Citroën Berlingo Multispace MPV (2008-2018) - Reliability & safety

Traditionally, French manufacturers like Citroen haven't done very well in our Driver Power customer-satisfaction survey, but things are getting better.

Citroen Berlingo reliability

The Berlingo Multispace's underpinnings are those of a van, so they should prove durable, as commercial vehicles are designed to handle heavy use. The simplicity of the Berlingo's mechanicals counts in its favour here, as there's not too much hi-tech kit to go wrong, while its engines are well tried and tested. A 127th-place result (out of 150 cars) in our 2016 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey is hardly inspiring, though.

Safety

The Berlingo was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2014, but only received three stars out of a possible five, mainly due to a 56% score in the adult occupant protection category. This is a lot worse than nearly every other family car on the market, many of which score the maximum five stars. Citroen will sell you lateral and curtain airbags for £320, while £450 gets you autonomous emergency braking. Given the reasonable price of these optional extras it’s a shame they’re not included as standard. If safety is a priority, then there are far better cars than the Berlingo. While it's practical, relatively reliable and reasonably priced, it lacks the refinement and occupant protection many have become used to in family cars.