Berlingo Multispace and other cars like it

Mrs Sideshow would like to drive something to work that feels less van-like than our combo van.

I would like something you can plausibly hide bikes in the back of. Thinking of something like the Berlingo Multispace car with some blinds on the windows.

Does anyone have experience with these and other similar vehicles? The C3 Picasso looks alright as well though a bit unreliable. Looking for used vehicles so nothing too recent. What’s good, what’s not, what to watch for 2nd hand?

I have a Multispace – I love it – wife loves it too.

Easy to get three riders + bikes with front wheels off + kit into it.

We’d find it quite hard to look at anything else really – for what we use it for (travelling to races and carrying friends about) it’s perfect.

the wife has a berlingo multi space

i have a partner van

both are van like to drive tbh. both are non turbo diesels.

How ever they both carry alot of kit , both get me where im going at the speedlimit and both are cheap to keep on the road.

If the multispace died tomorrow id buy another in a heart beat.

If the van died id buy a bigger van.

I have a 2002 1.6 petrol Berlingo.
I honestly don’t know why any other cars need to exist. It’s awesome!

I tinted the rear windows on mine and lowered it, pimped it out with some phat alloy spinners yo it hides your bikes pretty well. Just looks like a family car really. You could go further and add blinds I guess.

I also took out the rear double on mine so bikes fit in whole.

If the Berlingo were to attain true perfection, it would be via becoming about a foot longer in the rear space. Otherwise, love it. 😀

VW Caddy Life/Maxi Life is similar and also cavernous.

I was just going to suggest a Caddy Maxi…

We went from a normal Caddy to our Berlingo Multispace – was a good step, but pre Caddy Maxi. Neighbour has one, I like it.

I have a basic petrol model with roof bars, and one bike. The rear seats come out (and are rarely put back in) giving room for my bike, wheels in, diagonally, upright. It gets strapped to the four lashing-down loops in the floor.

The frame will go across the back, upside down, wheels out, seat up high, so the dropouts clear the sides at window level. Wheels go in the space left right at the back. But the dropouts and chainset stick up above window level.

It would probably fit in under the boot cover with more fiddling, but I never tried. The bike is a slightly odd shape anyway, so not typical.

43mpg on A-roads with a relaxed driver.

At OP – are you in Wessex?

Had a 51 plate 1.9 diesel Berlingo. It was cheap, which was great coz I didn’t care about it getting knackered from bikes inside & out. Easy to clean due to lined flooring. Not brilliant to drive. Sluggish. Newer ones probably a bit better. Had 4 bikes & bods & weekend kit all inside. Too short to sleep in.

When that died, got a 52 plate 2.0 TDI Ford Galaxy (mk2). Far better to drive, comfortable & very fast. Massive inside once all the seats were out – two fully built bikes no probs with loads of room for kit. Excellent for carrying people – all 7 seats are full size. Same as the Sharan & Alhambra – see loads of them around. Can sleep in this easily.

Changed that for something more up to date & now have a LWB Ford Tourneo Connect. Wanted a greener car so almost new was the way to go – great value compared to VW. Tonnes of space with seats folded flat (which is better than having 5 clunky seats in the garage), but to be honest not as good for chucking a couple of bikes in compared to the others. Drives really well, loads of gadgets, but not as fast as the Galaxy (only 1.6). Good for sleeping in.

If we didn’t go for the newer car, would have looked at another Galaxy/Alhambra/Sharan, especially recommended for the car-like drive. They do have cooling system issues, which is where ours failed. Tried all sorts to fix it, but none of the mechanics could diagnose without taking the head gasket apart. It was probs a head gasket problem though.

I know this goes against the grain on here, but IMO the Galaxy is a much better car than the Berlingo (though I did love the Berlingo when I had it).

PS the Berlingo failed on its head gasket AND the rear axle collapsed in the middle of France!

These were more reasons why we wanted a new car!

Renault grand scenic, room for 3 riders and bikes, doesn’t feel like a van to drive, decent mpg, comfy place to sit.
EDIT: women seem to like it too, have ferried a few female colleagues home from work and every one of them has liked it (sample group of 8)

That should read 8 ^^^

Currently driving a new Berlingo Piccaso thing for work and it’s awful. it’s a 1.6HDI and it feels like there’s no top end power, horrific lag at the bottom end if you’re in second and try to set off from a rolling start, the electric power steering feels like the steering wheel is connected to the front wheels with a rubber band and bits of interior trim are falling off randomly,
the most annoying bit is the seat belt thingy that stops the clip sliding down has fallen off so when you get in its slipped down the belt and is a right ballache to retrieve,
Not a car snob either as we have a nine year old Doblo thats great..

2005 plate from new. Build quality is not the greatest, body is made of tinfoil, interior trim is a bit plasticy engine is ok. Saying that I would get another if thus one dies.