[Closed] more powerful Berlingo alternatives - Skoda Yeti/Qashqai etc etc

Yeti hasn't got nearly the same usable space in the back due to higher boot floor.

Neighbour has one. Has remarked in occasion she wishes she had got berlingo seeing how easy bikes go in and out. Her son's disability trike needs dismantling to go in the yeti - not so in berlingo

We had a look at a Qashqai when we changed cars, it's not that big inside. Same with all the urban 4x4s we looked at. Ended up with a Scenic, not the most exciting car but better laid out inside.

I think you need to keep looking at van based cars, VW, Fiat, Merc. The higher boot floor of the SUV will not help. What engine have you got? Berlingo can come with 120hp option I think. Caddy Max may be a good option?

We have a 150hp Tourneo Connect, ticks all our boxes.

As above a Berlingo maxes out interior room and will be hard to beat unless you go bigger. Vans make good towing vehicles (popular with racing sailors who can tow the boats eg 1850kg and keep kit / sleep in the van).

Qashqai imo is aimed squarely at family car market for those wanting elevated seating position. You might look at the X-Trail but it won't match Berlingo inside.

I have a Yeti. With one rear seat out, I can get my Norco Range 27.5 in with front wheel off and seatpost dropped fully, stood up.

For two bikes you'd need to take two seats out - luckily the rear seats in the Yeti are all independant units, and there's loads of configurations you could do. You'd need to take them out though - folding them up doesn't really save much space.

As a car the Yeti is brilliant and I can fully reccomend them. Comfortable to drive, handle well and reasonabily quick.

However my Yeti is going in a month or so - just bought a transit connect 😆

Double - what engine did you have ? What age / value is it now if you don't mind me asking ? Doing some market research.

Mine is the 1.6 TDI CR SE GreenLine Outdoor. I found it perfectly adaquate. I havent towed with it, I'd expect you to get the 2 litre if you wanted to tow.

Its a 15 plate with 19000 on the clock. Mine is a lease deal - £550 down and £170 p/m fully maintained with 10k per annum. It was such a good deal I couldnt turn it down. The outdoor trim with the silver bumper bits look great. It also sits higher by 20mm. Go for the SE model or above - its pretty much the minimum standard of toys I'd want on a new car these days.

As for value, can't help there im afraid!

Fiat Doblo 2.0 Multijet 130bhp, would probably have kept my Doblo if it had that engine. Also a caravan club recommended tow vehicle, and a touch bigger than your Berlingo.

Roomster?

I looked at a Yeti, I like the look of them, but I was surpised by the lack of space inside given how big they look outside, it seemed to be somewhere.

£550 down and £170 p/m fully maintained with 10k per annum. It was such a good deal I couldnt turn it down

Not surprised you couldn't say no! Is that the 150bhp?

Caddy Maxi Life would be the obvious Berlingo upgrade for me, maybe the Connect too but don't know as much about them

No, I've forgotten what one it is, but its the lower one. I'd have got another but my office is moving so my 4 mile commute is turning into a 20 mile one. In addition to all the weekend mileage going to Wales and Scotland for biking, I couldn't justify the excess milage charges on another lease.

And really the above gave me the excuse to buy a van. I'm coverting mine into a mini camper. Bike transport and somewhere to sleep.

If ease of bike transport is the number 1 priority and you dont need more than 2 passenger seats, get a van. It'll come to it at some point.

If however you do still need to use a proper 'car' The Yeti is capable. Go down to the dealership, take your bike with you. They'll let you try getting it in (as long as its clean!). See if it works for you.

something a bit heavier/more powerful(investigating towing)

Fiat Doblo 2.0 Multijet 130bhp, would probably have kept my Doblo if it had that engine. Also a caravan club recommended tow vehicle, and a touch bigger than your Berlingo.

Were the engine not doing bizarre things (e.g. going into override mode randomly, suddenly pouring out smoke at trafiic lights for about 2 secs then stopping) I'd still have it now. The space inside is immense and when working properly was a mavellous vehicle that could pull just about anything.

Was less that 3 years old & 18K on the clock when it went.... 🙁

As above a Berlingo maxes out interior room and will be hard to beat unless you go bigger.

Touran as a smallish but square.
Failing that full people carrier of Galaxy or Alhambra/Sharan. Avoid smax if you want bikes in easily, however all of them need a wheel off IME to get them in easily. That said, if you remove the rear seats of a Galaxy (8 bolts) and leave them at home, you have another 6" of vertical space to get them in easily. Remove middle seats (clips) and you have full on van...

looking at caravans, so:
- 85% weight ratio recommended
- noseweight on towbar limit
- towing limit weight
- 40hp per tonne recommendation.
- caravan weight/mtplm

Berlingo:
kerb is 1600kg(late HDI 1.6 ones) (so 85% = 1360 kg)
Noseweight is 70 (so at bottom end)
Towing limit is 1300kg (so lighter/smaller caravan only)

Car = 1600 + say 1200ish caravan = 2800 - so need the 120hp one to get 40 per tonne

Potential Caravan mtplm is 1232kg

been using: http://www.towcar.info/ comes out as a fairly good match, just strikes me that a bit more engine/weight would help

That said, if you remove the rear seats of a Galaxy (8 bolts) and leave them at home, you have another 6" of vertical space to get them in easily. Remove middle seats (clips) and you have full on van...

Hold on...... so the rear seats, the ones everyone is most likely to want to remove, are the ones that are bolted down?!

I went from a Roomster to a Yeti, more space in the Roomster for stuff but more space for people using the rear seats. Floor of the Yeti is high if has a spare wheel. I lowered the floor and covered the wheel which gives a bit more space.

We have a galaxy and a berlingo. The galaxy seats lay flat, which is handy. However, the berlingo is far better for lugging stuff about.

Wow Pinkster, sounds like you were terribly unlucky with yours ! Was just eyeing up some 2.0 vans on eBay with 130 &150k or thereabouts, so unlucky to hear yours copped it so early 🙁

Hold on...... so the rear seats, the ones everyone is most likely to want to remove, are the ones that are bolted down?!

I know. The old model they were removable, new one they fold 'flat', but still take up space veritcally.

[img] [/img]

You can see the extra space here
[img] [/img]

Wow Pinkster, sounds like you were terribly unlucky with yours ! Was just eyeing up some 2.0 vans on eBay with 130 &150k or thereabouts, so unlucky to hear yours copped it so early

Real shame as I loved that car, was perfect for me. Fitted 6 bikes in the back with wheels on when the rear seats were out too.

Just noticed the 40bhp tonne recommendation. That seems pretty mental right, that's is pretty low when you think about it!

Also, you'd think torque would be a better measure than power for towing?