Test Drive Citroen Berlingo 1996 - 2002 Minivan

Doninvest Orion-M

Autopilot rates cars in five main criteria. The amount of advantages is indicated - b, flaws - Ch. The next subject scored 4 B, 1 C. This is Doninvest Orion-M.
EXTERIOR. In the greatness, this hybrid station wagon and minivan is called Citroen Berlingo. It is difficult to attribute to some class of existing, but agree, there is charm in the appearance of this car. In general, in nature there are three of them: he, Peugeot Partner and Renault Kangoo. In the Russian Ipostasi Berlingo exists in three bodies. Two you see in the photo, and the third, purely working option, is distinguished by the fact that it does not have the side and rear glazing of the cargo zone. In passenger versions, the rear doors can be either separate unpaved, or, like conventional universal, one sash opens up. You can get into the passenger zone through the sliding side door to the right.
Rostov Berlingo can have five body painting options - silver, green, blue, yellow or white. However, in Taganrog it can be painted in any color, but already on request. The machine has a rather high clearance - about 170 mm, and are completed with 14-inch wheels with a rubber size of 175/65 or 175/70. A completely flat bottom and arches of wheels are covered with noise insulating, anti-gravine and anti-corrosion compositions, in the front arches there are plastic shoes. 5 B.
 
 
INTERIOR. Passenger Orions collected in Taganrog have two options for interior decoration. Simply and grace. These versions are called X and Multispace respectively. Materials are very high quality, plastic torpedo and door panels do not give up cheap, all parts are fitted very carefully. Simple, but it is good and practical fabric on the seats, carefully a durable carpet on the floor - all this is a normal interior of the passenger car. Its color in the X is monophonic, and in Multispace on a torpedo and anterior console there is a beautiful finish. In the tone, the dials of the instruments were painted. On the torpedo in different places there are several boxes for smallest things, and in front of the passenger of their three. In general, there are many warehouses around the cabin: there are huge pockets with niches for bottles at the front side doors, there are pockets on the backs of the rear seats, and behind them, in the floor - two rhundum-cache with covers. The nest for the radio has a special the lid, which, being closed, masks the radio tape recorder, which is very relevant in our conditions. The floor of the luggage compartment is covered with an easily washing vinyl rug, the luggage compartment itself is simply huge. In normal condition, its volume is 664 liters, and with a fully folded rear seats reaches almost up to three cubes - 2800 liters. The seat folds in the 1/3: 2/3 ratio. The only thing that, in our opinion, is not thought out, is that the longest part of the seat is from the door side. That is, if you fold it, and leaving a smaller part for the passenger, a person will be very difficult to wade into his place through the cargo. The door is only one side ...
In the version of Multispace on the ceiling there is a spacious shelf above the windshield and a pair of lateral over the rear seat. Where you can put another kilograms of five anyone all. 5 B.
Equipment and ergonomics. The cheapest option x is almost naked. But the price is suitable. There is only vertical steering column adjustment. Multispace is more expensive, and in it, in addition to the mandatory driver's airbags and belts with pyrotechnic pretensioners, there are front power windows, power steering, as well as a sliding curtain for the luggage compartment. A wide selection of accessories - for an additional fee. Seats are soft, just with two adjustments, but very comfortable. The high doorway significantly facilitates the input and output from the machine. Landing is somewhat more vertical than in ordinary machines, but above. Due to this, a large area of \u200b\u200bglazing and solid, almost square side mirrors, a very good visibility is obtained.
The dashboard is simple and understandable, with a traditional for French machines an odd digitometer, and the controls are also without problems. But the traditional French signal button in the end of the steering wheel switch requires some addiction. And even easy irritation, especially at the owner of large-sized shoes, can cause too little distance between the pedals of the brake and gas. 4B, 1 C.
ROAD. Russian Orions are equipped with one type of gasoline engine. There is still a diesel, but it is mainly installed on the working, cargo version. It would be stupid to expect miracles from a 75-strong motor, but he diligently and regularly copes with his duties. Of course, it is possible to purify, overtaking from the start at the intersection not only the slower products of the purely domestic auto industry. True, for this you have to keep the gas pedal almost in the floor. But for a normal daily ride in the city of the engine is quite enough. Modest, but tracked and economical. And gear shifting is very easy and clear, with a convenient course of the lever. The first and second gears are short, but the third allows you to drive from 1500 to 5000 revolutions. Machine is very maneuverable, managed easy, steering with good reverse communication. In the version without a hydraulic power, the steering wheel rotates surprisingly easily, even in the parking lot. By the way, Orion is practically not clarified in turns, for nothing that is so high. The suspension has sufficient energy intensity in order not to notice the traditional flaws of the Russian asphalt. Very chain and informative brakes also deserve all sorts of approval. In other words, the purpose of the car and its running qualities are in full compliance. 4 B, 1 Ch.
Features of national exploitation. All collected under the growth of the car applies a warranty for a period of one year without a mileage limit. The original interservice mileage, stitched on the computer, is 20 thousand km, but in difficult Russian conditions, dealers and servicemen strongly recommend adhere to a 10-thousand interval. The car is not burdensome in the content. Normal, with the replacement of oil, filters and full the diagnosis of the machine on the Citroen branded technical center will cost $ 75. The fuel filter is a separate story, and its replacement is highlighted in a separate operation (you know what gasoline we have) - $ 21. It is recommended to install the protection of the engine compartment. Cheap, about $ 80 with work. If desired, you can order an ABS and the hydraulicel. It will add to the price of another 400 dollars.
Front pads, with replacement work, will cost $ 74, and it will be required not earlier than 20 thousand km. Another 70-80 thousand km - and prepare $ 74 on the replacement of the timing belt with the roller. The front brake discs honestly climb 60-70 thousand km, and the viability of the elements of the front suspension (ball, the tip of the steering, silent blocks, racks) strongly depends on the operating conditions, but is estimated at least 60-80 thousand km. The resource of shock absorbers and clutch, if not destroying their ride on the wells and unnecessary ignition, is at least 100 thousand km. In general, the car is assessed as unpretentious, simple, maintainable and very reliable.
The notorious galvanizing Doninvest does not speculate, honestly recognizing that there is no such thing in the original. High corrosion body resistance is achieved by the quality of preparation and painting. Today, according to Russian roads, Orion-Berlingo has already rolled about 100 thousand km, they turned three times, and there were no complaints to the quality of body processing. 5 B.
Our sentence. For this money, the car is very worthy. Unpretentious, universal, hardworking. And for home, for family, and for business. By the ratio of consumer qualities and prices in their niche deserves the highest assessment. But in general - 4 b, 1 C.
      
Text Andrei Timofeev, photo Alexey Ilyin
      
Cars provided by the company EM, (095) 232-2652, Consultation of the Technician Olivier Citroen Moscow, (095) 232-6812. Insurance is carried out by Ingosstrakh, (095) 956-5555.

Model / Modification Doninvest Orion-M (Citroen Berlingo) x Doninvest Orion-M (Citroen Berlingo) Multispase
 
Gasoline engine with multipoint electronic injection
Front location transversely
Working volume (cube. Cm) 1360
Number / Cylinder Location 4 / Angle
Power (hp at rpm) 75 at 5500
Torque 111 at 3400
TRANSMISSION
Drive front
Gearbox mechanical 5-speed
SUSPENSION
Front Spring Type McPherson, Transverse Stability Stabilizer and Telescopic Shock Absorbers
Rear independent torsion, transverse stability stabilizer and obliquely installed telescopic shock absorbers
STEERING
gear Rake Gear Type with Hydraulor
Torkemose
Front / rear disc ventilated / drum
Sizes / volume / weight
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4108/1719/1802
Mass, equipped / complete (kg) 1125/1780
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km / h) 150
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (sec.) 14.6
Economy
Fuel consumption (l / 100 km):
city / Highway / Mixed Cycle 9.5 / 5.9 / 7.2
The price in Moscow is $ 10.1 thousand $ 11.5 thousand.

 

A source: "Autopilot"