Renault moves Kangoo upmarket; launches low-cost Express van

PARIS -- Renault is moving the new generation of the Kangoo small van upmarket, with enhanced connectivity and driver assistance options and a full-electric version available from the start of production next spring.

The current Kangoo was introduced in 2007. Renault also builds versions of it for Daimler (the Mercedes-Benz Citan) and alliance partner Nissan (the NV250) at its factory in Maubeuge, northern France. Mercedes has already announced that it will sell a passenger version of the new Kangoo called the T-Class.

The new Kangoo will be built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF C/D architecture in passenger and commercial versions. Gasoline, diesel and full-electric powertrains will be available, although Renault did not provide specifications. A concept version was shown in April 2019.

The automaker also said Thursday that it will launch the budget-priced Renault Express van, reviving a nameplate used for small vans based on the Renault 5 in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Express has similar styling to the Kangoo but is based on the existing Dacia Dokker van’s B0 alliance platform. 

The Express will serve as a replacement for the Dokker in the Renault Group lineup, and will be built in Renault’s factory in Tangier, Morocco, with sales starting in spring. 

A commercial version of the Express will be sold in Europe, aimed at “young entrepreneurs and small fleets,” but the passenger version is destined only for international markets, Renault said.

Renault says it has improved side access by eliminating the central pillar in the Kangoo, allowing for an opening 1,416 mm wide, twice as much as the current Kangoo.

New driving aids include a digital interior mirror that shows a permanent rear view, which Renault says is useful in panel-van versions. Other features include trailer swing assist, brake stability control and advanced emergency braking. Drivers can connect to smartphone and Renault apps using the Easy Link multimedia system.

The Kangoo will be available in two lengths. Interior volume will be 3.3 cubic meters to 3.9 cubic meters for the standard version, and 4.2 cubic meters to 4.9 cubic meters for the extended-wheelbase version.

The Kangoo ranked fourth through September among small light-commercial vehicles, according to JATO Dynamics, with 35,283 sales. The Citroen Berlingo led the segment with 55,937 sales. The Dokker ranked ninth with 12,772 sales, JATO said.

Among car-derived vans (passenger versions of commercial vans), the Dokker was in fourth place through September with 21,824 sales and the Kangoo was sixth, with 12,070 sales. The Volkswagen Caddy – which will also be launching a new generation – led the category with 34,156 sales. 

Car-derived vans are fast replacing the traditional minivans for European buyers. They are generally cheaper to build than minivans and have a longer life cycle, allowing automakers to recoup and profit from their investment over a longer time period.