Any van that enters the medium van marketplace is up against some seriously stiff competition… I mean, how on Earth are they supposed to compete with the Ford Transit Custom? ( To see the latest leasing deals on the Citroen Dispatch, click here: bit.ly/3uYWjjg )
No single manufacturer could do it, which is why the PSA Group thinks it has the answer. Platform sharing… in the shape of its 3 medium vans… the Peugeot Expert, the new Vauxhall Vivaro & this little beauty right here… The NEW Citroen Dispatch.
Is it a Proace, is it a Vivaro??? NO, it’s the latest Citroen Dispatch, & just like Superman it swooped in looking sharp & ready for business!
The Citroen Badge is more modest than on other Citroen vans like the Relay; we love how it trails across the front into the a uto headlights which look modest & understated but are really highly powerful & will light up the road ahead.
The grille is tough plastic making it much lighter than the previous model.
And just check out the 16-inch steel wheels, they look great & hard-wearing.
Overall, it looks snub-nosed & car-like (a hint towards how it drives, & what it’s like on the inside… let’s get in there…
Taller people will need a bit more room… but it depends if your height is in your legs… or in your torso, but there's some cool features like a mobile office drop-down seat.
The Steering wheel is plain with no leather, but has hidden depths. Left stalk is cruise control, right stalk audio controls with rollers… a bit old fashioned, but it works.
You have cruise control AND a speed limiter, useful on restricted roads.
Sadly the gearstick juts out into the knee space for passenger number 1 and there's not much storage - glove box, door storage, little cubbies, small cupholders, that’s it.
You can really feel the car platform sharing elements in here, but that’s not a bad thing… it’s the way vans are going, & maybe that puts it ahead of the curve!
Citroen have made it super simple for you… there’s no change in height across the range, all you need to do is choose the length - short, medium or XL. THIS one is Medium, & that means:
• Length (up to 3 Euro Pallets): 2.5m (up to 2.9m)
• Width: 1.6m
• Width (between wheels): 1.2m
• Height: 1.4m
• Payload: 1,200kg (up to 1,400kg)
• Lashing Points
• Flexibility
• Lining: Ply lining as standard
• Moduwork load through: 3.6m (up to 4m long)
• Euro 6 range of engines called BlueHDi
• 95-180hp
• Smooth drive, incredibly car-like.
• Feel a bit cramped, but not as cramped as person number 3 would be in the middle…
Market Comparason
• Peugeot Expert / Toyota Proace / Vauxhall Vivaro - the Dispatch’s relatives are a mixed bag with plenty of choice of tech & looks even without the option of different heights. The PSA Group have done a good job giving each one a different vibe!
• Renault Trafic / Nissan NV300 / Fiat Talento - THIS bunch of relatives have an edge with different heights available, but their payloads need a bit of work.
• Mercedes-Benz Vito - THIS is the luxury option with tonnes of options & variants to choose from, you pay for the three spokes, but then don’t you always?!
• VW Transporter - Anyone who knows me knows I love this van. It’s great-looking & very user-friendly. Payload is only place it only VERY slightly underperforms.
• Ford Transit Custom - you can’t talk medium vans without mentioning the UK’s best-seller. It’s the top performer because of price, function & running costs. & it looks great too! The king has a lot of life left in it too!
So, how do we wrap this up?
Citroen call the Dispatch “the van for everyone”, & they’re not wrong. The three sizes take care of anything a medium van user might want, & the car-like drive & interior make it an absolute dream to drive around. Smart tech combines with economical engines to make this one of the first medium vans to feel like a full package with no compromises having to be made by you! And that is why if you’re looking to update your medium van, definitely take some time to check this one out.