Renault has released full details of the redesigned Kangoo passenger van line it displayed – with little fanfare – on its new Laguna (and concept coupe)-dominated Frankfurt motor show stand back in September.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Originally launched in 1997 this ‘leisure utility vehicle’ has been a considerable success for the French automaker, selling over 2,300,000 units to date.
Essentially, the Kangoo is a van with seats and a type of cheap ‘n’ cheerful, practical, flexible and durable vehicle the French have specialised in for years – they were originally particularly popular with rural buyers in France.
The outgoing 1997-2007 Kangoo has been a hit here in the UK with families whose new-car budget doesn’t quite stretch to a new MPV (minivan) such as GM’s mid-size Opel/Vauxhall Zafira and Ford’s C-Max or the larger Chrysler Voyager/Volkswagen Sharan-sized models.
The Kangoo has rivals, including models from Fiat and Peugeot while, in continental Europe, GM offers ‘Kombi’ passenger versions of its Astra van line.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe redesigned 2008 Kangoo is, like its predecessor, built in France in Renault’s modernised MCA Maubeuge factory which, the automaker claims, is one of the most productive light commercial vehicle factories in Europe.
Fully restyled inside and out, the new model is 180mm longer than its predecessor at 4,210mm and all the extra length is in the cabin, which seats five plus baggage. Shoulder and leg room have also been increased.
Three trim levels, Authentique, Expression and Privilège, are offered, paired with different equipment levels and powertrains.
Interior materials quality has been upgraded and Renault claims the van-based model now “boasts standards of thermal and acoustic comfort worthy of an MPV”.
Some versions feature car-like automatic climate control as standard and there is a full range of equipment options like CD players, power windows and central locking.
Other standard or optional equipment includes cruise control/speed limiter, automatic headlamps and wipers, all newly available on the second-generation model. Depending on model, the new Kangoo also has between two and six airbags, seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, and anti-submarining humps in the front and back seats, as well as three seats with Isofix anchorage points on some versions.
Safety equipment is identical to that of a contemporary European-market family hatchback – all versions are equipped with ABS and emergency brake assist and engine torque overrun regulation functions. Some versions also have ESP with understeer control and ASR traction control.
New items include a portable navigation system holder which fits on the driver’s side for easy visibility. An audio connection box in the glovebox and enables occupants to listen to their own audio collection thanks to ports for a USB key, mobile MP3 player or iPod. Functions are controlled via the steering wheel-mounted fingertip remote control and a hands-free Bluetooth telephone function is also now available.
A twin-section pop-up glass sunroof over the front seats, paired with a fixed glass roof above the rear seats, is also on the options list.
The 60:40 split-fold rear bench folds in one action to form a flat load area and, on some versions, the front passenger seat can also fold down flat, boosting payload from a seats-up 660 litres to 2.8 m3. The vehicle can also carry objects up to 2.5m long.
Seventy-seven litres of interior stowage space include aircraft-style stowage compartments for the rear passengers and the new model now has longitudinal roof bars that convert without tools into a luggage rack that can take loads of up to 80kg.
Two petrol engines – and eight-valve 66kW 1.6 and a 16-valve 78kW unit and three 1.5-litre diesels with 50, 63 and 78kw power outputs are available; the 78kw motor can also be ordered in 76kW tune with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).
The lower-powered pair qualify for Renault’s new ‘eco2’ designation, with CO2 emissions lower than 140g/km.
