Citroen Dispatch van review (2023)

• Comfortable and refined to drive
• Little in the way of unpleasant body roll in the corners
• Engines provide plenty of performance

Citroen has made huge improvements to the Dispatch’s ride and handling compared with the previous version.

The latest model has a very low centre of gravity thanks to the low position of the engine (don't be fooled by the height of the grille!), helping the van to feel planted on the road, and reducing body roll in the bends.

Similarly, the suspension is nicely set up so that it deals well with bumps, and isn't too choppy - even when there's little in the way of load in the back. Many medium vans, including the bestselling Ford Transit Custom, can often feel very bouncy when driven unlaiden.

Citroen Dispatch engines

The Citroen Dispatch comes with a pair of 1.5-litre diesel engines, with either 102hp or 120hp and two 2.0-litre diesels with 145hp or 180hp. The smaller engine is the one more suited to around town duties, although it will do a perfectly decent job out on faster roads too. The 2.0-litre 145hp model is the one to go for if you want to make the most of the van's payload potential though. With 340Nm of torque it is stronger and more suited to heavy duty work. This extra strength also means it is more comfortable at higher speeds.

The higher power 2.0-litre diesel is more than most will need and it only comes with an automatic gearbox, which will rule it out for many. This auto is also available as an option on the 145hp 2.0-litre while the rest of the range gets a six-speed manual.

At launch the Dispatch was available with a 1.6-litre engine with 95hp and 210Nm in its entry-level guise, combined with either the standard five-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed automated manual transmission (a sort of clunky automatic); alternatively, the 1.6 was available with 116hp and 300Nm, and a standard-fit six-speed manual gearbox.

Apart from the entry-level 95hp output, which may feel a little anaemic when challenged by heavy loads, all of these engines are sprightly and keen, and generally acceptably refined.

The gearboxes could be better, however - a situation that's not helped by some weirdly square gear knobs. Ergonomic these are not.

• Cramped cabin with limited visibility
• Poor driving position
• Rivals offer better in-cab storage

Climbing into the cab, one disadvantage becomes immediately apparent. The low seating position and high dashboard means that visibility has been compromised and the small cab is dark and cramped.

The driving position on right-hand drive models is also noticably offset, meaning that the steering wheel and pedals don't line up, forcing you to sit slightly twisted.

The next problem is finding somewhere to put your stuff. There are a number of small storage compartments, but the only decent-sized space is located underneath the passenger bench.

Many rivals are much more practical in this area.

Still, you can get a Moduwork load-through bulkhead, which comes with a twin passenger bench that has a fold-flat outer seat and a middle seat back that folds down to form a desk. This adds a load more practicality as it allows you to take much longer items without having to strap them to the outside of the van.

The Dispatch is also available with an array of high-tech add-ons, including the novelty of a head-up display, as well as more run of the mill items such as touchscreen infotainment systems.

• Well priced, with good mpg - the Dispatch should be cheap to run
• More premium rivals may offer lower monthly finance costs though
• Service intervals, warranty info and trim levels detailed below

With low starting prices, the new Citroen Dispatch looks very affordable compared with most of the competition. A lot of Citroen’s well-respected Business Centre dealerships offer good deals on products, too.

But if you're planning to buy on finance, you may find more desirable rivals have lower monthly costs. So check before you sign on the dotted line...

Citroen Dispatch mpg

The most efficient engine at the time of writing, in January 2023, is the 120hp 1.5-litre diesel with a highest official economy of 45.8mpg, although the lower-powered version is only 0.1mpg behind it in the official figures. None of the versions, regardless of length or engine, have a top official figure of less than 40mpg, though.

Don't be fooled by the stats for the pre-May 2019 engines - they claimed to return between 48.7mpg and what was then a class-leading 55.3mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle. However, in September 2019 a new WLTP method of measuring fuel economy was introduced, and this saw on-paper figures fall to between 35.9mpg and 41.3mpg.

This does not mean these latest models are less economical, rather that the test is now tougher and supposed to better represent real-world driving.

Running costs continue to be very competitive here.

As with most Euro 6 vans and pickups, the Dispatch uses AdBlue to improve its emissions. This is stored in a 22.4-litre tank, providing a theoretical range of over 9,000 miles between fill ups.

Citroen Dispatch service intervals

Service intervals are set at 25,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first.

Citroen Dispatch warranty

The Dispatch comes with a three-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

The first two years offer unlimited mileage cover.

Citroen Dispatch standard equipment

The Citroen Dispatch came in the below trim levels until May 2019, with the following highlight items of standard equipment.

For details of safety equipment see the Safety and Security section of this review.

Citroen Dispatch X standard equipment highlights:

• Twin sliding side doors
• Full steel bulkhead
• Height-adjustable driver's seat
• Dual passenger bench with storage tray
• Cruise control
• Electric windows
• Full size spare wheel
• DAB radio
• Bluetooth, USB and aux-in connectivity
• 12v socket in load area and cabin

Citroen Dispatch Enterprise standard equipment highlights (in addition to X):

• Air-conditioning
• Rear parking sensors
• Electrically adjustable heated door mirrors
• Moduwork load-through bulkhead and passenger bench
• Automatic lights and wipers
• 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system

Citroen Dispatch Enterprise Plus standard equipment highlights (in addition to Enterprise):

• Metallic paint
• Body-coloured bumpers, door handles and side rubbing strips
• Front foglights
• LED daytime running lights
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• 180-degree rear parking camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Electrically folding heated door mirrors
• Connect Nav sat-nav system with emergency call and breakdown assist

New Citroen Dispatch trim levels for 2019

From May 2019, the Dispatch range was expanded with the introduction of Worker and Driver models. Here are the details.

Citroen Dispatch Worker

The main feature of the Dispatch Worker is the inclusion of the Grip Control system as standard.

This is an enhanced traction system for slippery surfaces that includes clever electronics as well as mud and snow tyres. You also get an extra 20mm of ground clearance and a 20mm-thick sump guard.

The idea being that the Worker model is intended for tough site duties.

The Moduwork load-through bulkhead and passenger seat is part of the package, too.

Citroen Dispatch Driver

The Dispatch Driver is intended to make life better for operators who spend a lot of time on the road.

To this end it includes not only most of the features of the Enterprise Plus model, but also improved noise and temperature insulation, in an effort to further increase refinement (the Dispatch is already pretty decent in this area).

On top of this you also get a load of extra safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

New 2023 Citroen Dispatch trims

At the end of 2021 Citroen announced more updates to its trim range, with the three models now X Pro, Enterprise Pro and Driver Pro. There is no longer a Worker version designed for tougher environments. The equipment offering doesn't change, just the naming.

Come 2023 and these changed again, with the range simplified down to just two trims - Enterprise Edition and Driver Edition, with the entry-level model ditched. Again, this is a naming and streamlining decision and the levels of actual kit hasn't changed.

• Engines should be well proven...
• ...but Dispatch has been subject to a lot of recalls

At launch Citroen was using the same 1.6- and 2.0-litre engines that proved to be fairly reliable with the previous Dispatch generation.

We say 'fairly' with some deliberation. This latest Dispatch has been subject to a number of safety recalls from Citroen, including issues with the engines - but also the suspension, the steering and the brakes.

So, if you're buying used make sure that all the recall work has been properly carried out. And if you're worried about a particular van, you should be able to check the number plate with Citroen and the government's 'check vehicle recalls' service.

In May 2019 the 2.0-litre engines were mildly upgraded and the 1.6-litre options replaced by a newer 1.5-litre motor. Although new to the van, the 1.5 has been used in Citroen's passenger cars for some time and has proved reliable - there have been no recalls related to that engine since it launched in the Dispatch.

• Vast amount of available safety kit
• Shame more of it isn't standard
• All models have deadlocks

A whole host of new safety systems were introduced with this model.

Citroen Dispatch safety

All of the following items are available on the Citroen Dispatch - though you will have to pay extra (or at least go for a higher trim level) to actually get most of them:

• Electronic stability control (ESC)
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Adaptive cruise control
• Speed limiter
• Forward distance alert (warns you if you're too close to the vehicle in front)
• Head-up display
• Blind spot monitors
• Traffic sign recognition
• Lane departure warning
• Driver fatigue monitor

It's an impressive array. But we would like to see things like AEB fitted on more models as standard - this can not only prevent or reduce injury but also improve running costs by cutting down on low-speed accidents.

All models do get driver and passenger airbags, however, not to mention a full steel bulkhead.

From May 2019 production all Dispatch vans are fitted with an emergency assist function called Citroen Connect Box that automatically calls the emergency services in the event of an accident.

The system can also be activated manually, giving you a direct line to Citroen's assistance centre.

Euro NCAP Bronze award

As part of the latest Euro NCAP van safety campaign, the Dispatch was awarded a Bronze rating for its available safety kit. This is a bit of a puzzler, as the technically identical Vauxhall Vivaro and Peugeot Expert have both been awarded Silver ratings - though the Toyota Proace was only given Bronze status, too.

Citroen Dispatch security

All versions of the Dispatch come with deadlocks, and a remote locking system that allows you to open the cab separately from the load area.

You'll need an Enterprise model or above to get an alarm as standard, however.