Renault Kangoo twin arrives with petrol, diesel and EV options; will spawn premium T-Class.
The new second-generation Mercedes-Benz Citan, which has been revealed ahead of a market launch in Germany next month, will be the last model from Mercedes-Benz Vans to offer a combustion engine option.
Twinned with the Renault Kangoo and available as either in Panel Van or Tourer MPV guises, the Citan is Mercedes’ smallest van and will soon spawn an upmarket passenger-carrying version called the T-Class, as previewed by a boldly styled concept earlier this year.
The first-generation Citan was not an option for Mercedes-Benz Australia, but the new generation with revised powertrains could be on the radar.
The small van has been substantially redesigned to bring it into line more obviously with Mercedes’ passenger car line-up. The company highlights the vehicle’s “muscular shoulders” and “striking wheel wells” as standout features, but emphasises that ease of use remains the top priority.
The standard version is 4498mm in length, offering a 3050mm-long load bay in the van variant, but short- and extended-wheelbase options will follow, including a Mixto variant with a half-cargo, half-passenger-carrying format.
Two trim levels are available from launch, Base and Pro, with Mercedes promising “comfort and convenience systems familiar from passenger cars”. However, both versions will maintain a utility focus to ensure distance from the more premium-oriented T-Class and electric EQT due next year.
Combustion engine options include a familiar range of petrol and diesel four-cylinder units, ranging in output from 55kW to 96kW, the latter of which we sampled in a pre-production prototype earlier this year.
The all-electric eCitan will be launched in late 2022 with an expected range of 285km and a 10-80 per cent charge time of 40 minutes. Further details of its powertrain have not been confirmed, but it is highly likely to use the same 75kW motor and 44kWh battery as its Renault sibling.
Felix Page