Citroen Berlingo Multispace 2008-2018 reliability

Citroën's utilitarian family holdall is likeable and sophisticated, and a very sensible used buy

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Is the Citroen Berlingo Multispace reliable?

Citroen featured in the most recent WhatCar reliability survey and finished 14th out of 32 car manufacturers, ahead of Fiat and Ford but lower than Honda and Hyundai. An overall reliability rating of 92.3% is strong, however. Based on this, and the fact that even the AA calls it "extremely reliable", mean you should be in good hands if you find one that has been treated well. 

But what about more specific issues? We cover them here:

Engines: All engines thrive on regular oil changes, the early 1.6 HDi in particular. Make sure the correct grade is used: Citroën revised it from around 2010 in an attempt to prevent turbo failures. The later BlueHDi diesels require AdBlue top-ups at the rate of 10 litres per 10,000 miles.

Gearbox: Both EGS6 and ETG6 semi-auto transmissions have a reputation for jerkiness. Reprogramming the gearbox bite point may help, but it’s likely the only long-term cure will be a new clutch. Cost: around £900.

Steering and suspension: Check the tyres for irregular wear or worn shoulders indicating misalignment and that the vehicle is sitting correctly – broken rear springs aren’t uncommon on older Berlingos that have seen hard use.

Tyres, wheels and brakes: Older examples are often run on a shoestring, so check the condition of the brakes and tyres. Past MOT history could make interesting reading, so visit the government’s MOT check website.

Body: Rust is rare, so where it occurs it’s likely to be related to past repairs. Instead, unsightly scuffs and scrapes are common. Make sure the central locking works and that the doors slide easily and close securely. Check the large tailgate for scrapes where it has been opened carelessly and that the struts still support it.

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Proving the versatility of the Berlingo Multispace is the handful of used examples that have been converted into mini-camper vans. The first we found was a 2016-reg 1.6 Blue HDi 100 with 28,000 miles. It had a ‘large’ drop-down bed, table, gas hob, electric hook-up and window blinds, priced at £10,995. The second was another 2016 example but with 50,000 miles. It had a single bed, cupboard, gas hob, gas heater, battery pack, coolbox/centre armrest and heavily tinted glass for campsite privacy, all for £8450.

If you would prefer to have your used Berlingo converted to your spec, there are plenty of companies happy to oblige. We can’t vouch for the standard of their work, but they include Redcote Leisure, GB Camper Conversions, Fantastic Campervans and Simple Campervans. At berlingoforum.com you can find lots of DIY conversion advice.

An owner's view

Rob Downing: “My 2010-reg Berlingo Multispace has been in the family since new, at various times owned by me, my dad, my uncle and my brother. It’s a 1.6 HDi 90 XTR and has done 81,000 miles. It looks its age but has always been regularly serviced. It’s had a new engine mount (it still vibrates when accelerating, so perhaps one of the other mounts needs changing), but that’s the only major work. It has passed all of its MOTs first time, bar one. It averages 50mpg and costs £190 a year to tax, so it’s not expensive to run. It’s in XTR trim so has raised suspension, underbody protection and the Grip Control traction system. It also has removable seats. We can’t think of a more economical, reliable and versatile car for the money."

Steve Cropley

Steve Cropley Autocar
Title: Editor-in-chief

Steve Cropley is the oldest of Autocar’s editorial team, or the most experienced if you want to be polite about it. He joined over 30 years ago, and has driven many cars and interviewed many people in half a century in the business. 

Cropley, who regards himself as the magazine’s “long stop”, has seen many changes since Autocar was a print-only affair, but claims that in such a fast moving environment he has little appetite for looking back. 

He has been surprised and delighted by the generous reception afforded the My Week In Cars podcast he makes with long suffering colleague Matt Prior, and calls it the most enjoyable part of his working week.