| Week at the Wheel | Renault Kangoo |

Inside & Out:

Looking at the Kangoo it's not hard to see that a version of the model is also Renault's entry level van, but the car derivation is none the worse for it - vans always have great ergonomics and comfortable roomy cabins and so the Kangoo car proves. Up front driver and passenger enjoy stacks of room in all directions, most noticeably overhead, and that's despite the fact that there are large overhead stowage spaces that offer generous accommodation for maps and satnav systems, or indeed lunch boxes.

A similar theme is evident in the rear, which offers almost unrivalled access courtesy of the two large sliding doors. Once inside the rear occupants will appreciate the cavernous interior that's well lit and easy to see out of thanks to the generous glasshouse. The rear seats fold flat with ease and combine with the huge load area of the boot to offer a total capacity that's much akin to that of the van. The only downside is the size of the rear hatch itself which requires several feet worth of space at the rear through which to arc open - this caught us out more than once in tight spaces.

Externally then the Kangoo isn't exactly a looker and owes much to its more working class roots. Some refinements have been added to sanitise it somewhat but the changes don't bring it into line with more conventional offerings. The interior is anything but commercial; basic yes, but not cheap or nasty and the versatility, practicality and comfort on offer are hard to find elsewhere in the class - certainly not in a more fashion conscious MPV; indeed only rivals of this ilk that share such humble roots can genuinely match the overall package on offer as a no nonsense family car.

Engine & Transmission:

The 1.5-litre dCi engine in the Kangoo now serves in a variety of Renault offerings, from Clio to Laguna and our experiences to date have been positive. This continues here where the relatively small engine manages to deliver a range of abilities ideally suited to the application. Absolute performance isn't strong but it's plenty enough for family motoring and the torquey nature makes for a relaxing drive. The petrol model is best avoided given its more modest outputs, especially given the diesel's merits.

Ride & Handling:

As you'd expect, the Kangoo's chassis is biased towards comfort and compliance and it makes a fine fist of smoothing out urban pockmarks and traffic calming, as well as performing admirably on country roads and the motorways. It proves to be comfortable and unflustered in most conditions, though we didn't have the opportunity to drive it fully loaded. Obviously, a sporty drive isn't on offer and the height of the body does present some challenges in terms of body control when pushing on. That's not to say that the handling is poor; the Kangoo can be hustled along with deceptive pace, but this is not its main objective in life.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Living with the Kangoo should be painless, with 50mpg returned with relative ease and the low emissions that result leading to cheap road tax. Service intervals are sensibly lengthy, as is the warranty, but residuals are likely to be fairly steep. In terms of equipment the Kangoo does fall a little short of expectations with some essentials for family life, such as air conditioning, on the options list rather than being standard. This pushes the list price up towards the £15,000 mark, but a brief search online yielded a saving of almost £2,000, making the Kangoo something of an interesting left field choice.

Overall:

The simple basic charms of cars such as the Renault Kangoo are hard to fault. For those to whom image isn't everything, and practicality is, it represents a compelling option in the MPV market place, if a little no nonsense.