Road Test
KANGOO RENAULT Picture Key
1. Sliding doors are fitted on both sides
2. Asymmetric back doors can be swung through 180°
3. Reversing sensors are included in the deal
4. Fit a towbar and you can haul a 1.5-tonne braked trailer
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prodding the touchscreen in the hope that you will be able to figure out how to raise the temperature a notch. Theoretically, the cab is a three-
seater. In practice though whoever sits on the impractical middle perch will have to be short, thin and not mind being squashed between the driver and the other passenger.
The centre seat offers one benefit; its back can be folded down and turned into an impromptu desk with a pen tray, a cup-holder and an elasticated strap to keep your paperwork tidy. The driver’s seat and the steering column are both height-adjustable. Our van boasted an optional heated and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. In-cab storage facilities include a shelf above the windscreen, bins in each of the doors, a lidded but not lockable glove box, and shelves at the top and bottom of the dashboard. Adjacent to the latter shelf is a cup-holder. On-board safety features include ABS
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with emergency brake assist, electronic stability control, hill start assist and traction control system. The last-named can be switched off if necessary. Our test van came with a mountain of optional safety features, at least some of which should be provided as standard. The line-up included active emergency braking system, advanced lane keep assist, and blind spot intervention.
Also installed were adaptive cruise
control and highway and traffic jam assist, both of which have the same objective; ensuring you maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front while driving. The headlights illuminate
automatically at dusk and a spattering of rain will trigger the windscreen wipers. Disc brakes are fitted all round and our test van sat on optional 16in alloy wheels shod with Continental Eco Contact 205/60 R16 tyres.
Powertrain
Married to a single-speed transmission, the electric motor delivers 245Nm of torque. The charging socket for the lithium-ion battery, which is protected by a cooling system, is at the front of the van, beneath the big Renault logo which flips to one side.
A mode 3-type charging cable is supplied with the vehicle.
Driving
If you want to maximise your range and you are tackling a reasonably hilly route, then make sure you make full use of Kangoo E-Tech’s regeneration system whenever you go down an incline. Tap the shift lever to the right and select B1, B2 or B3 – the maximum – and you will get lots of lovely free energy pumped into the battery when you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal. It is remarkably effective and unlike regeneration packages fitted to earlier electric Renaults it does not result in nearly being jerked out of the driving seat every time you use it.
A display on the instrument panel – an optional 4.2in colour display in our
28 WhatVan? August 2023
www.whatvan.co.uk
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