MULTI-TASKING MULTISPACE IS A GREAT BUY It was recently revealed that Citroen and Peugeot have managed to build three million of their Berlingo and Partner models between them. Quite a few of these small vans have found homes in the UK as family cars and urban runabouts since Citroen launched a three door model with rear seats called the Berlingo Multispace a decade ago, back in 1998. Not everyone who wants the practicality of the latest five seat midi MPVs necessarily wants the high style that comes with many of them. To some buyers, there are other things that go before looks and it was for them the Citroen Berlingo Multispace was created. This, and its Peugeot cousin the Partner Combi, is just the thing for those who want to maximise on space and minimise on money. Even as a new buy the Citroen is offered with loads of money knocked off through Citroen’s amazing deals. So it’s hardly surprising that you probably see 10 Citroen Berlingo Multispaces for every Peugeot Partner, or so it seems. Both cars are virtually identical in what they have to offer. There are some differences - for instance the Partner Combi Escapade offers a slightly higher ride height thanks to its pseudo 4x4 looks, while the Berlingo has something called Modutop that has aircraft style lockers in the roof space. Modutop comes as part of the standard package on the range-topping Berlingo models but for those who care less about such fripperies there’s the more basic Forte. Originally, the Berlingo Multispace first appeared as a three door in the UK as a limited edition run, I think of 1,000 cars. But it proved so popular it became part of the main range and, as five doors were added to the van on which it was based in mid 2000 so it became a five door car. The three doors are a lot less convenient than the fives so only buy one if you can manage with that format or the price is too good to resist. The van base means that without Modutop there is almost three cubic metres of load space with the rear seats down, making this a highly practical choice if you run a business that needs a small van yet you need a car for weekends and can’t afford both. Converters catering for the disabled market also make wheelchair versions of the Multispace and these are also worth looking out for. My parents-in-law run the Peugeot Escapade with its vital extra inch of ride height. This makes all the difference for my mother-in-law getting in an out and the high door frame means she doesn’t run the risk of banging her head as she gets in. You slide into the car rather than climb down into it, too. The Citroen comes with 1.4, 1.6, or 1.8 litre petrol engines or 1.9 non-turbo or 1.6 and 2.0 turbo diesel engines. The diesels are brilliant for economy but even the 1.6 petrol will give more than 40 mpg, as my parents-in-law regularly prove. Van-based this car may be, but the ride quality is excellent and they are very smooth to travel in. There are no issues over head room and rear seats passengers also get a decent amount of legroom. A wheelchair will fit in the boot without collapsing it while the rear seats are still in use. It’s hard to find anything bad to say about these Citroen and Peugeot models - maybe the only snag with their tall bodies is that short people might have a job to reach the tailgate when they want to close it. On the other hand, it makes an excellent wet weather canopy while loading up. With a 9,000 mile service regime the cars are not expensive to keep and Group 4 or 5 insurance across the range also ensures that costs are kept to a minimum. Prices are now very affordable. Early three door 1.8s on a 98S are around £2,000 while a post facelift 52 plate five door 1.4 is about £4,500. A 2.0 HDi on an 04 plate is only around £5,900 but better still would be an 07 plate 1.6 HDi for about £10,000 - just make sure there's not an unregistered one about at even better money on a Citroen deal. Maurice Hardy