Last Updated: 21/05/2009
An Urban delight
When we turned up to drive the latest version of Renault’s Kangoo van last year we were surprised to find not one,but two vans on offer. Kangoo had been joined by Kangoo Compact.
Admittedly, as with so many vehicles, the latest Kangoo is larger than the original, which left room below it for a more compact van. In addition Renault will drop the Clio van at the bottom of its UK commercial range to make way
for the Compact.
Unlike French competitors Citroen and Peugeot, who have built two van body lengths on a single wheelbase with Berlingo and Partner, the Kangoo Compact is a much smaller model altogether. It boasts a 3,829mm long body
on a 2,313mm wheelbase, where the full size Kangoo has a 4,213mm body resting on a 2,697mm wheelbase.
Everything in front of the A pillar has been carried over from the bigger van untouched.
This results in the front end of the van looking almost comically large, with
those huge wheelarches making the standard wheels
appear tiny.
Of course the benefit of this approach for the driver is that you get the same spacious, well laid out cab as the larger van. Indeed Renault claims that the Kangoo models have the largest front seat capacity in the business, with plenty of elbow room and adjustment in the seat and
steering for drivers of any size to get comfortable.
The design is very organic, with sweeping curves and smooth lines. There are plenty of storage pockets, but as with the full size Kangoo we would question the positioning of the auxiliary 12V plug below the handbrake, as it makes it almost impossible to use when you have a sat-nav or phone charger plugged in.
Of course by keeping the cabin space the same, all of the loss of length has happened in the load compartment.
Where new Kangoo offers a load volume of 3cu m, Kangoo Compact has 2.3cu m. Payload is likewise restricted, with
the Compact having a maximum of 500kg, compared to a choice of 650kg and 800kg in the full size van.
