Uber-efficient van

With less emissions, better fuel economy and a greater load capacity, the new Euro 5 Citroen Nemo 1.3 diesel is set to be a success with van users

The new Euro 5 Citroen Nemo has gone through a raft of enhancements to make it greener and more fuel efficient, while still managing to get a boost in performance.
    
Whilst it has a smaller engine, the new Euro 5 1.3 HDi enjoys a 5ps hike in power and significantly improved torque compared to the previous Euro 4 1.4HDi engine
    
The emission level of the Euro 5 Nemo has also had an impressive drop, from 119g/km to 113g/km. Meanwhile fuel consumption has improved by 4.4 per cent, making it 65.7mpg on the combined cycle.
    
Independent testing showed that the Euro 4 Nemo 1.4HDi was the UK’s most economical van and now thanks to these improvements, the new Euro 5 1.3HDi is set to retain the title.

A contributing factor to the drop in CO2 is Citroen’s Stop & Start technology. Unlike other systems where the engine shuts down when in neutral, this system stops the engine and remains in standby mode while you have your foot on the brake. The engine comes back to life the instant you release the footbrake, with little noise and vibration.

The new Euro 5 Nemo also benefits from increased load capacity of 50kg, making it 660kg. This increased load volume is mainly a result of the Extenso folding passenger seat – which folds horizontally onto the seat cushion and the whole seat lowers so that the seat back is level with the load compartment floor.
    
The Nemo performed confidently during the test drive. It handled well, was responsive and had a solid gear change. The high up seat position and large wing mirrors gave you high visibility.
    
The van itself is small enough to be nimble on the roads, yet it’s load capacity matches those of larger competitors.

AT A GLANCE
Engine: 1.3 Diesel
MPG: 65.7mpg
CO2g/km: 113g/km
RFL: C
0-62mph: 15.6 seconds
Model price range: From £10,665 (MRPB*)
* Manufacturer’s Recommended Basic Price