The What Van? Road Test: Citroen Dispatch (2019)

Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Cab

Interior and equipment

Times change, and all the latest Dispatch vans are equipped with Citroen Connect Box as standard in line with European regulations.

If the van is involved in a collision, the box calls the emergency services and pinpoints its location. Press the SOS button and you can activate it manually, and you can contact the Citroen support switchboard by pressing and holding the Double Chevron button.

If you are travelling as a passenger then you should try to avoid the middle seat.

The way in which the moulding, which accommodates the gear lever, bows out from the dashboard will restrict your legroom. Your right kneecap is likely to be jammed right up against it – not a situation you want to be in on a long journey.

The middle seat offers a useful benefit, however: the centre section of its back folds downwards and can be used as a desk, complete with an elasticated band to hold paperwork in place.

Pull up the cushion and you will find a handy compartment you can use to conceal your smartphone.

Air conditioning is included in the Enterprise deal, as are electric windows and power-operated and electrically adjustable exterior mirrors. The latter do not have a wide-angle section, alas.

Other features include cruise control with a programmable speed limiter, an alarm, driver and passenger airbags, a 12V power point – you’ll find one in the load area too – plus a USB socket and an audio jack. A 7in colour touchscreen is fitted along with a DAB radio and the cab is Bluetooth-enabled. Smartphone integration is another feature, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The driver’s seat and the steering wheel are height-adjustable, and the latter can be adjusted for reach. The former features an inboard armrest and lumbar adjustment.

Each door features three storage bins while the passenger side of the dashboard offers a roomy parcel shelf with a narrow shelf just above it.

You will find another shelf in the middle of the fascia just above the gearstick. A further shelf is let into the top of the dashboard, which also boasts a cupholder at either extremity.

Onboard safety systems include ABS, electronic stability control with hill assist, and emergency brake assist.

A wide variety of other safety aids are listed as options, including lane departure warning, speed limit recognition and intelligent speed adaption. None of them were available when the Citroen Dispatch first appeared, which shows the extent to which onboard safety has progressed.

Reversing sensors are installed, and a schematic display on the touchscreen shows you how close you are getting to any obstruction. A coffee cup symbol appears after two hours continuous driving telling you that you should take a break.

The suspension employs MacPherson struts and an anti-roll bar at the front along with a trailing arm set up at the rear. Electric power steering delivers a 12.4m turning circle between kerbs, increasing to 12.9m between walls.

Disc brakes are fitted all round and our van’s 16in steel wheels had Michelin Agilis 51 215/65 R16C tyres.

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