Citroen Relay Van Review

The Citroen Relay Van at a glance

The Citroen Relay established its reputation as an affordable, versatile and hugely competent large van many years ago.

As one of the most popular vans in the large van market, the Citroen Relay was recently updated with some impressive new features.

It now boasts the addition of a Euro 6.3-compliant engine along with a new trim level structure. Its doors and brakes have also been upgraded for durability and the interior quality has taken a step forward with extra options on the spec sheet.

Citroen says its focus on long-term running costs and its relationship with customers is the top reason to buy the Relay over its sister vans. The van prioritises comfort and practicality over everything else, leaving you with a van that is reliable and cost-effective.

The Relay has headlights and a grille inspired by the new range of Citroen cars, with large chevrons that blend into chrome strips on the nose. The optional LED strip inside the headlights is a nice touch, too.

The Citroen Relay is available on Van Sales UK for just £289 + VAT.

In this review, we will take you through the engines and specs, interior and pros and cons of this impressive van.

Engines and Spec

The Citroen Relay is pretty easy to drive, with light steering, good forward visibility and a logical interior layout.

A pair of Euro 6.3-compliant engines have been added to the Relay range. Both are 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo Diesel units featuring Stop & Start (S&S) technology. The BlueHDi 120 produces 120hp and 229lb-ft of torque and the more powerful BlueHDi 140 puts out 140hp and 251lb-ft of torque.

Where the previous engine quickly became tiresome, mainly due to it being so noisy, the newer version is a great improvement.

The ride in the Relay is reasonably good, even without a load in the back. Over bumpy back roads, the optional suspended driver’s seat soaks up most of the bumps, making a pleasant and comfortable ride.

Stability control, hill-start assist, ABS and emergency braking are all standard on the Relay, while the larger models also get lane departure warnings (optional on smaller vans). A driver’s airbag comes as standard, too. The improved brakes on the new model should boost safety as well.

Interior

While the interior design of the Citroen Relay is not particularly flashy or stylish, it is undeniably practical and comfortable.

The Relay offers a pleasant driving environment for a van of its age, with good forward visibility and split door mirrors with lower sections that can be angled downwards – useful when parking in tight spots or for spotting vehicles hiding in your blind spots. It has been blessed with an open and airy interior.

Electric windows and electrically adjustable mirrors are standard. The dual passenger seat includes a drop-down desk unit and the Citroen Relay also comes with a CD stereo as standard.

There is also plenty of storage with two glove compartments, a dashboard-mounted document clip and a couple of open and lidded compartments elsewhere in the dashboard. There are also generous door pockets, a storage area under the passenger seat and a 22-litre overhead compartment.

The Relay comes with three seats as standard, including a pull-down table in the centre.

The driver’s seat is also comfortable and can be chosen with its own suspension.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Efficient Euro 6 engines
• Feels durable
• Impressive payload ratings

Cons

• Noisy drive
• Tiring to drive long distances

The Verdict

Overall, the Citroen Relay van has received impressive updates which uphold its reputation as one of the most durable, practical and affordable vans in the large van market.

With an updated engine offering more power and plenty of in-cab storage, this van does everything it is asked of.

Another area where the Citroën Relay has improved significantly over the years is in the addition of safety systems, some of which are mandatory but many of which are useful extras, such as Roll-over Mitigation and Hill Descent Control. Traffic sign recognition is also now available and a lane departure warning system can be activated or deactivated via a button on the dash.

For a large van, the Relay is also surprisingly economical and can achieve its WLTP fuel consumption figures of around 35mpg.

The Citroen Relay remains one of the best large vans for moving both volume and weight, so if this is something you are after, the Citroen Relay could be the van for you.

The Citroen Relay is available on Van Sales UK for just £289 + VAT.

To find out more about what the popular Citroen Relay van has to offer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team here at Van Sales UK today. We are always on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have.