Road Test: Citroen Dispatch Combi

When you think about it, vans make a good base for a people carrier that needs to travel through a wide range of driving conditions, and perform a variety of duties from transporting children to bringing work crews from job to job, writes Brian Byrne.

It is why in continental Europe there's a greater appreciation for the Combi variants of standard vans than is normally the case here. Certainly, only a very small number of private motorists consider vehicles like the Citroen Dispatch Combi for family transportation.

The advantages are easily outlined. Compared to, say, a Ford S-MAX, the Dispatch Combi arguably is roomier, is of a height that is easier to get in and out of, and can carry up to nine depending on configuration and length.

My review car was the longer one, set for eight, with two individual seats up front. The room for people in the second and third rows was excellent, and it was quite easy to get into the rearmost one with the tilt and roll capability of the outside middle row seats. Every seat was full sized, unlike some of the more standard MPVs.

But there's always a little downside to any advantage, and that last meant the rearmost seats couldn't be folded away under the floor to provide extra cargo space. They can be flipped and folded, and there's some decent space then at the expense of three passenger places.

All in all, though, it's a comfortable vehicle. And the sliding doors make it easy to enter and exit in tight parking. It looks good too, because the Dispatch van is a smart one.

It drives with some enthusiasm, thanks to the 125hp version of the diesel engine which is matched to a 6-speed manual (there's also a 160hp option available). The performance is well up to the potential load, and I suspect a full complement would also soften what can be a somewhat lively ride with just one up. A fuel consumption of 6.5L/100kms, or 43mpg, is achievable.

It's a lot of car, and perhaps that is responsible for what the relatively high emissions of 173g/km for a family vehicle. They put it into Band E, and this also has implications for the end cost, in this case nearly €38,000. This included a significant list of €7,480 'extras' which were on the car, including €1,460 for an enhanced ESP/Hill Start package. Some of these you would have expected to be part of the base price, such as the €120 for the rear parcel shelf and baggage cover, and airbags for the passenger, side and curtain protection, along with the individual front seats for €420 ... and that's a funny mix.

There's a shorter version which can carry six, and that might be closer to the needs of the general Irish family.