Mercedes-Benz has launched its Citan Van in Ireland at at starting price of €23,245 plus VAT, writes Brian Byrne. The vehicle’s arrival brings the company’s commercials offering into the 1-tonne segment, alongside their Vito medium van and the Sprinter large van.
This is the second generation Citan, the van developed in partnership with Renault and its Kangoo. Mercedes-Benz Ireland didn’t bring in the first generation due to pricing issues, but commercial vehicles sales manager Fergus Conheady (below) says 'market conditions' around the segment have changed and there is a space for a premium product such as the Citan. Citan and Kangoo were joint winners of the International Van of the Year 2022 award.
In body detail and cabin there’s a strong Mercedes-Benz feel to the Citan, the grille and logo reflecting the familiarity of those on the larger vans. Inside, the dashboard, instrumentation and seating are all designed and made by Mercedes-Benz, and a version of the MBUX infotainment system used across the brand’s passenger cars range.
A standard length version is available at launch, and a LWB variant is coming later in the year, at an expected extra price of around €2,000. There are two grades, PRO and PRO+, the latter primarily with external upgrades in wheels and trim.
Power is from a 1.5 diesel available in two outputs, 95hp and 116hp. Six-speed manual and 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmissions are available. A fully electric version is due towards the end of the year. Standard safety systems include six airbags, and fatigue warning system, and a range of other driver assists are available as options.
The capacity of the Citan in standard wheelbase is 2.9 m3, and the vehicle is available with either one or two sliding side doors.
In advance of a full review, I had the opportunity this week to drive a range of the vans over a good long motorway, side roads and mountain route. With both loaded and unloaded vehicles, they proved to be a solid and comfortable drive, agile in the difficult sections, and well able to pull up some steep and twisty roads. While most 1-tonne vans ‘live’ in urban areas, they also do duty in the countryside and the test route was excellent to show Citan’s ability in rural Ireland.
A more in-depth appraisal coming in due course.
