CITROEN Berlingo 1996-2002 Photos, engines & full specs

Citroen was one of the most important light utility vehicles on the French market and the 1947 H Van, which was a great success for the double-chevron company.

While the U.S. used the pickups as work or family cars, the Europeans chose the LCV's based on car platforms, such as the Berlingo. These were the MPVs suitable for everyone's needs. They were good as grocery getters, school runs, and leisure vehicles thanks to their flat platform behind the front seats, which was also used as a sleeping area.

The Berlingo shared most of its body panels with the Peugeot Partner. Its family-cars inspired its narrow headlights and grille. Citroen offered a standard rear side sliding door on the passenger's side and offered an option for a second one on the driver's side. In the back, the wide and tall tailgate ensured an easy-to-load cargo area, which could have been loaded with a forklift.

Inside, the big windows offered a fish-tank experience and excellent visibility for the driver with very little blind-spots. The tall seats and wide cabin offered room for five adult-sized passengers. With its removable or just folding second-row of seats, the Berlingo offered a huge interior space for cargo. At the front, the carmaker installed a car-like dashboard with a flow-like instrument cluster.

Under the hood, Citroen offered a choice of six engines, depending on the market. The most desired option was the five-speed manual 2.0-liter turbo-diesel unit, which provided the best fuel-efficiency.