Renault Kangoo Van Range : THE VAN THAT KANG

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Renault's Kangoo has developed a split personality but are two Kangoos better than one? Steve Walker reports

The Renault Kangoo is now available as a sub-compact city van known as the Kangoo Compact or a full-blown compact van called the Kangoo Van. It might be confusing to some operators but with two models, Renault is confident of being able to give more customers what they want. The Kangoo Compact might be small but it's highly nimble while the larger Kangoo Van handles in a more composed fashion. Both are well-built and pleasantly styled with engines that are better for economy than performance.

Why have one compact van when you can have two? Obviously Renault couldn't come up with an answer to that one and the result is the double-header Kangoo range we have today. Businesses prioritising agility and compactness for urban usage can choose the Kangoo Compact. If your company needs more capacity and comfort, the full-blown Kangoo Van might well be the route to take. The latest Kangoo is indicative of a wider segmentation in the compact van sector. Increasingly, manufacturers are offering either a choice of wheelbases in their small vans or a pair of completely distinct models. The whole Kangoo Van and Kangoo Compact idea basically boils down to a pair of wheelbase options but there are other differences and the overall effect is that Renault have two very different products with which to meet the needs of UK van customers. Prices start from just under £9,000 with a premium of around £700 to graduate from Kangoo Compact to Kangoo Van. The larger Kangoo Van range offers a choice of 650kg or 800kg payload capacities. The Kangoo light commercial range is powered by a selection of 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre dCi common-rail diesel engines. As tends to be the way in UK commercial vehicles, it's the diesels that will account for the majority of sales. The petrol engines are 90 and 105bhp in output with the more powerful being a 16-valve unit. Packing a 148Nm maximum torque rating, even the range-topping petrol unit lacks the muscle of the entry-level diesel which has 70bhp but 160Nm. The 1.5-litre oil-burners are familiar units used across the manufacturer's range of small cars and vans. The Kangoo Compact is only available with the 70bhp and 85bhp diesel versions which impress most from a fuel economy standpoint (plus the smaller petrol unit). The diesels don't move either size of Kangoo with any great zest and can sound harsh when pushed into the upper realms of the rev range. The Kangoo Van also gets a 105bhp version of the same 1.5-litre diesel unit, an engine that feels stronger and is the unit to choose if big mileages are on your agenda.

"Why have one compact van when you can have two?"

The Kangoo's underpinnings are borrowed from Renault's Scenic passenger car and these origins are felt out on the road. The ride is more compliant and forgiving over the worst surface imperfections than we've come to expect in a compact van but the flipside is that body-control is a little wayward when you press the vehicle into corners. The longer wheelbase of the standard Kangoo Van helps it provide a more composed ride and handling package than the Compact which bounces around far more. The smaller model, however, has a wonderfully tight turning circle of just 9.7m which makes it superb in congested urban settings. As a reference point, the Renault Twingo city car has a 9.85m turning circle. Both Kangoos have great forward visibility courtesy of the extensive windscreen and truncated bonnet, while the well-weighted steering and positive gearchange also impress. Capacity will be the crux of many Kangoo buying decisions, the Compact model being significantly smaller than the standard Kangoo Van. The wheelbases of the two are 2,313mm and 2,697mm, the standard load volumes are 2.3m3 and 3m3 and the maximum payloads are 500kg and either 650 or 800kg. You get the general idea. Renault has aimed to bring elements of its Scenic MPV to the interior, creating what it likes to refer to as a `mobile office' concept. There's certainly a good quota of storage options provided in both models with large door pockets, an A4-sized compartment in the dashboard complete with pen holders and a 13-litre overhead shelf. The basic dashboard design is lifted wholesale from the Scenic MPV with its two-tone finish and dash-mounted gearlever. By the standards of the compact van market, quality of fit and finish is impressive. There's also an upright driving position that facilitates easy entries and exits. An enormous amount of headroom is present in the front of the Kangoo, enough so that all kinds of elaborate headgear could be accommodated should the occasion arise. The space for driver and passenger is more than adequate in other dimensions too, with only the passenger legroom (restricted by the sloping floor) giving cause for concern. The size of the Kangoo Compact's load bay might lead you to suspect otherwise but both models can actually squeeze in a standard Europallet. The main point of access to the cargo in both vehicles is the asymmetrically-split rear doors. These open to a 90 degree angle but releasing a catch inside allows them to swing out to 180 degrees. The sliding side door is offered on the Kangoo Van and this opens to reveal a 635mm aperture with a tug on the reassuringly chunky handle. There are various bulkhead options including a mesh grill that swings open to increase the payload capacity and a full steel bulkhead. A ladder flap is also available so long items can be poked out through the roof at the rear of the van. The Kangoo has been designed to minimise operating costs in all its forms. As well as the economical engines and the long service intervals, the wings are made of a composite material so they're cheaper to repair. Various small design modifications have also been made to cut labour time needed in the repair process. Safety equipment includes an advanced ABS system with brake assist and MSR torque overrun regulation, a diver's airbag and pretensioner seatbelts. ASR traction control and ESC stability control are available as options on the larger model. The Compact model is the more interesting of the two products in terms of its market positioning. It goes head to head with the diminutive CitroÃ«n Nemo and Peugeot Bipper models and together, these sub-compact vans could well put the squeeze on the car-derived van sector below. They're certainly more practical than the crop of hollowed-out superminis that are currently offered to operators needing to carry small loads around town. The larger model meanwhile fights it out with the established big guns in the compact van sector. Ford's Transit Connect, Volkswagen's Caddy and CitroÃ«n's Berlingo will all be targets. With these two models working in tandem, Renault hopes to have covered all the small van bases, although it's the standard Kangoo Van that will be the big seller, with the marque predicting a 90 per cent to 10 per cent sales split in its favour. Neither model is particularly sharp or involving from a driver's perspective with too much body roll making itself felt especially in the smaller model. The engines lack power too, with the exception of the Kangoo Van's range-topping diesel. Otherwise, it's easy to be seduced by the excellent economy, the general ride comfort and the solidly-built interior. This Renault appears to have the core attributes that small van buyers want and both derivatives have something valuable to offer.

Facts At A Glance MANUFACTURER: Renault MODEL: Kangoo BHP: 70bhp - 105bhp PAY
LOAD CAPACITY: 500kg - 800kg LOAD VOLUME: 2.3m3 - 3m3 GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT: 1,715kg - 1,962kg LENGTH: 3,829mm - 4,213mm WIDTH: 1,829mm HEIGHT: 1,783mm - 1,805 May 19th 2008