THE time has come to say farewell to our Citroen Berlingo long-term test car after spending six months with the road test team here at Fleet News.

I think three words can sum up this trusty workhorse – practical but uncool.

Style-wise, I've heard enough Postman Pat jokes to last a lifetime, but I think the colour of our test model is partly to blame – metallic red.

Inside, there's enough storage space to keep large families happy. It is bright and airy due to an extensive use of glass which also provides a good all round driving view.

There are a few complaints: seats which render you bolt up right and a steering column banging my legs on each gear change should suffice.

Behind the wheel, I was pleasantly surprised. A slick gearchange, reasonably direct steering and a good grip on the road makes driving quite fun. The 2.0-litre common rail diesel engine also provides plenty of power with the Berlingo easily reaching 70mph briskly. However, because it is so tall, experiencing crosswinds at speed can seem to blow you off course.

But then again, if you choose a Berlingo as a company car you're probably not likely to be doing it to boost your street cred.

Fleets not wanting to fork out for a flash MPV, but still wanting the practicality of one, should consider the Berlingo. And unlike some of our test cars, we haven't spent a penny on the Berlingo during its time with us.

Company car tax bill 2003/04 (22% tax-payer) £43 per month.