Mercedes-Benz Citan Review (2023-present)

What is the Mercedes-Benz Citan?

The Mercedes-Benz Citan is a small panel van with a little extra drop of stardust: three-pointed stardust, to be precise.

You see, like the previous Citan, this second-generation version is the product of a joint-development project with the Renault-Nissan alliance. As a result, it shares its mechanicals and much of its technology with the latest Renault Kangoo and Nissan Townstar vans. However, while its relations have a rather more workmanlike image, the Mercedes adds a smattering of prestige clout to the mix, thanks in to small part to the three-pointed star badge on the nose.

It’s offered in a variety of forms. Two body lengths are available in the shape of the L1 and longer L2 variants, while two powertrains are also on offer: a diesel version with either a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional seven-speed auto, and an all-electric version known as the eCitan. Two trim levels are also offered.

Rivals are plentiful. The Stellantis (the giant car-making group) stable alone offers a wide variety in the form of the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Fiat Doblo, and Vauxhall Combo, all of which take the same technology-sharing approach and are mechanically more-or-less identical, while Toyota offers a version of the same van - known as the Proace City - despite not being part of the Stellantis group. The VW Caddy Cargo and Ford Transit Connect also share their underpinnings, while Ford also offers another - slightly smaller - option in the Ford Transit Courier.

How practical is it?

Like we’ve said, the Citan is available in both short-wheelbase L1 and longer-wheelbase L2 forms. In both, the load area stands at 1,248mm wide between the wheel arches, and at 1,256mm high. In the L1, the load length is given at 1,806mm, while in the L2 it’s extended to 2,170mm. This equates to a load volume of 3.3 cubic metres in the L1 and 4.2 cubic metres in the L2. This is competitive by class standards, but certainly doesn’t constitute class-leading practicality.

Payload figures stand at between 656kg and 662kg for the diesel-powered Citan, depending on body length and spec, while these figures drop to around 500kg on the electric versions. Again, rivals do significantly better on this score.

Access to the loadspace is decent, with a pair of side-hinged rear doors, which can open at up to 180 degrees. You also get a sliding side door on the left-hand side of the vehicle as standard, and you can add another sliding door to the right-hand side of the vehicle as an optional extra. A hard-wearing plastic load floor is standard-issue, too.

You get a good amount of cabin storage, with a decent glovebox, a lidded central cubby under the armrest and overhead shelves above the windscreen, but in truth, many rival vans have more places for stashing odds and ends. Both of the two front seats have height adjustment, and there’s also reach and rake adjustment in the steering column, so you should be able to find a comfortable driving position.

There’s a solid steel bulkhead behind you, meaning your over-the-shoulder visibility is predictably non-existent. That means you’ll be using your door mirrors quite a bit, and these are electrically adjustable as standard, and all Citans also come with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

What’s it like to drive?

There are two very distinct flavours of Citan, the first of which is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine with 94bhp, and is for some reason badged as the 110 CDI. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a seven-speed automatic is available as an option. We haven’t had a chance to try this version yet, so have no idea how it fares for performance, and because Mercedes doesn’t publish any performance figures for the Citan, we can’t even have an educated guess. In case you’re wondering, no petrol engine option is offered with the Citan.

We have, however, had a go in the all-electric eCitan. Like the diesel, it’s front-wheel drive, and its electric motor packs 120bhp. Again, no official performance figures are published, but we can tell you that it scurries away from the line very eagerly when you ask it to, and like all single-gear electric vehicles, it unfurls its acceleration in one unbroken stream. The acceleration doesn’t feel as strong when you’re already going at a reasonable lick, but that’s true of most EVs.

Most of the time, however, you’ll be a lot more gentle with the accelerator, whereupon it responds gently but assertively to the demands of the prevailing traffic conditions, so it’s a very relaxing way to get around. That’s helped by the strong refinement that comes courtesy of an all-but-silent electric motor and impressive suppression of wind- and road noise.

From a ride-and-handling perspective, the Citan feels like it strikes a good balance of abilities. The suspension does a good job of soaking up most lumps and bumps, with only the sharpest-edged potholes causing it to lose its composure, but there’s enough control in the suspension that the body doesn’t bounce around over dips, crests and speed bumps. Direction changes always feel secure and stable, and the steering - which is both responsive and light - helps take the pain out of low-speed manoeuvres.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

There are two trim levels available with the Citan van - named Progressive and Premium - both of which get most of the basics as standard, but precisely what equipment you get depends on your powertrain.

With the diesel engine option, entry-level Progressive trim comes with air-conditioning, electrically adjusting door mirrors, electric windows, reversing sensors and camera, cruise control with speed limiter, plus automatic lights and wipers. Go for the eCitan electric van, meanwhile, and you also get heated front seats, climate control, and keyless go on top.

Regardless of powertrain, the upgrades on Premium trim are largely cosmetic, with alloy wheels, metallic paint, body-coloured bumpers (the front one is black on Progressive trim), gloss black dashboard inserts, interior chrome trim, LED headlights with high-beam assist, and LED front foglights.

Regardless of the trim level you go for, you’ll get the same basic infotainment arrangement, which is a version of Mercedes’ revered MBUX infotainment system, albeit a more basic one than those found in the firm’s passenger cars. It supports DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Satnav is standard on the eCitan and not available at all on the diesel, while wireless phone charging is optional across the board.

The system is fairly easy to find your way around, helped further by physical shortcut buttons placed below the 7.0-inch central touchscreen. Screen sensitivity is good and the graphics are sharp, and most functions are easy to find and use, although a few of the more peripheral ones can be a little tucked away in the menu structure. It’s also annoying that the touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel are easy to hit by mistake, meaning that you sometimes instigate actions you never intended.

Mercedes-Benz Citan running costs

This won’t come as much of a shock, but the diesel-powered Citan is a lot cheaper to buy than the electric one. Prices for the diesel (including VAT) range between around £25,000 and £29,000 depending on trim level and body length, while for the electric one, you’ll be looking at between £41,000 and £45,000.

Yes, you will pay more to fuel your van if you settle for the diesel. The L1 has an official fuel return of 53.3mpg, while the L2’s figure stands at 51.4mpg. Both these figures are pretty good, though, and should be moderately achievable in the real world, especially on a long motorway run.

Splash out on the eCitan, and official WLTP figures suggest you’ll get a combined range of 175 miles from the 45kWh lithium-ion battery. Do bear in mind, though, that this figure will plummet when the weather is cold, or when you have a long motorway schlep to undertake.

You charge up via a CCS port concealed behind the Mercedes badge in the front grille. The maximum AC charging speed is 22kW, which Mercedes says will get you a full charge in just 2.5 hours. However, very few UK residences have the three-phase electrics necessary to charge at this speed, so charging at home from a normal 7.4kW wallbox charger will take considerably longer, more like eight hours we reckon. The eCitan’s maximum DC charging speed is 75kW (which is fairly so-so), so a sufficiently powerful public charger can deliver a 10-80% top-up in 38 minutes.

If you charge at home and your domestic power is priced at the UK’s national average, then a full charge will cost around £12. Get yourself on a tariff that allows overnight charging at a discounted rate, and you could cut that cost by as much as 75%. It works the other way round when using high-speed public DC rapid chargers, because these can often cost three times the domestic average for every kWh of power you take, so we’d recommend only occasional use of these facilities in emergencies.

Mercedes-Benz Citan reliability

Vans aren’t included in the various reliability surveys we usually look at, and so data on the Citan specifically is quite limited. Mercedes-Benz’s performance in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey wasn’t exactly glittering, however, with the firm placing a lowly 24th out of the 32 car-makers considered. You might hope that Mercedes’ collaboration with Renault and Nissan on the Citan might improve matters, but they didn’t fare much better. Renault was just one place ahead in 23rd, while Nissan placed 19th.

At least the warranty you get is half-decent, with a three-year, unlimited-mileage agreement coming as standard. The battery, meanwhile, is covered for eight years or 160,000km (just under 100,000 miles). Service intervals on the Citan are fixed at one year or 25,000 miles.