I once drove a rented Picasso from S Wales to Scotland in heavy snow. There were cars upsidedown off the road in the Highlands, but the Citroen was untroubled and serene. I ate my lunch in Fort William using the tables on the back of the front seats. Good memories.
I remember secretly fancying a Berlingo, even though I have no family and very rarely need to carry passengers. It is the Swiss Army penknife of cars, purely and unashamedly functional. That is the appeal. A load lugger, a family car, a doggy mobile, a friend to campers, and yet something that is okay for city driving and motorways. I suspect it would be good for some light off roading with the right tyres as well. Not many cars cover as many bases.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
We did exactly this comparison back in the mid to late 2000's for us and three children. Easy win for the Picasso. Just much more flexibility, better trim quality, comfort and refinement and the list prices were irrelevant as Picasso in particular was heavily discounted. Had our Picasso for several years and it transported all five of us and all the detritus of a young family all over the country brilliantly. As mentioned before it even moved a large two seater settee for us after simply unclipping the rear seats. Brilliant.
I was in exactly this position when I bought my first Berlingo back in 2004. I was lucky enough to be able to afford brand new and looked at the Berlingo and Picasso side by side in the dealer showroom. I went for the Berlingo purely because of the amount of available luggage space compared to the Picasso. The big van mirrors were also a big plus in my decision as well. I went for the Desire model in Meditteranean blue which had the modutop, modubox and air con included in the spec. Two hours after driving it from the showroom it was packed to the roof with stuff going to our new house! I put about 160,00 miles on it in 4 years as I was living in Worcestershire and working in Northamptonshire at the time. Unfortunately it got written off in an accident so now I'm on my second Berlingo, a forte model that I have owned for the last 15 years and counting.
@@SuperFIFTHGEAR Hello, I bought my current Berlingo used at 3 years old and the dealer put its first MOT on for me. It had around 46,000 miles on it if I remember correctly and I have taken it up to its current 120,000 miles. Its purchase coincided with a change of job to working local to where I live. I'm retired now so pretty much all local mileage with a few longer runs for holidays and family visits.
Had two Picasso's loved them both. If you look after them they will look after you. Supremely comfortable and I found them reliable too. Those people who scoff at them have never driven or owned them. Would deffo have another 👍
I like how the passage of time has made the Xsara Picasso such a pleasingly simple design. There are some components inside the car that also feature in the 206 (like the heater controls). The Picasso has its fans, but there are not that many examples left now sadly.
20 years ago I would have bought neither one, at that time I thought they were horrible. Yet with the passing of time they have both grown on me to the point that now I'd have either in a heartbeat. I'm with you though, the Berlingo takes the win for me, far more practical, sliding doors and a better, more upright driving position (age thing lol).
How refreshing to see a comparison of cars that is based on practicality. Your average motoring journalist sees so many cars that they're mostly talking about the car as a piece of sculpture and an object of prestige. If they go beyond that, it's probably about the limit of adhesion on a track. Which amounts to 5/8 of buggerall of what we use cars for.
Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus
Picasso wins for me. Safer, more economical, easier to fix and source parts. New value is irrelevant as both are now 20 years old and pound for pound in today's market Picasso can be found for less cash. Picasso also has the little plastic clip on the front window for your parking tickets.
I have fond memories of the Citroën Xsara Picasso which we got when we had children. It was a fantastic car, with a roomy cabin and an incredible amount of legroom for back seat passengers. It was a fantastic car to have with 3 children, comfortable on long journeys with a great boot space, big enough to fit 2 child size bicycles. And the underfloor storage was great too!
Ran both of them as taxis in the naughties. The Picasso would be my pick every time. It was bigger more comfortable and more economical as well. As a side note I had a few customers complain of travel sickness in the Berlingo stating it was the ride that them feel sick.
I just picked up a 2006 diesel berlingo from a workmate who was havng problems with the clutch plastic cable clip breaking,I replaced the clutch,timing belt,water pump,glow plugs and relay and I now have a seriously impressive vehicle and after all these years later still pulls really well,my first oil burner also,plenty of these around where I live in France 1 hour south of Toulouse.
When my daughter was born I upgraded from a 2007 C4 to a 2011 C4 Picasso. It was a fantastic car as it had loads of load space. Loved the fact you could increase the boot by a foot by moving all the rear seats forward. As she was in her baby seat no legroom was needed.
It will be harder than you think to check out. There is only 1 petrol one left and thats on sorn ☹️. I think they died at the hands of many children and that rotting sticky plastic everything was covered in ☹️.
A vote for the Berlingo from me. Carly's comment that they are still being built (in more or less the same format, though with improved safety and comfort) says it all. All four variants have been great and very desirable. Well done Citroen! Plus they have started building petrol and diesel models again. 😊
Fun video as always, thanks guys. Berlingo fo me. Reminds me a bit of my first car, VW Polo breadvan. When I see berlingo on the road I always imagine someone starting up their first business with it and it makes me smile.
I recognise those Picasso back seats! They are identical to the ones in my B9 Peugeot Partner so the parts bin gave them another lease of life after the Xsara Picasso
I have 2007 Picasso vtx 1.6 hdi,and its fabulous car,its a comfy driver with all electrics and cruise control,its sometimes a van,sometimes a mini camper,love it
Common ancestor to both and many many more is the long forgotten Citroen ZX, clue is in the passive rear wheel steering. Apparently sales of all derivatives is North of 18 million, so heading into model T territory.
A really enjoyable video and a nice sum up of two of Citroens most popular cars of the early 2000s. Interesting that Citroen have often had overlaps into similar car categories within their range at the same time. I'd like to see you review the other Citroens of the time. I have a mk1 C3, which are quickly disappearing, and they really deserve some merit for how quirky, usable and comfortable they are.
It was LX and SX originally. My Dad's first was an LX and the main difference was a lack of air-con. He later had a Desire. The arm rest broke on the first one, the second one the alternator packed in. Other than that no problems.
I like both..... My picasso at 220k.....still going strong (1.6 diesel hdi. Cost £100...7 years ago).... The 2 ltre berlingo. Had very good engine..... Now looking for 1.6 add blue berlingo, partner....... Good motors.
We brought our Xsara Picasso second hand. What a wonderful car I am sorry but it is the Picasso for me all day long .Sadly the Berlingo's style looks out of the mid 90's in my opinion. I am disabled and the Picasso has such a lovely ride. We only paid 550 pounds for it, we have had it for 5 years and it has passed all its Mot's until this year when it need a little work to pass I think that is amazing for 20 year old car. We are so lucky to have such a lovely mechanic shop that looks after us.
Back in 2008 on moving to Spain, I originally wanted a Zafira but when i looked the back of the rear seat was in one piece so one could not use it for mixed passenger and load. I thought about the Kangoo - but it was so small - I went for the Citroën Berlingo. Fifteen years later we still have a Berlingo - other than the Volvo 760 estate, it is the best car I have ever had.
i love my berlingo iv had my motorbike in it with 3 adults, undercounter fridge and freezer with all 5 seats in use, and with the seats folded up you can fit a full pallet in the boot. also regularly have a mobility scooter in boot sideways with full family in car :)
For me it'll be the Berlingo, I prefer the looks of the Berlingo to the Picasso, and the more "conventional" interior layout (dials in front of the steering wheel for example). And being a proper van, its more practical boot space wise, which is better for road trips, camping, shopping, etc. And the sliding doors have its bonuses in the car park needing minimum space to exit the vehicle as opposed to the wide opening doors in the Picasso. Also, Jeremy Clarkson tested one back when revamped Top Gear started which was very similar, just a different shade of green and the modutop, was even a Forte (which another bonus point because a certain fleet member's base version was also called the Forte) and this car reminds me of that episode.
Had a Picasso for a coupe of years now and it never fails to impress me. Cheap to buy (well it was in 2021), and the 2.0 petrol goes like the clappers. Comfortable in a 1990s French sort of way, mine's been very reliable and the amount of stuff you can cram in them is just insane. I love sitting in the back eating lunch on the picnic table, whilst reading a magazine! The two most irritating things are a poor turning circle and they're very susceptible to side winds on the motorway.
I'd take the Picasso in a heartbeat. For me it's the best car in its class sold in the UK to date (and I'm a Renault man) An uncle had a 1.6 petrol on family and towing duties for over ten years and it never let him down once. Superb car
A difficult choice. My FiL had a Picasso and loved it. But Bella has an airier feel to her with all that space. Be interested to hear the Hublets thoughts on the two cars.
I always remember the Berlingo as a Van , never saw the MPV version . as for the Xsara, I had the original version when it was a regular car , it was pretty good too and definitely one for Hubnut to look out for a testdrive of, I`ve not seen one in ages ..
A feature of a quality channel is when I want to click the like button within the first view minutes (like this video) - Hubnut nails that pretty much every time!
I’ve owned a Berlingo & it’s Peugeot twin. I will never believe they’re anything but one of the greatest cars ever built. They do everything anyone could ever need in one vehicle, utterly classless and are the successor to the 2cv/Renault 4 in France. Sure they’re not fast, nor supremely comfortable but I’d have another in a heartbeat. In fact I keep searching for a good cheap one as when I find one I’ll probably make it a keeper and buy a less practical fun car too
Berlingo gets my vote. I had a Zafira when my two children were little and growing up. If I had known how practical the Berlingo was at the time, I would definitely have bought one instead of the Vauxhall especially at holiday time, even at the expense of a two seat loss which incidentally, I used about once per year. My Berlingo is very useful now as my children are in their 20's and in rented accommodation, so tend to move around. In van mode the load capacity is brilliant and has saved us a fortune in van hire.👍
Was LX, SX and Exclusive up until 03 and then Desire and Exclusive and then VTX was introduced a little later on. Best spec is 03 onwards Exclusive with cruise, auto wipers and lights but original Exclusive glass roof then became an option.
Really like this, I guess for many the Picasso is a car and Berlingo is post man Pats van with windows, from this it’s not. The details about each, pro’s and the cons, with opinions from using both were great
Here in Australia, we missed out on both of these - we had the standard Xsara and the "van only" Berlingo - the Citroen MPV offering was the C4 Picasso (I think it was called the Grand Picasso overseas), which I loved (& related to the Peugeot 5008, also with the same 7 seats)! The next generation saw the introduction of the newer C4 Picasso and the C4 "Grand Picasso", which was the 7 seat version, and the "regular" C4 Picasso was just the five seats.
I’ve driven both extensively while working at the makers. We still own a Berlingo. We wouldn’t if it was a Picasso. The Picasso was developed on a shoestring budget and feels it every bit. Calvet apparently accepted it only on condition that it would be cheap to make. It had a very enthusiastic team behind it who made do with what they got and certainly did a good job. But it’s disheartening when you think of what it could have been, remembering that the concept car that anticipated it was the gorgeous Xanae, tuned down to a “Berlingo Bulle” to smother expectations. Given that the midrange MPV segment was so strong around 2000, a better effort closer to the Xanae wouldn’t have gone amiss. The Berlingo delivers everything its outward appearance promises, and then some. The Picasso strangely falls short of what the look announces. The 500,000 miles one has held up well, but that’s considering the starting point wasn’t great.
Having driven both and just come back from France driving a french registered Peugeot derivative with 300,000kms (owned by a friend) on the clock, I'm quite fond of them. Always find the Picasso looks like an awkward potato whereas the first iteration of the Berlingo is a wonderfully simple yet pleasing design.
I have another contender from the PSA stable. A Peugeot 307 SW. It has the same rear seat arrangement as the Picasso plus the option of a third row making it a full seven seater. Its a much more dynamic drive than our Picasso, just as good on fuel but doesn't have quite as much personality!
Personally, i feel that, if you need a slighty more comfortable People mover, with variable seating, get the Xsara Picasso. If you want a more car-like driving experience, along with a very practical boot and enough headroom to fit in Shaq o Nielle, get yourself a Berlingo! We had a berlingo in our family, 282t kilometers, 1.6 16V! was a very trusty workhorse, but i really never liked the backseat as a kid / teen!
My wife used to drive a land rover discovery 200tdi for the dogs cage to go in the boot When she wanted a newer car she bought a Berlingo multispace desire and the dog cage went straight in the boot, still had room for the trolley to go in/come out at the side of it and there was 5 or 6 inches of room between the rear of the dog cage and the inside of the tailgate. So roomy you could swing a cat in the rear with the seats down. She loved it.
Love both! - But the Renault Scenic II had a much better design for the removable backseats, with a handle molded into the rear of the plastic seat frame to get a good, steady grip when you lift them out. Anyway - cars like these make me happy!
For me Picasso all the way. If cargo was a major concern off course the Berlingo would fight it's case with slightly more chances. But for family ride, holidays, even cargo at a family level. The Picasso is absolutely amazing. I used to carry 2.4m long pieces of wood for my home projects. My mountain bike fully assembled INSIDE the car! etc. How many 4.30m short cars can claim such?! ;-) Yeah, I thought so. 😂 😂 The Picasso is an absolutely remarkable design. I had the 1.6HDI 2004. One of the first! Full leather interior and full specs. Loved it. Amazing car. And much later, just a few years ago in fact . I've got a well used 1.6 petrol. With lower specs, but still very functional. The modularity of those seats is absolutely amazing! On the higher spec version they all move back and forth, seat back can be individually adjusted, removed, folded... 🙂 One of the few cars for which I bough more than one exemplar. I've also made a camper transformation for the Picasso. Work flawlessly. Traveled from Portugal to Spain, France, Italy... Outstanding on the road with a nice cruise control. cup holders all over the place. And even better, each door can carry one 1.5 water bottle. And two more in the A/C cooled glove box. Plus several 0.5l/can holders, etc. No one in the family will be thirsty for sure. Amazing on longer travels. Adding to the package on the 1.6HDI the consumption is absolutely amazing! To this day I still have, in another country, a Fiat Doblo Malibu! The equivalent to the Berlingo, with 5 seater. So, I'm not totally strange to the concept of the Berlingo. In fact twice I almost bought one. 🙂But the reality persist the Berlingo is a work van with 3 additional seats But for general purpose the Picasso it's still one of the most brilliant designs I ever came upon. Specially considering it's a cheap car!
Nice video. As far as I know the Berlingo was partially based on the ZX/306 platform and although the Picasso was called Xsara it was wider than the other Xsara's. And so wider than the Berlingo. I know because I had both in the back of my garage where there is a narrow bit half way that was noticeably tighter in the Picasso. I have way more experience in Berlingo's than in Picasso's but I found the Berlingo seat uncomfortable during long trips.
We had two Xsara Picasso facelift Desire models, one 1.6i and a2.0hdi. They had very similar performance but the diesel car was streets ahead for fuel economy. We then had a C4 Picasso VTR+, and now a C4 Picasso Touch edition. Without question, the Xsara was the best of them for multipurpose use, the newer cars being a bit too 'trimmy' and you cannot take the rear seats out of the C4's. The 17 plate car we now have is averaging over 54mpg, better than the earlier 6 speed one, and better than the 49ish that the 2.0 managed. I think the petrol one only did about 42mpg. A friend had one of the very first Multispace's from new and it was clearly a very practical vehicle, but my needs at the time were for a pure van and so I bought a 2006 C15. It is sad that Citroen don't make the Picasso any more, the vileness that is the SUV seems to have taken over, unless a Multispace fits the bill, but how long before 'fashion' dictates the demise of that most excellent machine?
I got to know diesel Berlingo vans well when I worked for a utility company a dozen years back - solid, robust, reliable, economical, sluggish but practical. Some days I'd be doing 250 miles in all weathers round Scotland, over all road conditions from farmtracks to motorways - tens of thousands of miles each year. It was a pleasant surprise on holiday in Malta at the time to be picked up at the airport and taken to my accomodation in a comparatively luxurious Multispace model. Absolutely ideal as a luxury airport taxi! I also travelled as a passenger a bit in the Picasso model shown here - it was used by a London couple who organised a busy dive club with weekend and longer trips all over the UK - often filled with scuba cylinders and dive gear in its cavernous interior. Comfortable and practical too. Of the two, though, I preferred the Berlingo Multispace.
A taxi driver freind used a Picasso for several years. He really liked it. I think I would have the Picasso over the Berlingo. A bit too van-like for me.
An interesting comparison and a nice video. I have no personal experience with these cars, but we have a later Picasso in the form of a 2017 C4 Picasso II with the BlueHDi 120 engine. We've had the car since new and as a family car with 2 adult children it has worked really well on holidays etc. We love the big windows and low shoulder line. The interior seems both open and airy. However, I can see that for a family with younger children (eg with a pram) a Berlingo will clearly be a more practical car. On the other hand, there is also the C4 Grand Picasso II for this purpose, but then again this is a significantly more expensive car.
Both very practical cars in their own right, I'm a fan of the like a van but not a van model for the practicality without the lower speed limit, commercial insurance and being able to go to the tip without being called a business factors. However I think I might lean towards a Peugeot 406 estate
I have mk2 xsara picasso. You can easily add more 12v sockets in the picasso. Where existing front socket is - a bit closer to driver is a blanking plate for the left hand drive 12v socket. on the right hand drive version it’s on the left then opposite for left hand drive. You can add more sockets in the back of car, next to existing socket and similar place drivers side ( you have to cut circular hole) and wire them to the battery with inline fuse holders. The battery under passenger seat keeps warmer in winter, for cold start purposes. The sills tend to rust on these cars, and fail mot. But my picasso is my all time favourite car.
By 2002 the Picasso was available as an Exclusive model with panoramic roof. Mine also had built in sat nav, not sure if that was standard. We bought it because you could fit 3 child seats in the back with the proper 3 point seatbelts. I would say the Picasso would be far better in a crash. A few years later when we had more kids we discovered the real winner………we had a Citroen C8!
I recently needed to buy a car to help with moving house. Van hire being silly prices. Having owned a 52 picasso and driving the van versions of Berlingo, I ultimately went picasso, albeit a 2013 version. It does everything I want well, is economical and, as I'm getting older, is more comfortable and quiet. To be honest, I think Citroen improved the ride! I know and love my cars, so maybe not your stereotypical picasso owner but as long as it's cared for, it'll last a good while yet.
I think I'd pick the Berlingo. It makes great use of a small footprint and has a utilitarian charm. You've basically got family transport but ability to do van like jobs
Great comparison. It's a tough call on which is best, because both have a lot to offer for someone looking for cheap practical transport. So, I'm going to give a politician style answer, and completely fail to make a decision. Shop around, get the best one you can afford whichever model it is. There is a good lesson here about condition being more important than mileage.
My daily driver is a 2016 Fiat Doblo (T-Jet + LPG) I bought new. I considered getting a "real" MPV, but I don't need the rear seats and the practicality of a van in combination with the much lower price made the deal. My Doblo is a van (cheaper in taxes here in Belgium) that looks like the MPV-version: sliding doors on both sides, windows all around, and... I specifically wanted the huge (even bigger than that of Bella) tailgate instead of the rear doors: loading/unloading while raining cats and dogs is no problem, it's an awning when camping, and I personally think it looks a lot better. The folding middle seat of the Picasso and several other MPVs is nice, but it really doesn't matter for practicality I think: with a 2+1 rear seat you can still have 1, 2 or 3 seats down/out, you just can't choose where the rear passenger(s) sit when having 1 or 2 seats down/out.
Had both cars. Two Berlingos and one Picasso. Both very versatile but the height at the back is now an issue for me as I have a Lurcher who prefers to stand all the way from Essex to North Wales. No rattles !
Picasso is a vastly under-rated car with a nice interesting but still practical design. I had a 2.0HDI Exclusive (with fully glazed roof!) from new back in 2002. Now driving a current model Berlingo, so from a different era. Berlingo def more versatile, Picasso more car-like. Personally I need the size of a van (with windows).
Having done 130,000 in a 2002 2.0 SX, I’m a bit biased. Had 3 breakdowns n mine 1. Seized turbo ( my fault - driving too slowly to save fuel) £1000 bill 2. Snapped plastic gear change linkage, stuck in first 3. Turbo pipe popped off on the way to the south of Span, 4 up with luggage and dog towing a trailer with 2 Honda CX500s on. Zero cost roadside fix. A truly great car - pad £6000 at two years old, poor depreciation
@@davefrench3608 Ok. But that cant be caused by "driving slowly" per se, its something else thats indirectly caused it. Faulty egr or injection cycle. Or faulty oil temp because of short trips or broken thermostat would be my guesses. I have run taxi-ish companys and our cars trundle around at very low throttle mostly, no issues for 300k miles on any brand, all original turbo. Cheers mate.
Out of the 2 i would choose the Berlingo, both at new and second hand. I have a Renault Kangoo 1.2 on an 09. Its a WAV its great and very much like the Berlingo. I do have my eye on a newer Berlingo though.
My wife bought a Picasso new in 2002, I liked the Berlingo at the time but she just wouldn't consider anything that looked van like. Three years later I had a Berlingo van at work which impressed me except that, being a later model, it had the lowered engine with poor ground clearance. I did not like the way the Picasso's thick A pillars obscured the view nor the way anything placed in the dashboard trays reflected in the shallow sloping window. I now have a 2007 C4 Grand Picasso which has lids to the dashboard trays eliminating the reflection problem and thinner pillars.
'It doesn't really do much more for the extra four grand.', says Ian, looking at a car which has been driven for over 500,000 miles whilst still being in good condition. 😉🙄 Thanks both. 🙂👍
The interesting thing is that the Xsara Picasso would've been the much more 'fashionable' choice when new, with a lot of the extra expense accounting for that. These days, there seems to be a bit of a role reversal, with people coming to appreciate the ultilitarian charm of the Berlingo (with values rising accordingly) while the Picasso is now derided for being a very 'of it's time' concept, along with the Scenic, Zafira and other mini-MPVs. Though, you're probably correct in saying that classism has played a part in that. £1000 will still get you a lot of Picasso on the used car market nowadays. I'm not sure the same could be said of a Berlingo. So, going pure Bangernomics, I'd say the Picasso is the better used buy.
If you want the best of borh vehicles, try a Synergy/806/Ulysse. I had a Ulysse for 9 years and it was practical, comfortable and reliable. I bought the one with a Fiat badge because it was a lot cheaper (second hand), due to the badge and I was able to buy the top spec for less than a basic spec Peugeot 806 version. There were never many secondhand Synergies in my area.
Electrical faults caused mainly by wiring issues are common on all PSA vehicles. These faults can in a few cases be easily rectified, but in others mean economical repair is not possible. Taxi driving forums, give a good idea of what long term ownership of HDI powered MPVs can mean. There is a TH-camr who lives in his Berlingo van, which has now been broken down for a month, with electrical issues, who unfortunately cannot even find anyone able to take a look at it even, let alone fix it.
@@HubNut Would agree completely! CANBUS wiring seems to have a very finite life, and wiring issues, lead to component failure. The component gets replaced, and might be ok for a while, but there is a very good chance it will fail again. HDI are very good when running ok, but as they get older, electrical problems become more and more common.
@@HubNut Guy I know bought a low mileage used Merc, from a main dealer. It had all sorts of weird intermittent electrical faults. Went back to the dealer several times, still the same. On the advice of a factory tech from Germany, they ended up changing a substantial part of the main loom, which was known to have issues. That sorted the problems.
Could be worse. Renault electrics of the same era were just as bad especially when they decided to fit keyless entry on their cars (they decided to go on strike over time).
Of the two, I'd take the Berlingo definitely. It's a wash for practicality, but should have a performance advantage, with its lighter weight & lower scuttle height. I would throw a ZX or Xsara estate in as an alternative choice though (given the Xantia/C5 cost difference).
Just to confuse things even more, a few years later they added the C3 Picasso! I own a Xsara Picasso and love it. Would like to try a Berlingo, but trying to find a nice, cheaper one now is difficult. Actually, how about a four way showdown from 2009. The C3 Pic, Xsara Pic, C4 Pic and Berlingo. All available in 2009/10 and 1.6hdi forms. I have a 1.6hdi Xsara Pic, if you'd like to borrow it? 2008 sadly, but the offer is there. Excellent video as always.
I had A Xsara Picasso for 10 years. Same engine 2.0 HDI. It was brilliant sometimes and other times really annoying. Quite often I would remove the rear seats and use it as a van. I got a 2 seater sofa to the council recycling centre with my Picasso, so then I tried the 3 seater sofa and it went in too. Had to bungee the boot down though. Fuel consumption was amazingly good. Was very gutless though. Couldn't even get out of its own way. Still had the little folding trolley when I scrapped it. You are correct about the A pillar blind spot. Mine had digital climate control which was annoying. Basic A/C was much simpler and better to use. Under floor storage bins were very useful too. You are lucky to still be able to use older diesel cars. Here in London our dictator has banned them because ULEZ. They pollute too much but if you pay him £12.50 they are just fine.
I have had 2 Picasso's, and currently still have a Peugeot Partner. The 2.0 Diesel is a nice engine. Has loads of torque, but not revvy. Averaged 50mpg with a 3 mile commute daily, and a couple of shopping trips a month. The 1.6 HDi is revvy, but less torque. I prefer the 2.0 diesel over the 1.6. diesel The older Picasso I owned was a poverty spec 1.6 petrol. It averaged 47mpg on a trip to Cornwall which pissed off my friend who in her car, same trip, same day, travelling in convoy, got 43mpg in her Prius. In the older Picasso, I managed to get an Aquaoak 360 aquarium, with stand and lid. It is more spacious than it looks. The Picasso has a better driving position. That being said, the Partner is only the second car I have ever owned. (Other one being a 1996 Vitara JLX LWB) where the seat had to come forward from the furthest back position for me to drive. (I am 6'3" and usually have to move the drivers seat all the way back in everything I drive.) The a pillar blind spots on the Picasso I do not like. The huge amounts of headroom in the Partner I do not like. Both cars are very good, and in my opinion, they are very similar in what they do. But my choice would be the 2.0 diesel Picasso.
I once drove a rented Picasso from S Wales to Scotland in heavy snow. There were cars upsidedown off the road in the Highlands, but the Citroen was untroubled and serene. I ate my lunch in Fort William using the tables on the back of the front seats. Good memories.
I remember secretly fancying a Berlingo, even though I have no family and very rarely need to carry passengers. It is the Swiss Army penknife of cars, purely and unashamedly functional. That is the appeal. A load lugger, a family car, a doggy mobile, a friend to campers, and yet something that is okay for city driving and motorways. I suspect it would be good for some light off roading with the right tyres as well. Not many cars cover as many bases.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Come to Jesus Christ today
Jesus Christ is only way to heaven
Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void
Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today
Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Mark 1.15
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Jesus
We did exactly this comparison back in the mid to late 2000's for us and three children. Easy win for the Picasso. Just much more flexibility, better trim quality, comfort and refinement and the list prices were irrelevant as Picasso in particular was heavily discounted. Had our Picasso for several years and it transported all five of us and all the detritus of a young family all over the country brilliantly. As mentioned before it even moved a large two seater settee for us after simply unclipping the rear seats. Brilliant.
Also the fact that the backwindows can be lowered (which can’t be done in the berlingo), makes it the better car with kids on holiday I guess 😊
I was in exactly this position when I bought my first Berlingo back in 2004. I was lucky enough to be able to afford brand new and looked at the Berlingo and Picasso side by side in the dealer showroom. I went for the Berlingo purely because of the amount of available luggage space compared to the Picasso. The big van mirrors were also a big plus in my decision as well. I went for the Desire model in Meditteranean blue which had the modutop, modubox and air con included in the spec. Two hours after driving it from the showroom it was packed to the roof with stuff going to our new house! I put about 160,00 miles on it in 4 years as I was living in Worcestershire and working in Northamptonshire at the time. Unfortunately it got written off in an accident so now I'm on my second Berlingo, a forte model that I have owned for the last 15 years and counting.
What's the mileage on your current Berlingo? Does it get used as much as your first?
@@SuperFIFTHGEAR
Hello, I bought my current Berlingo used at 3 years old and the dealer put its first MOT on for me. It had around 46,000 miles on it if I remember correctly and I have taken it up to its current 120,000 miles. Its purchase coincided with a change of job to working local to where I live. I'm retired now so pretty much all local mileage with a few longer runs for holidays and family visits.
Had two Picasso's loved them both. If you look after them they will look after you. Supremely comfortable and I found them reliable too. Those people who scoff at them have never driven or owned them. Would deffo have another 👍
I like how the passage of time has made the Xsara Picasso such a pleasingly simple design. There are some components inside the car that also feature in the 206 (like the heater controls). The Picasso has its fans, but there are not that many examples left now sadly.
20 years ago I would have bought neither one, at that time I thought they were horrible. Yet with the passing of time they have both grown on me to the point that now I'd have either in a heartbeat. I'm with you though, the Berlingo takes the win for me, far more practical, sliding doors and a better, more upright driving position (age thing lol).
How refreshing to see a comparison of cars that is based on practicality. Your average motoring journalist sees so many cars that they're mostly talking about the car as a piece of sculpture and an object of prestige. If they go beyond that, it's probably about the limit of adhesion on a track. Which amounts to 5/8 of buggerall of what we use cars for.
Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today
Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven
There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today
Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell
Come to Jesus Christ today
Jesus Christ is only way to heaven
Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void
Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today
Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today
Romans 6.23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Mark 1.15
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Jesus
Picasso wins for me. Safer, more economical, easier to fix and source parts. New value is irrelevant as both are now 20 years old and pound for pound in today's market Picasso can be found for less cash. Picasso also has the little plastic clip on the front window for your parking tickets.
I have fond memories of the Citroën Xsara Picasso which we got when we had children. It was a fantastic car, with a roomy cabin and an incredible amount of legroom for back seat passengers.
It was a fantastic car to have with 3 children, comfortable on long journeys with a great boot space, big enough to fit 2 child size bicycles. And the underfloor storage was great too!
Ran both of them as taxis in the naughties. The Picasso would be my pick every time. It was bigger more comfortable and more economical as well. As a side note I had a few customers complain of travel sickness in the Berlingo stating it was the ride that them feel sick.
I just picked up a 2006 diesel berlingo from a workmate who was havng problems with the clutch plastic cable clip breaking,I replaced the clutch,timing belt,water pump,glow plugs and relay and I now have a seriously impressive vehicle and after all these years later still pulls really well,my first oil burner also,plenty of these around where I live in France 1 hour south of Toulouse.
Miss Hubnut would make a very good car salesperson!
What an interesting match up! The dual presenting worked so well, a charming, informative video.
When my daughter was born I upgraded from a 2007 C4 to a 2011 C4 Picasso. It was a fantastic car as it had loads of load space. Loved the fact you could increase the boot by a foot by moving all the rear seats forward. As she was in her baby seat no legroom was needed.
You have answered the question, that we all wanted to know! 😂
I know, right?
It will be harder than you think to check out. There is only 1 petrol one left and thats on sorn ☹️. I think they died at the hands of many children and that rotting sticky plastic everything was covered in ☹️.
Which one is best for dogging 😂
A vote for the Berlingo from me. Carly's comment that they are still being built (in more or less the same format, though with improved safety and comfort) says it all. All four variants have been great and very desirable. Well done Citroen! Plus they have started building petrol and diesel models again. 😊
Fun video as always, thanks guys. Berlingo fo me. Reminds me a bit of my first car, VW Polo breadvan. When I see berlingo on the road I always imagine someone starting up their first business with it and it makes me smile.
@4:28 "We've driven this car in some horrendous heat".
Me; Laughs in Australian.
More head-to-head duo's please; need a whiteboard with a table of feature scores too!
yes deffo a good idea!
I agree !
I recognise those Picasso back seats! They are identical to the ones in my B9 Peugeot Partner so the parts bin gave them another lease of life after the Xsara Picasso
I have 2007 Picasso vtx 1.6 hdi,and its fabulous car,its a comfy driver with all electrics and cruise control,its sometimes a van,sometimes a mini camper,love it
Common ancestor to both and many many more is the long forgotten Citroen ZX, clue is in the passive rear wheel steering. Apparently sales of all derivatives is North of 18 million, so heading into model T territory.
A really enjoyable video and a nice sum up of two of Citroens most popular cars of the early 2000s.
Interesting that Citroen have often had overlaps into similar car categories within their range at the same time.
I'd like to see you review the other Citroens of the time. I have a mk1 C3, which are quickly disappearing, and they really deserve some merit for how quirky, usable and comfortable they are.
Berlingo pips it for me both great cars in their own ways but Berlingo is the modern day 2CV.
Excellent video and well presented Ian and Carly.
For me would be the Berlingo as it would be more suitable as a gardening work horse & the sliding doors would make it easier for grabbing tools
It was LX and SX originally. My Dad's first was an LX and the main difference was a lack of air-con. He later had a Desire. The arm rest broke on the first one, the second one the alternator packed in. Other than that no problems.
Being a Picasso owner it’s a win for me! We love it! 🎉
I like both..... My picasso at 220k.....still going strong (1.6 diesel hdi. Cost £100...7 years ago).... The 2 ltre berlingo. Had very good engine..... Now looking for 1.6 add blue berlingo, partner....... Good motors.
We brought our Xsara Picasso second hand. What a wonderful car I am sorry but it is the Picasso for me all day long .Sadly the Berlingo's style looks out of the mid 90's in my opinion. I am disabled and the Picasso has such a lovely ride. We only paid 550 pounds for it, we have had it for 5 years and it has passed all its Mot's until this year when it need a little work to pass I think that is amazing for 20 year old car. We are so lucky to have such a lovely mechanic shop that looks after us.
Back in 2008 on moving to Spain, I originally wanted a Zafira but when i looked the back of the rear seat was in one piece so one could not use it for mixed passenger and load. I thought about the Kangoo - but it was so small - I went for the Citroën Berlingo. Fifteen years later we still have a Berlingo - other than the Volvo 760 estate, it is the best car I have ever had.
i love my berlingo iv had my motorbike in it with 3 adults, undercounter fridge and freezer with all 5 seats in use, and with the seats folded up you can fit a full pallet in the boot. also regularly have a mobility scooter in boot sideways with full family in car :)
For me it'll be the Berlingo, I prefer the looks of the Berlingo to the Picasso, and the more "conventional" interior layout (dials in front of the steering wheel for example). And being a proper van, its more practical boot space wise, which is better for road trips, camping, shopping, etc. And the sliding doors have its bonuses in the car park needing minimum space to exit the vehicle as opposed to the wide opening doors in the Picasso. Also, Jeremy Clarkson tested one back when revamped Top Gear started which was very similar, just a different shade of green and the modutop, was even a Forte (which another bonus point because a certain fleet member's base version was also called the Forte) and this car reminds me of that episode.
Had a Picasso for a coupe of years now and it never fails to impress me. Cheap to buy (well it was in 2021), and the 2.0 petrol goes like the clappers. Comfortable in a 1990s French sort of way, mine's been very reliable and the amount of stuff you can cram in them is just insane. I love sitting in the back eating lunch on the picnic table, whilst reading a magazine! The two most irritating things are a poor turning circle and they're very susceptible to side winds on the motorway.
I'd take the Picasso in a heartbeat. For me it's the best car in its class sold in the UK to date (and I'm a Renault man)
An uncle had a 1.6 petrol on family and towing duties for over ten years and it never let him down once. Superb car
A difficult choice. My FiL had a Picasso and loved it. But Bella has an airier feel to her with all that space. Be interested to hear the Hublets thoughts on the two cars.
Yes! Ask the Hublets
I always remember the Berlingo as a Van , never saw the MPV version . as for the Xsara, I had the original version when it was a regular car , it was pretty good too and definitely one for Hubnut to look out for a testdrive of, I`ve not seen one in ages ..
A feature of a quality channel is when I want to click the like button within the first view minutes (like this video) - Hubnut nails that pretty much every time!
I’ve owned a Berlingo & it’s Peugeot twin. I will never believe they’re anything but one of the greatest cars ever built. They do everything anyone could ever need in one vehicle, utterly classless and are the successor to the 2cv/Renault 4 in France. Sure they’re not fast, nor supremely comfortable but I’d have another in a heartbeat. In fact I keep searching for a good cheap one as when I find one I’ll probably make it a keeper and buy a less practical fun car too
Berlingo gets my vote. I had a Zafira when my two children were little and growing up. If I had known how practical the Berlingo was at the time, I would definitely have bought one instead of the Vauxhall especially at holiday time, even at the expense of a two seat loss which incidentally, I used about once per year. My Berlingo is very useful now as my children are in their 20's and in rented accommodation, so tend to move around. In van mode the load capacity is brilliant and has saved us a fortune in van hire.👍
Was LX, SX and Exclusive up until 03 and then Desire and Exclusive and then VTX was introduced a little later on. Best spec is 03 onwards Exclusive with cruise, auto wipers and lights but original Exclusive glass roof then became an option.
I really think it’s time to try a B9 Berlingo.
You are welcome to try ours if you are able to travel nr Glossop?
For a start the seats lift out.
Cheers. Would like to try one. ian@hubnut.org
A good, fair, clear review and an expected outcome
Miss Hubnut fits too well in that Berlingo ,methinks that maybe her first car after test pass.
Great vid thanks Ian.
Really like this, I guess for many the Picasso is a car and Berlingo is post man Pats van with windows, from this it’s not. The details about each, pro’s and the cons, with opinions from using both were great
Absolutely brilliant video Ian miss hubnut ❤👍 there both great practical cars and reliable brilliant
Here in Australia, we missed out on both of these - we had the standard Xsara and the "van only" Berlingo - the Citroen MPV offering was the C4 Picasso (I think it was called the Grand Picasso overseas), which I loved (& related to the Peugeot 5008, also with the same 7 seats)! The next generation saw the introduction of the newer C4 Picasso and the C4 "Grand Picasso", which was the 7 seat version, and the "regular" C4 Picasso was just the five seats.
I’ve driven both extensively while working at the makers. We still own a Berlingo. We wouldn’t if it was a Picasso.
The Picasso was developed on a shoestring budget and feels it every bit. Calvet apparently accepted it only on condition that it would be cheap to make. It had a very enthusiastic team behind it who made do with what they got and certainly did a good job. But it’s disheartening when you think of what it could have been, remembering that the concept car that anticipated it was the gorgeous Xanae, tuned down to a “Berlingo Bulle” to smother expectations. Given that the midrange MPV segment was so strong around 2000, a better effort closer to the Xanae wouldn’t have gone amiss.
The Berlingo delivers everything its outward appearance promises, and then some. The Picasso strangely falls short of what the look announces. The 500,000 miles one has held up well, but that’s considering the starting point wasn’t great.
Having driven both and just come back from France driving a french registered Peugeot derivative with 300,000kms (owned by a friend) on the clock, I'm quite fond of them. Always find the Picasso looks like an awkward potato whereas the first iteration of the Berlingo is a wonderfully simple yet pleasing design.
I have an awkward potato on my drive! 😂
« Awkward potato » 😂 I can see that ❤
@David I love it and as long as it’s behaving itself it won’t get buried! I do love the description of it though! X
I have another contender from the PSA stable. A Peugeot 307 SW. It has the same rear seat arrangement as the Picasso plus the option of a third row making it a full seven seater. Its a much more dynamic drive than our Picasso, just as good on fuel but doesn't have quite as much personality!
Aye. They're very overlooked for being such a podgy replacement for the 306. Worth a look for sure.
Personally, i feel that, if you need a slighty more comfortable People mover, with variable seating, get the Xsara Picasso.
If you want a more car-like driving experience, along with a very practical boot and enough headroom to fit in Shaq o Nielle, get yourself a Berlingo!
We had a berlingo in our family, 282t kilometers, 1.6 16V! was a very trusty workhorse, but i really never liked the backseat as a kid / teen!
I love the bickering like children, I was laughing all the way.🤣
My wife used to drive a land rover discovery 200tdi for the dogs cage to go in the boot
When she wanted a newer car she bought a Berlingo multispace desire and the dog cage went straight in the boot, still had room for the trolley to go in/come out at the side of it and there was 5 or 6 inches of room between the rear of the dog cage and the inside of the tailgate.
So roomy you could swing a cat in the rear with the seats down.
She loved it.
Really enjoyed this comparison video. Very informative and entertaining 🙂
I see a great concept for the future when miss hubnut passes her practical.
The hub nuts car wars😅
For rattling back door trim, put draught exclusion tape under it before installing it, should be quieter then 🤗
Very good review of two useable cars, each with their positives and negatives
Love both! - But the Renault Scenic II had a much better design for the removable backseats, with a handle molded into the rear of the plastic seat frame to get a good, steady grip when you lift them out. Anyway - cars like these make me happy!
For me Picasso all the way. If cargo was a major concern off course the Berlingo would fight it's case with slightly more chances. But for family ride, holidays, even cargo at a family level. The Picasso is absolutely amazing. I used to carry 2.4m long pieces of wood for my home projects. My mountain bike fully assembled INSIDE the car! etc. How many 4.30m short cars can claim such?! ;-) Yeah, I thought so. 😂 😂
The Picasso is an absolutely remarkable design.
I had the 1.6HDI 2004. One of the first! Full leather interior and full specs. Loved it. Amazing car.
And much later, just a few years ago in fact . I've got a well used 1.6 petrol. With lower specs, but still very functional. The modularity of those seats is absolutely amazing! On the higher spec version they all move back and forth, seat back can be individually adjusted, removed, folded... 🙂 One of the few cars for which I bough more than one exemplar. I've also made a camper transformation for the Picasso. Work flawlessly. Traveled from Portugal to Spain, France, Italy... Outstanding on the road with a nice cruise control. cup holders all over the place. And even better, each door can carry one 1.5 water bottle. And two more in the A/C cooled glove box. Plus several 0.5l/can holders, etc. No one in the family will be thirsty for sure. Amazing on longer travels. Adding to the package on the 1.6HDI the consumption is absolutely amazing!
To this day I still have, in another country, a Fiat Doblo Malibu! The equivalent to the Berlingo, with 5 seater. So, I'm not totally strange to the concept of the Berlingo. In fact twice I almost bought one. 🙂But the reality persist the Berlingo is a work van with 3 additional seats
But for general purpose the Picasso it's still one of the most brilliant designs I ever came upon. Specially considering it's a cheap car!
Nice video. As far as I know the Berlingo was partially based on the ZX/306 platform and although the Picasso was called Xsara it was wider than the other Xsara's. And so wider than the Berlingo. I know because I had both in the back of my garage where there is a narrow bit half way that was noticeably tighter in the Picasso. I have way more experience in Berlingo's than in Picasso's but I found the Berlingo seat uncomfortable during long trips.
I'd go for the Berlingo but i'd want a higher spec such as the glass roof version and air con but both have their niche and advantages over the other.
We had two Xsara Picasso facelift Desire models, one 1.6i and a2.0hdi. They had very similar performance but the diesel car was streets ahead for fuel economy. We then had a C4 Picasso VTR+, and now a C4 Picasso Touch edition. Without question, the Xsara was the best of them for multipurpose use, the newer cars being a bit too 'trimmy' and you cannot take the rear seats out of the C4's. The 17 plate car we now have is averaging over 54mpg, better than the earlier 6 speed one, and better than the 49ish that the 2.0 managed. I think the petrol one only did about 42mpg. A friend had one of the very first Multispace's from new and it was clearly a very practical vehicle, but my needs at the time were for a pure van and so I bought a 2006 C15.
It is sad that Citroen don't make the Picasso any more, the vileness that is the SUV seems to have taken over, unless a Multispace fits the bill, but how long before 'fashion' dictates the demise of that most excellent machine?
I got to know diesel Berlingo vans well when I worked for a utility company a dozen years back - solid, robust, reliable, economical, sluggish but practical. Some days I'd be doing 250 miles in all weathers round Scotland, over all road conditions from farmtracks to motorways - tens of thousands of miles each year. It was a pleasant surprise on holiday in Malta at the time to be picked up at the airport and taken to my accomodation in a comparatively luxurious Multispace model. Absolutely ideal as a luxury airport taxi!
I also travelled as a passenger a bit in the Picasso model shown here - it was used by a London couple who organised a busy dive club with weekend and longer trips all over the UK - often filled with scuba cylinders and dive gear in its cavernous interior. Comfortable and practical too. Of the two, though, I preferred the Berlingo Multispace.
A taxi driver freind used a Picasso for several years. He really liked it. I think I would have the Picasso over the Berlingo. A bit too van-like for me.
"Not affiliated with Ronnie Pickering" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. That's brilliant.
An interesting comparison and a nice video. I have no personal experience with these cars, but we have a later Picasso in the form of a 2017 C4 Picasso II with the BlueHDi 120 engine. We've had the car since new and as a family car with 2 adult children it has worked really well on holidays etc. We love the big windows and low shoulder line. The interior seems both open and airy. However, I can see that for a family with younger children (eg with a pram) a Berlingo will clearly be a more practical car. On the other hand, there is also the C4 Grand Picasso II for this purpose, but then again this is a significantly more expensive car.
I'd pick the Picasso for reasons of more comfort and equipment
Now I'm back in the Berlingo, I reckon it might be more comfortable...
Both very practical cars in their own right, I'm a fan of the like a van but not a van model for the practicality without the lower speed limit, commercial insurance and being able to go to the tip without being called a business factors. However I think I might lean towards a Peugeot 406 estate
I've had a 2003 Berlingo for 4 months 46000mls! For £800, what a brilliant car, my ex wife has a 2008 Berlingo brilliant too
Both vehicles expertly and professionally demonstrated. but It's the Berlingo for me.
I have mk2 xsara picasso. You can easily add more 12v sockets in the picasso. Where existing front socket is - a bit closer to driver is a blanking plate for the left hand drive 12v socket. on the right hand drive version it’s on the left then opposite for left hand drive. You can add more sockets in the back of car, next to existing socket and similar place drivers side ( you have to cut circular hole) and wire them to the battery with inline fuse holders. The battery under passenger seat keeps warmer in winter, for cold start purposes. The sills tend to rust on these cars, and fail mot. But my picasso is my all time favourite car.
By 2002 the Picasso was available as an Exclusive model with panoramic roof. Mine also had built in sat nav, not sure if that was standard. We bought it because you could fit 3 child seats in the back with the proper 3 point seatbelts. I would say the Picasso would be far better in a crash. A few years later when we had more kids we discovered the real winner………we had a Citroen C8!
I recently needed to buy a car to help with moving house. Van hire being silly prices. Having owned a 52 picasso and driving the van versions of Berlingo, I ultimately went picasso, albeit a 2013 version. It does everything I want well, is economical and, as I'm getting older, is more comfortable and quiet. To be honest, I think Citroen improved the ride!
I know and love my cars, so maybe not your stereotypical picasso owner but as long as it's cared for, it'll last a good while yet.
another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍
Berlingo all the way had my 2009 b9 for 4 weeks and I love it
I had the non-turbo 1.9D facelift Berlingo. Friends had a Picasso and I never understood why.
I think I'd pick the Berlingo. It makes great use of a small footprint and has a utilitarian charm. You've basically got family transport but ability to do van like jobs
I had a belingo an for work found in very slow too to get fast speed out of it even when it was empty
The Berlingo has it for me, sliding doors and a real speedo. Safety is the one worry. Great review(s). 😊
Great comparison. It's a tough call on which is best, because both have a lot to offer for someone looking for cheap practical transport. So, I'm going to give a politician style answer, and completely fail to make a decision. Shop around, get the best one you can afford whichever model it is. There is a good lesson here about condition being more important than mileage.
My daily driver is a 2016 Fiat Doblo (T-Jet + LPG) I bought new. I considered getting a "real" MPV, but I don't need the rear seats and the practicality of a van in combination with the much lower price made the deal. My Doblo is a van (cheaper in taxes here in Belgium) that looks like the MPV-version: sliding doors on both sides, windows all around, and...
I specifically wanted the huge (even bigger than that of Bella) tailgate instead of the rear doors: loading/unloading while raining cats and dogs is no problem, it's an awning when camping, and I personally think it looks a lot better.
The folding middle seat of the Picasso and several other MPVs is nice, but it really doesn't matter for practicality I think: with a 2+1 rear seat you can still have 1, 2 or 3 seats down/out, you just can't choose where the rear passenger(s) sit when having 1 or 2 seats down/out.
Had both cars. Two Berlingos and one Picasso. Both very versatile but the height at the back is now an issue for me as I have a Lurcher who prefers to stand all the way from Essex to North Wales. No rattles !
Picasso is a vastly under-rated car with a nice interesting but still practical design. I had a 2.0HDI Exclusive (with fully glazed roof!) from new back in 2002. Now driving a current model Berlingo, so from a different era. Berlingo def more versatile, Picasso more car-like. Personally I need the size of a van (with windows).
Having done 130,000 in a 2002 2.0 SX, I’m a bit biased.
Had 3 breakdowns n mine
1. Seized turbo ( my fault - driving too slowly to save fuel) £1000 bill
2. Snapped plastic gear change linkage, stuck in first
3. Turbo pipe popped off on the way to the south of Span, 4 up with luggage and dog towing a trailer with 2 Honda CX500s on. Zero cost roadside fix.
A truly great car - pad £6000 at two years old, poor depreciation
How can driving slow seize the turbo? must be because of some very indirect stuff in that case, surely...?
@@GoldenCroc the inside of it was like concrete. It also had about 150000 miles on at the time.
@@davefrench3608 Ok. But that cant be caused by "driving slowly" per se, its something else thats indirectly caused it. Faulty egr or injection cycle. Or faulty oil temp because of short trips or broken thermostat would be my guesses.
I have run taxi-ish companys and our cars trundle around at very low throttle mostly, no issues for 300k miles on any brand, all original turbo. Cheers mate.
You almost forgot to test the wipers!
Nope.
Out of the 2 i would choose the Berlingo, both at new and second hand. I have a Renault Kangoo 1.2 on an 09. Its a WAV its great and very much like the Berlingo. I do have my eye on a newer Berlingo though.
My wife bought a Picasso new in 2002, I liked the Berlingo at the time but she just wouldn't consider anything that looked van like. Three years later I had a Berlingo van at work which impressed me except that, being a later model, it had the lowered engine with poor ground clearance. I did not like the way the Picasso's thick A pillars obscured the view nor the way anything placed in the dashboard trays reflected in the shallow sloping window. I now have a 2007 C4 Grand Picasso which has lids to the dashboard trays eliminating the reflection problem and thinner pillars.
'It doesn't really do much more for the extra four grand.', says Ian, looking at a car which has been driven for over 500,000 miles whilst still being in good condition. 😉🙄 Thanks both. 🙂👍
You could try adding an NVH product such as dynamat to the inside of Bella's tailgate and other panels to damp down vibration and noise.
Practical and ingenious: because french. Nice video guys; the «battle royale» is a good idea... 🇫🇷♥🇫🇷
The interesting thing is that the Xsara Picasso would've been the much more 'fashionable' choice when new, with a lot of the extra expense accounting for that. These days, there seems to be a bit of a role reversal, with people coming to appreciate the ultilitarian charm of the Berlingo (with values rising accordingly) while the Picasso is now derided for being a very 'of it's time' concept, along with the Scenic, Zafira and other mini-MPVs. Though, you're probably correct in saying that classism has played a part in that.
£1000 will still get you a lot of Picasso on the used car market nowadays. I'm not sure the same could be said of a Berlingo. So, going pure Bangernomics, I'd say the Picasso is the better used buy.
one not only looks like a van but is a van, the other a car.. easy choice ;-)
If you want the best of borh vehicles, try a Synergy/806/Ulysse.
I had a Ulysse for 9 years and it was practical, comfortable and reliable. I bought the one with a Fiat badge because it was a lot cheaper (second hand), due to the badge and I was able to buy the top spec for less than a basic spec Peugeot 806 version. There were never many secondhand Synergies in my area.
Electrical faults caused mainly by wiring issues are common on all PSA vehicles. These faults can in a few cases be easily rectified, but in others mean economical repair is not possible. Taxi driving forums, give a good idea of what long term ownership of HDI powered MPVs can mean. There is a TH-camr who lives in his Berlingo van, which has now been broken down for a month, with electrical issues, who unfortunately cannot even find anyone able to take a look at it even, let alone fix it.
Yes, but not a uniquely PSA problem. Plenty of post-2000 cars have electrical gremlins, more so as complexity increases.
@@HubNut Would agree completely! CANBUS wiring seems to have a very finite life, and wiring issues, lead to component failure. The component gets replaced, and might be ok for a while, but there is a very good chance it will fail again. HDI are very good when running ok, but as they get older, electrical problems become more and more common.
@@HubNut Guy I know bought a low mileage used Merc, from a main dealer. It had all sorts of weird intermittent electrical faults. Went back to the dealer several times, still the same. On the advice of a factory tech from Germany, they ended up changing a substantial part of the main loom, which was known to have issues. That sorted the problems.
Could be worse. Renault electrics of the same era were just as bad especially when they decided to fit keyless entry on their cars (they decided to go on strike over time).
Of the two, I'd take the Berlingo definitely. It's a wash for practicality, but should have a performance advantage, with its lighter weight & lower scuttle height. I would throw a ZX or Xsara estate in as an alternative choice though (given the Xantia/C5 cost difference).
Just to confuse things even more, a few years later they added the C3 Picasso! I own a Xsara Picasso and love it. Would like to try a Berlingo, but trying to find a nice, cheaper one now is difficult. Actually, how about a four way showdown from 2009. The C3 Pic, Xsara Pic, C4 Pic and Berlingo. All available in 2009/10 and 1.6hdi forms. I have a 1.6hdi Xsara Pic, if you'd like to borrow it? 2008 sadly, but the offer is there. Excellent video as always.
Berlingo for me as well but I have to say my MK1 Scenic I think I'd still have her if I hadn't been wrote off.😢
Haha 1st mistake from Ian within 10 seconds mixing up Picasso and Berlingo. Good old Hubnut!
#BecauseHubNut...
I had A Xsara Picasso for 10 years. Same engine 2.0 HDI. It was brilliant sometimes and other times really annoying. Quite often I would remove the rear seats and use it as a van. I got a 2 seater sofa to the council recycling centre with my Picasso, so then I tried the 3 seater sofa and it went in too. Had to bungee the boot down though. Fuel consumption was amazingly good. Was very gutless though. Couldn't even get out of its own way. Still had the little folding trolley when I scrapped it. You are correct about the A pillar blind spot. Mine had digital climate control which was annoying. Basic A/C was much simpler and better to use. Under floor storage bins were very useful too. You are lucky to still be able to use older diesel cars. Here in London our dictator has banned them because ULEZ. They pollute too much but if you pay him £12.50 they are just fine.
Strange how paying £12.50 makes the car suddenly non-polluting.
I have had 2 Picasso's, and currently still have a Peugeot Partner. The 2.0 Diesel is a nice engine. Has loads of torque, but not revvy. Averaged 50mpg with a 3 mile commute daily, and a couple of shopping trips a month. The 1.6 HDi is revvy, but less torque. I prefer the 2.0 diesel over the 1.6. diesel
The older Picasso I owned was a poverty spec 1.6 petrol. It averaged 47mpg on a trip to Cornwall which pissed off my friend who in her car, same trip, same day, travelling in convoy, got 43mpg in her Prius.
In the older Picasso, I managed to get an Aquaoak 360 aquarium, with stand and lid. It is more spacious than it looks. The Picasso has a better driving position. That being said, the Partner is only the second car I have ever owned. (Other one being a 1996 Vitara JLX LWB) where the seat had to come forward from the furthest back position for me to drive. (I am 6'3" and usually have to move the drivers seat all the way back in everything I drive.)
The a pillar blind spots on the Picasso I do not like.
The huge amounts of headroom in the Partner I do not like.
Both cars are very good, and in my opinion, they are very similar in what they do. But my choice would be the 2.0 diesel Picasso.