Car-like drive proves Renault Kangoo can rival Ford’s best small vans

Andrew Walker

The Kangoo is the model Renault hopes will allow it to challenge Ford in the urban delivery sector. It looks the part, with more tech and safety, an improved interior, better storage solutions and improved engines it will offer more appeal.

The old Kangoo was looking its age so it’s great to see the new one has been completely redesigned. Up front you get C-shaped LED headlights, a snub nose, chrome edging to the black grille and deep set fog lights.

Our test van came with twin side doors and 60:40 rear opening doors, which were impressively heavy. Midheight rear lights complete the new look.

Engine choice

There’s a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit, offered with 100hp or 130hp, a 1.5-litre turbodiesel available in 75hp, 95hp or 115hp, and an all-electric E-TECH as well. All manual transmissions are six-speed, with a dual-clutch automatic available for the 130hp petrol and 95hp and 115hp diesels.

Model range and price

The entry level Kangoo and is available in MWB or LWB formats, and there is the Advance in MWB and LWB versions, too. Prices start at £17,650 + vat for the petrol TCE 100 Start.

Interior and storage

The Kangoo Advance we drove featured a full bulkhead, a small glove box, a dash top lidded box with two

USBs and a 12v socket inside. The two door pockets are large enough for two drinks each. A full width shelf across the inside of the cabin offers excellent storage. Our van had a three-seat configuration which covered one of the centre floor drinks holders and didn’t leave much, if any, leg space for the third passenger.

The cab borrows a lot from Renault’s passenger car range and as such is a vastly improved place to be than its predecessor. Renault claims it has the greatest shoulder and elbow room in the class, but as we’ve alluded too, not much leg room with three in the cabin.

Practicality

The Kangoo boasts a load volume of up to 4.2m3, a 1,500kg towing capacity and payloads of up to 1,000kg. It’s also offered with a choice of Easy Inside Rack retractable interior gallery and can be ordered with a range of door and glazing options to suit trades and businesses of all types. You can also specify an interior roof rack which folds into the ceiling when not in use. It’s designed primarily to carry ladders inside rather than outside your van.

The load space on our Advance featured 10 anchorage points, LED lighting and a wooden protected floor, an additional £210. The payload is 796kg.

On the road

The new Kangoo handles the road well and keeps bad road surfaces at bay, even when unladen. It’s also pretty smooth around corners and feels well connected to the road beneath

Motorway cruising is especially relaxing and there’s decent acceleration on offer too, with 0-62mph taking 12.6 seconds. Top speed is 108mph.

Claimed fuel economy is 50.4 mpg and I’d say that’s achievable as we averaged 47.8mpg while driving without too much care and attention, over 250 miles of mixed roads, in poor November weather.

Pros

Excellent choice of engines. Some very clever practical solutions in the load area. The car-like driving position and standard tech and safety make driving one highly enjoyable. Good fuel economy and reasonably priced.

Cons

Diesel engines is a little noisy. If you choose the bench seat there’s little room for the centre passenger’s legs.

CC&V VERDICT

Renault has produced a vastly improved small van with the latest Kangoo, with clever storage solutions in the load area and cabin. The highest praise we can give is that it’s just like driving a small car; comfortable, well equipped, safe and frugal. In such a competitive sector, only the Volkswagen Caddy feels plusher and better built. But it’s also more expensive… and there’s no EV version.

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