabin.

Load area 6/10 – Plenty of tie-down points but payload capacity is limited.

Handling/performance 8/10 – Former is dependable, latter delivers lots of impetus around town and on motorway.

Engine/transmission 6/10 – A good combo, but automatic box’s gears aren’t smooth. Needs wider engine choice.

Standard equipment 9/10 – Mercedes should be praised for the stress it has placed on built-in safety.

Operating costs 8/10 – Warranty package keeps costs down, assistance is hedged around with Ts and Cs.

What Van? subjective rating 8/10 – One to consider if safety is your priority – and it certainly should be.

Overall Rating = 75/100

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