Mercedes Benz New Citan Van

The Mercedes-Benz Citan Van is the new small van from the German manufacturer and also their first brand-new light commercial vehicle model since the Vito was added to their range back in 1995.  The Citan received its World Premiere at the 2012 RAI Motor Show in Amsterdam and has been available in the UK since early 2013.

Citan is the result of a design collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Renault. It shares the Renault Kangoo's 1.5 litre turbo-diesel engine, although Mercedes have tuned and tweaked it to their own specifications.   Step inside the spacious cab of the Citan and you will also note that the Kangoo's "aeroplane cockpit"-inspired handbrake is also retained by the tri-star brand.  On the whole, the interior is functional rather than luxurious, but Mercedes make a point of highlighting the robust load-carrying capabilities of this small van.

Three cab-type variants are available in the Citan:  Panel Van, Dualiner (5 seat Crew Van) and Traveliner (5 seat MPV); along with three available wheelbases:  Compact, Long and Extra-Long in the panel van, whilst the Dualiner is available only in Extra-Long and the Traveliner is only available in Long.  Payloads in the panel van models range between 490Kg and 810Kg.

Both diesel and petrol engines are available, but confusingly the models are named identically to previous Vito model names (108 CDI, 109 CDI, 111 CDI and 120).  The 1,461cc, Euro 5 common-rail turbo diesel engines are available in 75, 90 and 110 BHP power outputs with a maximum 240 Nm of torque generated by the 110 BHP version.  The 1.2 litre petrol engine generates 114 BHP and 190 Nm of torque.

For environment-conscious fleet operators, an optional BlueEFFICIENCY package is available, which includes ECO stop/start technology, Intelligent battery & alternator management and Tyres with optimised rolling resistance, to return fuel economy figures of up to 65.7 MPG.  The Citan comes with a 3 year, unlimited mileage warranty and with service intervals of up to 24,000 miles, cost of ownership is a huge selling point for this van.  

Some of the standard features of the Citan include :  Electric Windows & Heated Folding Mirrors, CD-Radio with Aux-In, USB & Bluetooth Hands-Free,   Adaptive ESP, Brake Assist & ABS, Start-off Assist,   Above-windscreen stowage, Driver Airbag and Trip Computer,  75, 90 & 110 BHP (114 BHP Petrol) 5 & 6 speed, claimed max MPG 65.7  

There is also a crew cab/kombi 5 seat version available - known as the Dualiner - with fold-down rear seats.

Mercedes-Benz famously chose MacGyver to market the Citan in a series of TV advertisements, along with the tag line "Every hero needs a strong partner".    

Since its launch there has been some confusion over how the name of the model is pronounced! The correct way to say Citan is "Sit-an" and NOT "Site-an".

You can view the Mercedes-Benz Citan panel van from all angles in the following video on YouTube: