Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the new 2021 Citan van, which is available as both Panel van and window van.
Design wise, the Citan features muscular shoulders and striking wheel wells, underlining the vehicle’s power and emotive appeal.
Cabin
A particularly eye-catching aspect in the interior is the spirited, horizontal shape of the instrument panel. The Mercedes‑Benz designers sought their inspiration for the full-bodied, voluptuously curved volume of the instrument panel support from the profile of a wing.
A decisive aspect here was the continual, horizontal positioning. The narrow wing stretches across the interior and makes for a generous feeling of space. The instrument unit itself is cut out of this. Their shape is reminiscent of an eroded stone.
The resulting slot between the wing and the stone makes for a practical stowage compartment for rapid access to important utensils.
Dimensions
Measuring 4,498 mm, the new Mercedes-benz Citan combines compact exterior dimensions with a generous amount of space. Thanks to a number of different versions and practical equipment details, it offers plenty of different usage possibilities and convenient loading.
Even in the short wheelbase variant (2,716 mm), the Citan offers much more space compared with the predecessor model – on the Panel Van, for example, the load compartment length is 3.05 metres (with the flexible partition wall).
Sliding doors are a practical feature, especially in tight parking spaces. The new Citan is available with up to two sliding doors. They offer a wide opening on both sides of the vehicle measuring 615 millimetres. The height of the load compartment opening is 1059 millimetres (both figures represent the clearance).
Loading and unloading
At the rear, too, the load compartment is easily accessible: the loading sill of the Panel Van sits at a height of 59 cm. Meanwhile, the two sections of the rear doors can be blocked at an angle of 90 degrees and can even be moved through 180 degrees to the sides of the vehicle. The doors are asymmetrical, whereby the left-hand door is wider and has to be opened first.
The Tourer already comes as standard with a tailgate featuring a rear window. As an alternative, it is also available with rear doors. The rear bench seat can be folded down in the ratio of 1/3 to 2/3. Numerous stowage spaces and compartments facilitate everyday use of the Citan.
Panel van
Besides the fixed partition wall (available with and without window) between the driver’s cab and the load compartment, the Citan Panel Van is also available with a folding variant. This option has already proven its worth in the predecessor model and has since been further optimised.
The co-driver’s seat can be folded to create a level surface. The load protection grille is made of steel and serves to protect the driver and co-driver from the load.
The vehicle is also equipped with comfort and convenience systems familiar from passenger cars, including Thermotronic, Keyless-Go starting function, and the electric parking brake.
Powertrain
At the launch, the engine range of the new Citan will be formed by three diesel and two petrol models. Shared strengths of all these are great driveability even in the low rev range and economical consumption values.
For even faster acceleration, for example when overtaking, the 85‑kW version of the diesel engine available for the Panel Van features an overpower/overtorque function. Up to 89 kW of power and 295 Nm of torque can be called up briefly.
All engines are combined with an ECO start/stop function. Alongside the six-speed manual transmission, the diesel and petrol models are also available with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
