Exclusive - Citroen Berlingo XL Spotted Testing On Highway | V3Cars

30 September 2021
By Mahesh Yadav
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We recently spotted a Citroen Berlingo XL MPV testing on highways with the red number plates. While the Berlingo is also available in M or medium size, we know that the MPV seen in the clip and pictures is the XL variant. The rear windows of the XL are larger and the door rails also don’t extend as far back as the Berlingo M.

The Berlingo Medium is a 5-seat MPV while the XL gets 7 seats. Considering the demand for 7-seat vehicles in India, the Berlingo XL seems like a fitting candidate for Indian car buyers than the Berlingo M.

Citroen Berlingo - Sliding Rear Doors

The Berlingo XL uses sliding rear doors. Many MPVs in India have used this approach from the legendary Maruti Omni and affordable Eeco to the functional Nissan Evalia and Ashok Leyland Stile. On the more expensive side, the Kia Carnival is one example while the luxurious Toyota Velfire and Mercedes-Benz V-Class also offer sliding doors.

These are space efficient as you don’t need a lot of room to swing open the door. However, at least in the mass market, sliding doors are usually associated with vans. Therefore, the only sliding door cars that succeeded ended up with a commercial vehicle image. From the Renault Triber on the affordable side to the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga or Nexa XL6 in the mid-range, all the way to the Toyota Innova Crysta offer normal swing doors. And, these cars are pretty successful in their respecting price bands.

Berlingo XL - Butterfly Middle Windows

The middle row occupants don’t get power windows. They don’t even get manual roll-down windows. The middle row gets butterfly windows, which open out a bit to circulate fresh air.

Separate Seats In Second Row

Another unique feature of the Berlingo is that the middle row in this MPV gets contours to comfortably accommodate 3 occupants. While it is still made on a bench configuration, the contours give it a better appearance and help prevent sliding.

The Berlingo was also spotted testing a few years ago. At the time, reports claimed that the car was only being used to test out the 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine for affordable cars. Now, a non-turbo version of that engine could land in the Citroen C3, which is a crossover SUV launching in 2022.

Berlingo XL Dimensions

The Citroen Berlingo is 4753mm long, 1848mm wide and 1849mm tall. The Berlingo XL gets a 2975mm long wheelbase while the Medium has a 2785mm wheelbase.

Berlingo Engine Options

The Berlingo is available with a turbo petrol engine with 110 or 130PS power output, a turbo diesel engine with 100 or 130PS power output and a 136PS electric motor option.

It’s unlikely that Citroen might offer a diesel engine even though the carmaker has a nice range of diesel engines for the European market.

Berlingo Launch In Indian Market

The MPV segment is hot in India with very little competition. The Triber, Ertiga/XL6, Innova Crysta and Carnival are all reasonably-to-highly successful in their price bands with no competition whatsoever. However, buyers don’t want to compromise on style for 3-row seating options. Therefore, we’re seeing this newfound demand for the 3-row SUVs like Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari and Mahindra XUV700.

Citroen could still play the affordability card price the Berlingo so well that it manages to make room for itself in the Indian market. Alternatively, Citroen could be looking at the commercial shipping segment. In this area, the Berlingo XL, especially with the electric powertrain, could help businesses save a good chunk on shipping costs.