Ooh la la! Facelifted Citroen Berlingo and e-Berlingo get fresh look, bigger screen and comfier seats
Facelifted people carrier will arrive in Spring 2024, with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, plus all-electric model now with 198-mile range
Et voila, the facelifted Citroen Berlingo has been unveiled. The popular van-based people carrier has received a fairly extensive refresh inspired by the recently revealed Citroen e-C3 electric supermini.
The front end of the Citroen Berlingo and all-electric e-Berlingo variant have been completely redesigned to adopt the brand’s new design language that debuted on the e-C3. The assertive look includes a grille and bumper formed by a single panel, bold LED lighting design and the new, retro-inspired Citroen badge that’s flanked by a black strip echoing the brand’s trademark double chevron logo.
The rest of the Berlingo and e-Berlingo look much the same as before, although Citroen’s signature ‘airbumps’ on either flank have been given a smooth new look that doesn’t appear to hinder their ability to protect against dings and scrapes in supermarket car parks.
Inside, the French MPV has received a new dashboard design topped with a 10-inch touchscreen, plus a new configurable 10-inch digital instrument panel. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity also feature, along with a new flat-bottomed steering wheel design that incorporates the controls for the audio system and cruise control, rather than using separate stalks like its predecessor.
Citroen has also added its famously soft Advanced Comfort seats to the Berlingo and e-Berlingo for the first time, with special fabric and funky three-colour upholstery – although they’re only available on higher-spec models.
The Berlingo and e-Berlingo will still be available in two body lengths – M (4.40 metres long) and XL (4.75 metres long), with the latter getting an extra row of seats to make it a seven-seater, or up to 4,000 litres of cargo space with all but the driver’s seat folded down.
Citroen e-Berlingo gets range boost for 2024
Citroen’s focus with the facelifted people carrier is on the fully electric e-Berlingo, which now boasts a 198-mile range from a single charge – 20 per cent up on before. The range boost comes courtesy of a new 50kWh LFP (lithium ferro phosphate) battery – the same battery chemistry the e-C3 uses. It’s not quite as efficient in low temperatures as more expensive power packs, but Citroen will be offering a heat pump as an optional extra, which warms the cabin and helps improve the car's battery efficiency in winter.
Even without it, Citroen says the increased range is “perfectly suited to the average daily mileage” of e-Berlingo customers. It won’t fall apart at the prospect of a road trip either, as the updated e-Berlingo features a new e-Routes application that helps organise journeys and can adapt in real time to traffic conditions, as well as how many charging points are available along your chosen route and the remaining charge in the car’s battery.
When the battery starts running low on juice, the e-Berlingo's 100kW maximum charging speed allows for a 0 to 80 per cent top-up in 30 minutes, while fully recharging the 50kWh battery from a typical 7.4kW home wallbox takes seven-and-a-half hours. Citroen has also added a new regenerative braking system to the e-Berlingo, with paddles behind the steering wheel for toggling between three strengths.
If electricity isn’t your thing, the Citroen Berlingo will be available with a selection of two PureTech petrol engines and a trio of BlueHDi diesel engines.
When the facelifted Berlingo and e-Berlingo land in the UK in Spring 2024 they will be available in two trim levels – Plus and Max – along with the two body lengths. Pricing for the line-up has yet to be announced, however we don’t expect much of an increase compared to the out-going models. The regular Berlingo currently starts from £25,405, and entry-level e-Berlingo priced at £31,225.
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