Renault Kangoo Estate 1999 - Present

When people see you pull up at the lights in your Kangoo there's every chance that they're going to start offering to kiss your papal ring. That's how much it resembles the popemobile. What you will have is a van inspired car that, while not everyone's choice, is a functional and reliable car. It's adaptable boot converts to a virtual van with the quick shift of a seat and back to a family car just as readily. Rosary beads for the rear view mirror are an optional extra.

Inside the car you just can't get away from how tall it is. If you had need to shift a job lot of grandfather clocks this would be the ideal motor for the job. The rear doors slide back rather than open up which means it's great in car parks. There are overhead storage boxes, the type that you get in planes, only smaller. The sheer amount of glass makes the Kangoo turn into a greenhouse at the first hint of sunshine, so the air conditioning option is recommended, although fairly unrefined.

The engine options are something of a letdown. None of them offer any really solid level of performance with nothing managing sub 10 seconds for their 0-60, and only one topping out with a three figure top speed. It's worth bearing in mind that these numbers are for cars that are not fully loaded. The sort of power needed to drive the car with a washing machine and tumble dryer in (which you can do without putting the rear seats down), is found sadly lacking. It can be easy to find yourself short of the overtaking power needed on the motorway, especially on windy days.

The handling is sufficient but little more. The suspension is soft which makes for a comfortable ride for the passengers, but as a result the Kangoo suffers from body roll, especially on tight bends. It is best suited to town runs where it's neither assailed by crosswinds nor tested with hairpin bends.

The Renault Kangoo is an unusual looking car and it has purposeful roots. Although it is unlikely to excite the driver with anything but keeping it on the road on a windy day. May well have a home for slowly transporting religious leaders...

Leave a comment

Type into the box below