Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2008 | Page 112

life

MOTORING

Ballerina in
hippo's clothing
It’s a space
on wheels,
it’s an area,
a place. The
inside of
the Citroen
Berlingo
Multispace
is huge.
You have
to admit
the word
‘van’ springs to mind – but
that would be to discount the
sheer versatility the vehicle
has to offer.
Not that being van-related
is a bad thing. Sliding side
doors are a nifty asset
for road-side or car park
parking, and the seats
are multi-adjustable for
a comfortable ride. Both
passenger and driver get arm
rests, and while lots of gear
changes mean it’s easier to
drive without it, the rest is
great for a long, straight ride.
You’ve got to find somewhere
to put yourself in this huge
space.
So you’re thinking van,
and you’re in a diesel – we
tested the 1.6HDi, which
has 16v and 90 horse power
– so you’re expecting noise.
But the engine is whisper
quiet. So much so that
you find yourself homing
in on the quirky indicator
noise, a pleasant sound like
drumsticks on glass bottles,
though there is the radio, or
the option to plug in your
MP3 player.
You expect moving a
large space about to be
cumbersome, so when the
Berlingo Multispace is nippy

112

Be alone
with a Yaris
“Go and have some fun,” said Andy,
the salesman at the Toyota garage.
And Yaris and I did.

– yes, nippy – it’s something
of a bonus. It loves bending
round speedy roads, having
the torque to hold the road
with ease. Built-in safety
features include anti-lock
braking, and up to six
airbags. And when you ask
it to perform a manoeuvre
in a tight spot, its turning
circle is impressive, helped
by huge side mirrors. It’s a
car that hides its light under
a bushel: it won’t win beauty
contests but surprises you
with its delicate moves – like
a dancing hippo.
The options to maximis R