From What Car
MPVs like the Citroën Berlingo were the Multi Purpose Vehicles before SUVs started getting in on the act, and still provide a solution for almost every practical eventuality.
They’re designed to get as many things as possible from one place to the next – much like a van, in fact – so what better way to build one than start with an actual van? That’s what Citroën did with the Berlingo (previously the Multispace), providing no-frills, practical motoring for cost-conscious families.
The problem I found, in common with many van conversions, is very limited rearward adjustment to the seat, coupled with a stupid footrest alongside the clutch pedal, which meant I couldn’t stretch my left leg out, I was forced to sit with my leg bent at a sharp angle along with my foot bent back towards me. Having arthritis in my left knee didn’t help, but I found the seating position, not the seats, to be really problematic. I drove plenty of similar size vans, without those issues, mostly because there wasn’t the stupid footrest.
I drove roughly 1000 different vehicles over the two years I was a logistics driver, and the Berlingo/Partner siblings were the least popular among everyone I asked, and they were the most uncomfortable for me. *shrugs* What can I say? When we got tasked with Citrôen C3/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygos, there would be a groan from whoever in the team was going to drive it, (on one occasion all five of us had one), except for me, I enjoyed driving them, I found them quite comfortable, and fun, so size isn’t everything. The Smart fourtwo I drove back home from Cornwall was great fun, with so much room to stretch out in! Size, as they say, isn’t everything… (insert winking emoji here)
