If you need a reasonably priced smaller van that’s roomy enough for a good-sized load but compact enough to park in city centre spots, good on fuel economy, with plenty of cap space and a reliable engine – you can get the whole package in a Citroen Nemo. Customers and the public also love these neat and friendly looking vans, especially in the red and blue models.

More load space than its rival 

The Nemo has two asymmetric doors at the back which have 180degree opening. The passenger seat folds down and locks to give extra load room if required, and you can get a folding bulkhead in the form of a cage to use for protection when you have a load extending over the passenger seat. If you use the van in this way, you can get a load of 2,491 mm in, which is handy if you want to carry a ladder or a length of piping. Without this, the load length is 1,523 mm.

The Nemo being French, you can turn that passenger seat into a table for your lunch. Or if that’s not your style, use it for some on-the-road admin, or to hold your laptop while you send emails.

At its narrowest, over the wheel arches, the Nemo’s width is 1,046mm. This means that it can take a bigger volume load than the Mercedes-Benz Citan Compact – the Nemo has 2.5 cubic metres. And the Nemo’s load length is 154mm longer than the Citan, even without the passenger seat down. It not only offers more space than hatchback vans; space is a lot easier to get at.

Economical and reliable engine 

The Nemo has a 1.3-litre diesel engine, offering 74bhp which will deliver over 50 mpg; in fact, 60mpg is achievable. CO2 emissions on the manual version are 119g/km; they’re slightly lower on the automatics – 109g/km. The engine has a reputation for excellent reliability.

Models

The X is the basic model, the LX is the next up and the Enterprise is at the top of the range. All models have ABS, a driver’s airbag, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and CD player. For remote locking, you need to move up to the LX and with this model you’ll also get electric windows and a height-adjustable driver’s seat. The Enterprise has parking sensors, a Bluetooth-connected stereo and air conditioning. Colours are red, blue, white, black and two different greys.

Easy driving

The van handles exceptionally well and is as easy to drive as a car, with light power-assisted steering. When cruising on the motorway, there is very little noise. With a deep windscreen and very large mirrors, all-round visibility is good. The cab has plenty of storage – you can easily fit a laptop into the glove compartment and there are also door pockets.

All in all, you won’t beat the Nemo for a full package of compact van essentials.