By the time this long-term report goes online, Renault will have taken back the keys to our long-term Kangoo, and no doubt it will have been a farewell tinged with disappointment.
Not, you understand, disappointment with the van because it is a cracking little vehicle, but disappointment that our test period wasn’t longer than three months.
For while it quickly impressed us with its versatility, road manners, performance and – probably most of all – fuel economy, the more time we spent with the Kangoo, the more we valued its wide spread of abilities.
It really is a well designed and well thought out compact van.
It’s load volume of 3.0cu m is adequate, while the ply-lined floor our Kangoo came with proved to be invaluable in keeping the load area in as good as condition as possible – important when it comes to selling on any LCV, as it can add more than £100 to residual values.
Drivers will have little to grumble about either.
The Kangoo’s 85bhp engine is a strong performer, striking a very good balance between performance, emissions and economy.
As our test went on, the van’s fuel consumption improved and in the end we recorded an average test economy of 48.6mpg – not far away from the official combined figure of 53.4mpg.
On the road the Kangoo’s Scenic MPV platform gives it a far more comfortable ride than expected, and while the level of engine noise never lets you forget that you’re driving a van and not a car, the sheer quantity of useful cabin storage space more than makes up for it.