Even talkative families fell silent in the old Kangoo on freeway tours. The freshly launched new edition of the high-roof station wagon no longer detracts from the chatting mood.
In the past, high-roof station wagons were commercial vehicles with passenger car airs that were loud, tinny and sparsely furnished. Like the first generation of the Kangoo. In its freshly started new edition, however, it has changed into a car descendant with a practical utility structure. The Frenchman scores above all with a substructure inherited from Talisman and Scenic. In addition, the continuation of the joint project between Mercedes and Renault ensures a noticeable fine-tuning of comfort. The utility value continues to be a top priority.
Long car
Even on the outside, the new Kangoo conveys its progress in several ways. A modern design with many character lines and a significant increase in size are responsible for this. The third generation of the French stretches at almost four and a half meters. If the first kangoo was still pale, tall and narrow, the grandson stands stately broad and self-confident on the asphalt.
Also worth seeing is the comfortably furnished interior in the higher-quality Intens equipment. There is a free-standing touchscreen for the infotainment system, a manageable number of switches and buttons as well as a modern multifunction steering wheel that can be used to control many functions. The instrument cluster has two classic analog displays and a central on-board computer display with a variable display function. A wooden décor crossbar in the dashboard, chrome trim and high-gloss surfaces or fabric in the door interior create a feeling of comfort. However, the abundant hard plastic inside the Kangoo, the one or the other not very clean transition between interlocking components or the simple ignition lock cover all testify to the cost pressure in this class.
New Ideas
The range of storage space is beyond any doubt. It is enough for much more than just a cell phone, beverage can and wallet. A mobile phone holder with inductive charging function and a pull-out instead of a fold-out glove compartment have been nicely solved. There is also plenty of head and knee room as well as room for lateral development. The driver will also find many customization options. On the two-part rear seat, even the center seat is shaped and slightly contoured. The 519 liter trunk can be expanded to 2.031 liters. This is easily done using the classic foldable backrest of the back seat, which is fairly flat thanks to the lowering of the seats. With a loading sill that is just over 60 centimeters high and a loading floor that rises slightly, the luggage compartment offers plenty of space upwards. The length of the cargo space increases by folding down the rear seat back from 1,02 to 1,88 meters. If the passenger backrest is folded down, objects up to 2,70 meters long can be loaded. With this option, which can be ordered from autumn at an extra charge of 300 euros, the roof-high maximum storage space of the Kangoo increases to 3.500 liters. The two sliding side doors, the front doors that open at 90 degrees and a tailgate that opens far up are also practical in everyday life with luggage and guests. People up to 1,80 meters tall can move upright underneath without fear. A particularly clever solution is the new roof rails, which integrate removable cross members in their aluminum strips. They can be clamped across without tools, which then creates a roof rack for a load of 80 kilograms.
Also as a Stromer from next year
For the engines, the two petrol TCe 100 and 130 as well as a diesel with 70 kW / 95 PS are initially available. The 1,5-liter diesel will also be available in the dCi 75 and dCi 110 output levels next year. The new Kangoo will be on the road as a purely battery-electric e-tech as early as next year. Hybrid technology will probably not be an issue until 2025 with the introduction of the Euro 7 emissions standard. For the time being, the series remains primarily a classic diesel car, which is still convincing in the case of the dCi 95. In one-person operation, you are sufficiently fast on the road, but the four-cylinder runs out of breath a little early on the autobahn. From 150 km / h the propulsion becomes tough. More than 164 km / h are not possible anyway. On the other hand, what is noticeable positively when the motorway speed is increased is the low wind noise. If you experienced Tempo 130 acoustically as a hurricane in the first Kangoo generation, you now feel it more like a mild breeze thanks to refined aerodynamics and better noise insulation. Diesel also holds back with combustion noises and consumption. If you drive relaxed, you will achieve values of around 5 liters; if you drive more quickly, consumption increases to over 6 liters. At the same time, the chest of drawers and the pleasantly hardened Daimler steering ensure a dignified car driving experience. Bends can be rushed through quite quickly with the tall 1,7-ton truck, even though the anti-skid protection is clearly noticeable when the centrifugal forces are too high.
The Kangoo also shows car quality when it comes to the equipment, because the Intens features two-zone automatic air conditioning, keyless entry and start system, infotainment system with 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration, navigation and cruise control on board. In addition, two sliding doors and the innovative roof rails are part of the standard equipment, which together with the 95 hp diesel adds up to 28.100 euros. The progress that can be experienced in many respects also has its price. For the time being, the cheapest entry is the Edition One version with the 100 TCe petrol engine from 23.800 euros. At the beginning of 2022, the Kangoo will also be available in the simpler versions Life and Zen at lower prices.
Technical data
Five-door family station wagon in the compact class, length: 4,49 meters, width: 1,92 meters, height: 1,84 meters, wheelbase: 2,72 meters, trunk volume: 519 - 1.200 liters
Drive: 1,5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel, 70 kW / 95 PS, maximum torque: 260 Nm at 1.750 rpm, front-wheel drive, six-speed manual transmission, 0-100 km / h: 15,1 s; Vmax: 164 km / h, standard consumption: 4,9 - 5,0 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 128 - 131 g / 100 km, emissions standard: Euro 6d-Full, efficiency class A.
Price: from € 26.300
Other engines
1,3-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 75 kW / 100 PS. maximum torque: 200 Nm at 1.500 rpm, front-wheel drive, six-speed manual transmission, 0-100 km / h: 14,7 s; Vmax: 168 km / h, standard consumption: 6,4 - 6,5 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 145 - 48 g / 100 km, emissions standard: Euro 6d-Full, efficiency class BC
Price: from € 23.800
1,3-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 96 kW / 130 PS. maximum torque: 240 Nm at 1.500 rpm, front-wheel drive, six-speed manual transmission, 0-100 km / h: 12,9 s; Vmax: 183 km / h, standard consumption: 6,4 - 6,5 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 145 - 48 g / 100 km, emissions standard: Euro 6d-Full, efficiency class BC
Price: from € 24.900
In brief
Why: Because the family packhorse looks really chic inside and out
Why not: Because you don't have an extended family or an extensive hobby
What else: Citroen Berlingo, VW Caddy, Ford Tourneo Connect, Opel Combo