Citroen Dispatch (2007 – 2016) Review

The current Dispatch is a much bigger van than its predecessor, which puts it into competition with the likes of the Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Transporter. Like these rivals, the Peugeot is versatile and as well as the standard panel van it comes as a crew van and a minibus.

It's one of the most rounded vans on the market and it was facelifted in late 2011 with further improvements. It continues to prove popular helped by the fact it's available in two different wheelbase lengths and with a choice of two roof heights.

Sharing its basic shape and underpinnings with the Fiat Scudo and Peugeot Expert, the Citroen aims to appeal to buyers with standard kit that includes Smartnav satellite navigation and vehicle tracking. The Enterprise model comes with air conditioning, Bluetooth connection and USB connection for an MP3 player.

While the cargo space in the Dispatch is good and generous, the front cabin is not so ample for its two passengers, which is one of the few disappointments with this van. However, its versatility still makes it good choice for those wanting a good value and reliable all-rounder.

Citroen offers a 160PS 2.0-litre diesel engine with the Dispatch, but this is only available with the Combi minibus versions and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. For the standard panel van models, there’s a choice of 90PS 1.6-litre and 125PS 2.0-litre HDi engines. The 1.6 has a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 2.0-litre gains an extra speed. Both of these engines meet Euro 5 emissions regulations, so there are no concerns about entering London’s Low Emissions Zone.

For town driving and local area work, the 1.6-litre HDi is more than adequate thanks to its low-rev pull and well chosen gear ratios. It’s also quite refined and quiet, so it makes for a good companion during long days of driving. Even at higher speeds, the 1.6 diesel is decently hushed, though you do have to work it quite hard to keep pace with other traffic as the engine is short on upper range pull.

If you’re going to spend more time on the motorway or faster roads where extra grunt is handy for relaxed driving and overtaking, the 2.0-litre diesel is the best choice. It’s also smooth and refined while its six-speed gearbox allows for a more relaxed experience on the motorway. This also helps with economy and running costs.

For a van of this size and capacity, the Citroen is reasonably agile in corners and resists the temptation to lean too much in the bends. It’s not quite as car-like to drive as the Volkswagen Transporter, but the Dispatch copes competently with lumps and bumps in the road’s surface. The steering is light and offers a good turning circle to make the Dispatch easy to manoeuvre through town and into tight parking spots.

Even with a lot of weight in the load bay, the Dispatch deals with most road conditions with a confidence not found in all of its rivals. This is underlined by it not being adversely affected by crosswinds, even in the high roof models, where some of the competition begin to feel a little exposed. Air suspension is an option for the Dispatch to further improve its ride, handling and stability no matter how much weight it’s carrying.

Wind and road noise are kept out of the cabin thanks to good insulation and there’s not much boom from the rear cargo area when the removable steel bulkhead is fitted in position. Anti-lock brakes are standard with the Dispatch on all models and the pedal has a progressive feel, though the brakes could do with a little more initial biting grip to give greater confidence in emergency situations. We’d also like to see ESP traction and stability control made standard on the Dispatch by Citroen as it’s becoming increasingly common on this van’s rivals. It is an option, but it should be there from the factory.

There’s no need to climb up into the Citroen Dispatch’s cab thanks to a door that opens wide and driver’s seat that is set quite low. Once behind the wheel, the Dispatch driver is still afforded a good view of the road ahead and large side windows help give good vision for pulling out of junctions.

As we’re used to with Citroen vans, the switchgear and controls are functional and placed where they logically need to be. There’s no particular flair to the look of the Dispatch’s interior, but it’s well made and appears more than durable for the life it will lead. There’s plenty of storage dotted around the driver, including a pop-out drinks holder to the outer edge of the steering wheel that is very useful. There are also large air vents that help demist the cab and keep it at the right temperature.

We like the gear lever mounted high on the centre console and it makes life easy for the driver. However, it’s not so much fun for the third occupant in the Dispatch as the two-seat bench for passengers is short on width and it forces the middle-riding occupant’s right knee painfully into contact with the plastic surround of the gear lever. The passenger side footwell is also cramped, which suggests Citroen has shoehorned in two seats where it originally only meant one to be.

Equipment levels are reasonable whichever Dispatch model you choose, with all models fitted with electric windows, central locking and Smartnav satellite navigation. The Enterprise model stands out for its standard-fit air conditioning, Bluetooth hands-free kit and USB connection for an MP3 player.

Citroen offers the Dispatch with two wheelbase lengths and two roof heights, so it’s easy to tailor this van to your needs. As a panel van, there are twin sliding side doors and two side-hinged rear doors. The rear doors open out wide to a maximum of 180-degrees to give unhindered access through the large cargo opening.

Inside, the Dispatch offers from 5.0-m3 to 7.0-m3 of cargo capacity and all come with four tie-down hooks. There’s also a choice of bulkhead options, offering ladder, removable steel and mesh configurations to make the Dispatch safe and adaptable.