Regular readers will know that CM has devoted many pages
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to the debate of longer, heavier trailers The argument for such vehicles states that the extra length will allow for more payload, which in turn reduces road miles, emissions and operating costs
Renault seems to agree with the aforementioned idea, just at the opposite end of the CV scale. It's taken its
In brief compact Kangoo panel van and stretched it out by 400nim, giving us s the Kangoo Maxi.
Vehicle: Renault Kangoo The Maxi is the third variant in the Kangoo range that Van Max l LL21PCi 85 also features the small 'Compact' and mid-range 'Van' Priceastested:E14,225 versions to suit all types of business needs.With an extended Engine:1 5-litre, 84hp wheel-base, the Maxi also takes Renault into higher (63kWl territory in the LCV market, joining the likes of the LWB
Ford Transit Connect. Nissan NV200 and the Fiat Doblo Cargo MAX!, all boasting at least 4m' of loadspace.
The model we're testing here is the £12590 entry-level Kangoo Van LL21 Maxi powered by an 84hp 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine with 200Nm of torque. In addition to the engine in our test van, there's also a more powerful 105hp 1.5-litre dCi unit mated to a six-speed gearbox (versus the five-speeder in ours).
Renault offers the Kangoo Maxi in two trim levels, namely LL and LL+. Let's start with the base LL, which was our test vehicle where core features include remote central locking, twin side-sliding doors and overhead parcel shelf. LL+ adds central storage consol and armrest. CarminatTomTom satellite navigation and radio/CD upgrade.
As you can see here, prices begin at £12,590 rising to £13,590 for the range-topping LL21 dCi 105+, which compares favourably with the rival Fiat Doblo Cargo LWB Maxi panel van that costs between £13,845 and £15,945.
The extra wheelbase has also allowed Renault to make a crew-van version of the Kangoo Maxi with a second row of seats. The manufacturer says that it can take five adults in
comfort, while still having enough space to transport goods with 1.3m" of loadspace.
Productivity This is what the [(Lingo° Maxi is all about: productivity. With the oversize dimensions, you get an extra 150kg on payload and 1m3 on volume over the regular Kangoo Van. Access to the load area is through two asymmetric rear doors opening out to 180' in addition to twin sliding doors.
The rear load lip is low, which made loading our 15kg ballast weights easy. although it wasn't as simple from the side. as the side-door aperture is small and narrow.
Fuel consumption was noteworthy on our unladen run, with the Kangoo Maxi breaking through the 50mpg barrier returning 52.7mpg overall; bettering the Kangoo Van's figure of 48.8mpg (CM 5 March 2009). With maximum payload on board, fuel consumption dipped slightly to 46.3mpg over the 89-mile route, but it's still a commendable return for a vehicle that carries 850kg in total.
The Kangoo Maxi will also suit those operators who need the volume more than the weight because it has 4m' of loadspace, which is more than you get with a long wheelbase Ford Connect. Also, if you specify the folding front passenger seat with swivelling bulkhead you can get an extra 60cm3 on top of that.
Cab comfort Van interiors are more than just aesthetics and ergonomics: they must be functional as well as robust, and the Kangoo Maxi manages to pull it off barring one glaring flaw.
Our test van came with the E50 central storage console with armrest-come-storage-box. which we feel is worth the extra outlay. However, the retro-shaped handbrake arm gets in the way of items in the bins when it's lowered — especially sat-nay cables plugged in the 12V socket. It might sound like a small gripe, but after a week with the vehicle it became very tiresome.
As for the rest of the interior, it's well designed with plenty of nooks and crannies in the door sills and on top of the dashboard to put personal belongings and other items, such as A4 files and clipboards The seats are comfortable and supportive, and getting in and out of the vehicle is easy thanks to a wide door aperture and the well-packaged interior. This will undoubtedly suit those on multi-drop operations.
Creature comforts include a remote-controlled Carminat TomTom sat-nay (£450), electric door mirrors, one-touch electric windows on the driver's side (part of the 'Convenience pack' at £200) and 'Air Con+ Pack' (000).
On the road For such an elongated van, we were impressed with the Kangoo Maxi's dynamic abilities. Granted, it's not a sports car, far from it. but the longer wheelbase helps it feel more planted on the road compared with the Compact version and there's very little body roll to speak of.
Steering was on the light side and while it was a blessing at low speeds or when parking, it wasn't as enjoyable on the motorways where it was less than coherent, especially when laden.
In 2009, CM ran a Kangoo Compact for several months and while it was nimble and nippy, we were less than impressed with its soft suspension and bouncy ride. As the Maxi is identical to its diminutive brethren (apart from the wheelbase of course), we had an inkling what the ride would be like on the limo' version. But after a few miles in the seat, you begin to notice that the extended wheelbase has improved the ride quality, and as such, the Maxi feels comfortable on the road; never bobbing over dips or speed bumps like the Compact variant.
We really like the four-pot turbo-diesel engine in the Renault, which is very refined and smooth, not to mention extremely frugal and clean. The 84 horses on tap are adequate for a van of this size and there's enough torque to shift heavy items like we did during the test. However, we're less than impressed with the gearchanges. which feel imprecise in action when compared to rivals like the Fiat Doblo Cargo and Ford Transit Connect. •