Berlingo XL as a multipurpose vehicle

[Matt....]

Hello

I'm currently looking at changing my car and have considered getting a van - partly for recreation (chuck my bike in the back, or "camp" in it with an inflatable mattress etc) and partly for work (occasionally need to carry long/bulky items but not that often really).  Of course buying a normal van sacrifices seating capacity, and although I'm not often carrying a car-full I think 3 seats would be too restrictive really.

I came across a youtube review of the 7 seater Berlingo and I thought that might be what I'm looking for - something that can function as a normal day-to-day car, carry a load when needed, be a basic camper if I want to stay away somewhere, and as an added bonus carry 6 or 7 people if I needed to, which wouldn't be often but might be useful on occasion.

Really just looking for general observations and thoughts please.  How good are they at each of the above roles?  I suppose also how good are they generally, eg in terms of reliability, economy, cost of ownership?  Is there much to choose between different trim levels/engines etc etc?

One specific query I have is about the two rear seats - how easy are they to remove and re-install?  Quite a faff or fairly straightforward?

Thanks in advance.

[Leonberger]

Hi Matt, and welcome to the forum.
I have the E Berlingo M, and find it incredibly practical. The rear seats fold flat, as does the front passenger seat, and it has great height inside, so there is huge carrying capacity.
The XL would have been an overkill for me, but the extra size would be essential for sleeping.
I would expect the rear seats to be easy to remove and reinstall, though they may be quite heavy. Why not have a look at a new one, and ask to see them removed? Since you don’t often use them you could leave them out, and only put them in when required, though they would take some space to store!
The car is very easy to drive, park, and get into and out of: The sliding doors are a great idea, especially when you are in a parking space.
Mine is only 5 months old, but there have been no teething problems or faults so far.

[dbg400]

Hi Matt

I bought my XL for much the same reasons. It gets used as a van once or twice a week, to carry tools and gear for the bit of woodland we manage and still needs to carry family about for holidays, etc.

We had a Skoda Yeti before this, which had three removable seats. They seemed a little easier than the two third row seats in the XL, but that might be because I got used to taking them out. The Berlingo's third row came out the day it arrived, and went into storage! Maybe a minute or two per seat, to unclip, lift up off the fixings and lug out of the car.

It's cavernous with them removed, and the middle row dropped down flat. 2.1m from tailgate to tge back of the front seats. Photo shows a 1.8m 100x100mm fence post for scale. 

   

[John Bilko]

Hello

I'm currently looking at changing my car and have considered getting a van - partly for recreation (chuck my bike in the back, or "camp" in it with an inflatable mattress etc) and partly for work (occasionally need to carry long/bulky items but not that often really).  

This was precisely part of my thinking when I got mine.  I have had vans before like a C25 and added seats etc. but these Berlingos are the perfect solution without any hassle. 

I want to take my trike (and sometimes both our trikes) out for a "walk" now and then and this seemed to be just the right size to do that while not being too big.  

If it weren't for some of the idiosyncrasies it would have been the perfect vehicle for my needs today. 

These are my trikes - one folds but now that is not so necessary - hers is like my red one.