For the first generation of the Citan had to Mercedes take a lot of criticism, the vehicles were by and large only unlabeled Renault Kangoo. With the second generation, Mercedes wants to do better and set its own accents.
The new Mercedes Citan is in the starting blocks. The second generation of the city delivery van will debut at the end of the year at prices starting at around 20.000 euros net and, as before, was developed in cooperation with Renault. Unlike the first generation, the Swabians were involved in the development of the small van from the start, so that the Citan differs from the Renault Kangoo Rapid in terms of design, equipment and technical details.
A lot goes in
At the market launch, the 4,50 meter long version with a wheelbase of 2,72 meters will be available to order. It is available both as a panel van and as a passenger transporter (tourer). The loading volume of the box variant is 2,9 cubic meters, up to 782 kilograms can be loaded. The trailer load is 1,5 tons.
The tourer, which has a sliding side door ex works, offers space for up to 5 people. The long-wheelbase version of the Citan coming next year will allow the touring vehicle to be configured as a seven-seater; the five individual seats in the rear can be removed. In the case of the long box van, loading using a stacker is not only possible via the double-leaf rear door, but also via sliding side doors available at an additional cost. They are larger in the long Citan than in the standard van.
Mercedes Citan is manual work
A gasoline or diesel engine is available for propulsion. The 1,5-liter diesel is available in the versions with 55 kW / 75 PS, 70 kW / 95 PS and 85 kW / 116 PS; the 1,4-liter four-cylinder Otto is available with 75 kW / 102 PS and 96 kW / 131 PS. The power is transmitted to the front wheels via a manual six-speed gearbox. All-wheel drive is not planned, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission will be included in the option list from mid-2022. When tuning the chassis, Mercedes gave the tourer its own technical layout with a specific spring rate and shock absorbers with adapted damping force on the front and rear axles.
A battery-electric version will follow in 2022. As with the conventional engines, Mercedes also takes over the electric drive from Renault. The electric motor has an output of 75 kW / 102 PS and 245 Nm. The 44 kWh battery enables a range of around 300 kilometers. The eCitan comes with an 11 kW on-board charger as standard. A 22 kW output is possible as an option. A rapid charging station can be used to charge up to 75 kW.
Typical Mercedes look inside
Visually, the Citan joins the Sprinter and Vito as a member of the Mercedes family. The interior is designed as a Mini-Me of the Sprinter. Switches, air nozzles, steering wheels and storage compartments are familiar from large commercial vehicles or Mercedes car models. The seats are a Mercedes in-house development and should contribute to a good driving experience. Depending on the equipment, chrome and piano lacquer are part of the standard scope. The Citan can also be ordered with the infotainment system and operating concept MBUX, which, depending on the configuration level, has, among other things, a voice assistant and smartphone integration of Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
The panel van comes with six airbags ex works, while the tourer also has an airbag between the driver and front passenger. In addition, a crosswind assistant and drowsiness warning are part of the standard safety equipment, the tourer also comes up with braking, lane keeping, blind spot and speed limit assistants. For a surcharge, the Citan models can be equipped with distance assistants with traffic jam pilot function, steering assistants or LED headlights. Mercedes expects a five-star rating in the NCAP crash test.